Kicking off the gift list are what I consider “high dollar” items, those in excess of $100.

For each of the items featured in the above video, the range runs from right around $100 to way out of my price range. Like anything, there’s plenty of choices out there for the gift giver. It’s all about how much you wish to spend.

Today’s fishing kayaks come with a wide array of bells and whistles. But they’ll cost you. It’s your choice to pick up a $3,999 fishing kayak (yeah, really) or stick with one of the considerably less pricey base models for a few hundred bucks.

Julie and I need to get our crew back out to a campsite as it’s been a couple years. When we do, we’ll still pitch it old school via tent. Six of us can sleep in a pair of domes that maybe cost us $250 combined once upon a time.

My GoPro is a low end model but it preserves the memories just fine. No doubt it has been more than worth the cost (a gift from Julie and the kids in 2017) and I encourage fellow outdoor folks to invest if you are able. (Note: there are additional costs for editing software. I use Wondershare Filmora at $39.99 annual fee for what its worth)

A drone would be a cool addition to my outdoor blogging someday but for now the GoPro is fine for recording a personal perspective. And just for fun here’s a vote for the GoPro below.

 

In the end though, I’m a rather cheap outdoorsman (and in general) so it’s tough to pry too much cash out my wallet. Now there’s an idea for some blog posts…frugality. But first we continue with the next batch of gift ideas from the $20-$99 range. Talk to you later. Troy

During a recent session of internet wanderings I happened to see that an old Major League pitcher had passed away.

Don Mossi was age 90 (I think, more on that below) and played from 1954-1965 for the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Athletics, making the American League All-Star Team in 1957.

While he did receive considerable consideration as the southpaw for my “MLB Fishing All-Star Team” project last summer (click here), he was out voted in favor of Steve Trout. But with his surname representing an item that is both a boon and a bane to anglers, when I learned of his passing, I thought “there’s a blog post tribute here.”

Tell me who you’re gonna believe, Topps 1955 or Wikipedia 2019?

Somehow or another I have a 1955 Topps Don Mossi card in my collection. While this series hit the stores well before my time as a collector, I have long been a fan of the landscape design represented in this set. The orientation resurfaced in the Topps sets from 1971 through 1974 for individual player cards and with that timeframe being right in my wheelhouse I am certain that those sets are responsible for my fondness for such a cool variation.

I must add that the backs of ball cards have long held a fascination for a fellow once referred to as “stat boy” by some “friends.” In addition to the numbers, there’s also a wealth of info (useful and otherwise) in the form of cartoons, highlights and trivia that adorn the flipsides and still bring a grin. In fact, I learned a little something new from Mossi’s card as I failed the “You’re the Ump” quiz.

My original Moss Boss from the 80s (top) and a more recent purchase (bottom)

On the fishing front, I couldn’t help but recall a lure known as the Moss Boss that first entered my tackle collection in the mid-80s. This topwater spoon creation from Heddon Lures was a must have for a kid back in the days when the baitshop offerings weren’t quite so overwhelming. Actually, when there used to be a fair amount of what were called “baitshops.” Interestingly, my logs show only a lone record of a bass landed on the old Moss Boss although I’m pretty certain it achieved a bit more success along the way. However, like many other must haves, the original Moss Boss from the 80s currently finds itself relegated to the “Misfit” section of my substantially larger tackle collection along with a more recent purchase from several years ago. A purchase with good intentions as a blog project that has yet to come to fruition…maybe someday while today’s post will have to suffice for now.

This June 19, 1988 log entry is the only documented success I can find with a Moss Boss during my extensive research for today’s post

Anyway, RIP to Mr. Mossi and I appreciate anyone who elected to bear with me in my stroll down Memory Lane, always a great place to visit as you put a few more years behind.

And speaking of years, did any other card collectors in my age range marvel at how old some of these guys looked on cards back in the day? Mossi would have been 24-25 years old when this card was created. Holy cow! I guess it shows that while the 50s have been portrayed as a carefree sort of decade, life was still indeed tough, likely not near as glamorous as the old TV shows and nowhere near as technologically reliant and distracted as present day. Folks worked hard and ballplayers had off season jobs to make ends meet, a whole different ballgame.

Now, I don’t know the going rate for an online purchase of an old Don Mossi Topps card but I challenge you to invest a few bucks in a Moss Boss from the internet or sporting goods store fishing aisle and send me those Top 5 submissions that result from crawling that hunk of plastic over those mossy spots on your stomping grounds. Get the catches for this week in by tonight though as the latest Top 5 Update hits the blog tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Roving reporter selfie perched atop an observation area with Lake Erie as a backdrop (used the stairs not the elevator)

Spent four days on the road for work this week starting with a 3:30am alarm to head to the airport on Tuesday July 16 and ending on Saturday July 20 at, oddly enough, 3:30am when I pulled into the driveway in a rental car. Amidst 32 hours doing IT stuff at two locations and slightly over 1,000 miles of diving I did manage to observe some outdoor stuff along the way. And since I bill this thing as an outdoor blog, well, here we go.

For a lifelong “flatlander” from Illinois, the Appalachian Mountains of Central/Western New York were pretty cool including the Catskill and Allegheny ranges. Nary a corn or soy bean field to be found.

