Kids and the Environment

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a site especially meant for teaching the children to be responsible with our environment. They have a creative interactive approach to teach the children about the environment with a selection of games, comic books, and cartoons. It also includes downloadable activity books, coloring books and more.
To learn about this and more go to Trout University Class 1012 Fishing With Kids, scroll down to Extra Credit and click on Environmental Kids Club.

Mongo is where it is at, bring back the BAT!

I can remember the good 'ol days playing with the Mongo bat. It was a large, large plastic bat that was so ideal for playing ball with the entire family. With the Mongo bat, you could hardly miss the ball, and when hit, the ball went flying with super speed.
It was so versatile that it could be used with virtually any ball of soft material. the inventor said that it could even be used, in fact, developed for use with a tennis ball. However, the bats purchased from Wal Mart were not sturdy enough to be used with a tennis ball. No matter, I just want the Mongo back.

Playing with the family in a park or the back yard is more fun and more exercise than cyber exercise like Wii. This video of the Mongo Bat will demonstrate.

Waders: Now, The Rest of The Story!

If Paul Harvey were still alive that is what he would say about our wader experiences. When we went to Alaska, the neoprene waders were great, but in NC where the weather is mild, they are so uncomfortable. The lite weight waders that I bought last year were super lite and cool but my grandson borrowed them to fish in a ravine and when he brought them back, they were shredded beyond repair. They simply do not hold up to the NC underbrush.

However, we bought the Orvis Tailwaters XT waders at the Orvis Warehouse Sale for about $38 which is about 10 cents on the dollar, because they were refurbished. We took them out Saturday to the Great Smoky Mountains Natiopnal Park and they were great. As we crawled thru the underbrush to approach the wild trout, they did not even get a scratch. So, for NC mountains, you might consider purchasing those waders.

After several attempts to retire, I am an author!

Retirement is easy, I can quit whenever I choose. Not so! I have retired several times, but now I find myself an author. I have published several articles on Associated Content. Also, I am a full professor at the Trout University where I have written several on line classes for teaching the art of trout fishing. So, now I am working on the computer about six hours per day and I have applied for a part time job outside the home as well.

North Carolina Trout Fishermen Prefer Pizza

Yes, it is somewhat secret and most will not readily admit it, but the preferred food after a tough day in the NC mountains is; you guess it Pizza! Personally, I have never considered it a sucessful trout fishing trip until I have hungrily downed my share of pizza washed down with Coke. However, I have learned that some other fishermen have the same appetite as well.

Orvis Helios Fly Fishing Rod a Sucess

While at the recent Orvis Warehouse Sale in Charlotte, NC, I had a good close up opportunity to review the new line of fly fishing rods. It's the Helios line, the lightest, strongest and most flexible fly-fishing rod Orvis has ever produced.

These rods offer the latest technology in resins, to reduce the weight. That technology coupled with a new lighter reel seat, makes them the world's lightest fishing rods . The Orvis team spent over two years to develop and perfect the new line, but it has paid off in sales, which are going thru the roof!

As I looked over those beautiful rods, I could not help but wonder what roll in the development of the rod, was played by my friend Tom Rosenbauer, Marketing Director for Orvis Rod and Tackle.

New Jersey Trout Fishing-Better Than Ever!

A fisherman contacted our web site http://www.troutu.com/ requesting information about trout fishing in New Jersey and pennsylvania. I have some friends who have fished the Pennsylvania waters and just one friend who had fished the New Jersey waters near the Deleware Water Gap. Of course, I have emailed them for more individual information and I am waiting for a reply. In the meantime, I have discovered that a lot of factors have combined to make New Jersey a great trout fishing success story. Many of the streams that course down and through the steep, wooded terrain of the Ridge and Valley and Highlands regions, as well as the rolling plains of the Piedmont, provide the cold water habitat that trout need. New Jersey has over 500 miles of streams with water quality capable of supporting trout reproduction and/or adequate for the year-round survival of trout. A 20 lb. brown trout of your dreams wasn't caught until 1995 in Round Valley Reservoir...... and I thought that the only trout in NJ were in an aquarium!

For complete information please go to the Trout University Blog.

Orvis Warehouse Sale in Charlotte.

Today, I went to the Orvis sale at the Metrolina Fair Grounds in Good ol' Charlotte. I was the first one in the warehouse as soon as they opened the doors at 9:00 AM. I scurried to the waders and picked up two pairs of Tailwaters XT waders for $39 each. They are $329 each when purchased from Orvis and not on sale. Wow, I saved about $600!