The Aftermath

[Onslow]

I normally try to keep my recreational activities to a minimum unless I can involve family somehow.  The boss suggested I should get a line wet, and so I set out to do just that, but not before paying a few dues.



It is a Sunday routine to visit her grandpa's old homestead.  My wife's forebearers settled in this area in the 1750s. We have a humble second home here.  The house pictured here was built in 1948.



The grim reaper has been busy during this particular season of death.  Many funerals and such.



Only one out of six hives have perished thus far.



After making sure things were ok at the farm and ate lunch, I headed off to my most beloved river.  With temps in the low 50s in the highlands, I thought for sure I would find conditions to be marginal but doable.



This ain't good.



There are at least 3 browns over 20 in this run.  I could not even find a place to drop my goods   4 inches of ice covered the majority of the river.  Runoff from the snow was elevating the flows so some of the water was overrunning the ice.  In some spots, sediment from the area dairy farms was covering the ice.



Made some casts in this shallow, treeless area.  The sun prevailed here.  No luck.

Disgusted, I left this river to head to SMP.  On my way I noticed a small undesignated stream that was void of ice for reason I will not divulge.  I should have stopped at once, but continued to SMP.  I thought that the low altitude streams would have less in the way of snow and ice.





I was able to get line in the water in many spots.  I did manage one hook up but lost it.  Spent about an hour on this creek.



My apologies for the lack of fish porn.

http://youtu.be/QJEdgafCmSE?list=PLozgojtTt4Rfz59h_qYWQhl8PqWPdJbvQ

[ruttness]

i debated going up and decided not to, thought conditions would be a little better than that, have off thursday maybe ill make my way out

[Dougfish]

Dude?  Really?   

[Big J]

I applaud your efforts. 

[sanjuanwormhatch]

Would like to see that house up closer.

[Jfey]

A  for effort.   The homestead looks great and reminds me of where I grew up.  Our house was surrounded by corn and soybean fields in every direction.

[Onslow]

What do you do with the colony that dies... meaning how do you replace it?

Right many hives in any given bee yard will become crowded during the course of a honey flow and will require splitting, otherwise they will swarm, and some will swarm regardless.  When a hive enters swarm mode, the workers will create queen larvae/cells, sometimes 10, sometimes up to 30.  When this happens, I will break up a hive in to several sections and allow the these queens to hatch and mate.  If the existing queen is mediocre, I will kill her.  If she is impressive, I will relocate her and a small portion of hive at my home in Elkin.  I try to avoid purchasing store bought queens.

Would like to see that house up closer.

The only feature of this house that is interesting is the well located within the rear screen porch.  It still functions (hand crank/bucket & chain rig) very well.  The story behind the man who built it is much more interesting.

If you are into old houses, I can start an old house thread wherein I could post pics some 115 year old pasteboard ceiling tapestry and wallpaper fragments.  I can also produce some pics of some heart pine floors.

[Transylwader]

Fucking oath. Yep, the rivers and lakes in the Piedmont still have old man winters signature finish. I think the bastard be giving us the big "fuck you".
It was 60F yesterday and the  ice has still not melted. I shall find them shads sometime this week, maybe the strippers are in the big river.
SMP? Dang, that's desparation. 

[Onslow]

I'm envious as fuck.  I spent so much of my life within 1.15 hours from the big river and never fished it until after I moved, and now it be a 3.30 hour drive.  That river is great in mid summer, late summer.  Big effing bass, resident linesides, and damned beautiful water.