I particularly liked this spot that featured a sort of reverse Mohawk, now that took some work.

Interesting sign observed in Pennsylvania, made me think twice about an off road run.

Pre-work day morning walk at Mead Park in Corry, PA. Embarrassed to say that I did not know this plant and had to cheat with a field guide. Wild Bergamot is one of my summer favorites and this bee balm is essentially the same thing.

Did see some fish, Mead Park in Corry, PA (left) and Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, PA (right)

Some less than alive real ones too, Rock Bass at Lake Erie on Presque Isle, PA (left) and a sample of Lake Erie species at Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, PA (right)

Got in a brief walk on Lake Erie’s Presque Isle and a visit to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie, PA while waiting to check in for an evening flight home.

 

Before heading to the airport I had a short, hot stroll along an extra full Lake Erie (bet I was the only guy in long pants and steel toed boots) where I picked up a few “shark teeth” for the kids

Wish list
A closer look at the Hudson River as I was in close proximity but too tired and too late after a long day, poor excuses
En route to Corry, PA I drove through Jamestown, NY, birthplace of naturalist legend, Roger Tory Peterson, and home of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. Unfortunately, work hours and institute hours did not work out for the 25 mile return trip. Kind of bummed as his field guide series has meant a great deal to me over the last 30 plus years. 

Return home was marked by flight delays due to bad weather in Detroit. By 5:30pm the continued delay had me cancelling flights in favor of a rental car to drive home instead. My flight that was originally slated to leave Erie, PA at 6:11pm apparently wound up with 12:24 am departure. I’d long abandoned flight plans and by that time was halfway across Indiana in a rental car. A long drive when leaving Erie. PA at 7:09pm Friday evening and hitting my driveway at 3:30am Saturday morning but worth it as my original flight to Moline didn’t land until 9:00pm Saturday night.

Oh yeah, saw this guy again in Western Pennsylvania, strangely in the same place I spotted him last time…

Top 5 Update headed your way tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Today’s post marks post #500 since kicking off my own website back on May 1, 2017.

Perhaps you’ve caught a few of those posts over the last 790 days (that equates to a rather prolific rate of content creation, by the way).

Well, whether you have or whether you haven’t, here’s a look at some of what has graced the internet in that batch of stuff.

Fishing Reports = over 75 posts
These are definitely my favorite posts to put together as the first step in creating them is actually getting out there on the water to chase some fish. From there, anything can happen. And even if hardly anything happens in terms of the bite, I can always find something to write.

Top 5 Updates = over 50 posts plus monthly and year-end stat updates
A close second to the firsthand fishing reports are the contributions from fellow anglers. These posts pretty much write themselves thanks to your submissions. Basically, I have a template and your reports fill in the blanks. Whether I’m catching them or not, it is always good to get some fish stories. And since every fish has a story, thus far we’ve had a look at nearly 250 of them along the way.

Flashbacks = over 60 posts
Between the Friday Flashback feature and something I called “Trapping Tuesdays” we’ve taken a lot of weekly trips back through the last 40 plus years. Outdoor tales are meant to be retold and relived and a blog is a wonderful forum to do just that.

Tunes = over 150 songs
The “Trip Tunes” feature as well as a few other scattered posts have allowed me to work my fondness for the radio and it’s musical offerings into an outdoor website. Not much of a stretch in my book as the drive is just another part of the adventure and as a guy with a soundtrack in his head there’s always an apt lyric for every situation. Besides, I love music and I write the blogs.

 

Of course, there’s also been a fair representation of sports figures, particularly baseball players, that have managed to work their way into a purported outdoor post. Just a few are featured below and a search on the website for “Around the Horn”, “Le Grande Orange” or “MLB” will take you all the way if you need some late night reading.

 

Beginning in March of 2018, I also introduced some homemade video into the blog offerings courtesy of the GoPro and iPhone. And did you know that you can do a Category search on the website for “Video” or several other categories to find just what you’re looking for?

Then there was a Bigfoot series, some Emiquon posts (more to come), wish lists, resolutions, park reviews, 12 Days of Christmas, Blog Banner recaps and more.

And, oh yeah, there’s the monthly “Lyric of the Week” feature that is tucked away at the bottom of the homepage. In fact, tune in tomorrow for the yet another timely selection. Some make more sense than others but they all make sense to me. If that makes any sense.

Been a wild ride. And it doesn’t stop here! On to post #501 and beyond with a Top 5 Update tomorrow along with a fishing report, a Trip Tunes batch and the weekly Friday Flashback to come. Talk to you later. Troy

Here we go again with the 2019 fishing year about to get underway.

While I did get on the water on January 5, I couldn’t raise any lethargic bass during that longshot outing. Winter then came on with a fury so while the January trip counts in the log and data, March 23 will be the “official” kickoff.

Of course, before you hit the open water for a new year there are a few tasks that need to be completed as detailed below.

Get your new fishing license, pictured here with my latest Little John Conservation Club membership card and my cool, nostalgic license holder from an old Galesburg shop

Check your tackle to see what needs replaced. Relatively cheap this year thanks to a Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card from Christmas and credit card points from Amazon

   

Strip, clean and respool your reels (pics above, video below)

 

Of course, all of that stuff comprises the easy part. Now to put it all together with a little something called experience to see if anything shows up on the end of the line. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy