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Anglers, Nokomis, FL Great Outdoor Provision Co.
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Zionsville INOrvis Fly Shop
Carmel, INPanhandle Flyfishers of Destin, FL
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Updated April 11, 2009
Hi everyone,
It seems I have let a week slip since I last promised an update. AS I said last time, we had a change of charge for our club leadership. CW4 Scott Henry has completed his tour and returned home safely to his family. He turned over operation of the club to MAJ Thomas Parker and SGM Garry Cooper. Scott did a great job of running things and will be hard to replace. Thanks for everything, Chief!!! The Major and Sergeant Major have been doing a great job since Scott left, thank you both!!!
I've updated the contributions page, but I'll post the hot items here. Maj Baker passed on to me that the club needs basic terminal tackle:
snelled hooks size 6 to 2
lead egg sinkers or split shot 1/2 to 1 oz
split rings
snap swivels or barrel swivels size 5 and 7
jig heads 1/4 to 1/2 oz.
As for fly fishing gear, they need reels, backing and 6, 7, or 8 wt lines to go with the rods that have been donated.
It is my pleasure to announce the winner of the auction for the trip donated to the club by Alaska Adventures, LLC, MAJ Fred McEllman, USMC. Fred was very happy to win the bid. If you dig far enough back in the BACSFF archives, you'll find pictures of Fred - he fished with me in Iraq in 2005. He has made two other deployments to Iraq since then, but is now in a stateside job and in a position to make this trip. Congratulations Fred!
Fred fishing in Iraq in 2005
The Baghdad Anglers On-line Store going strong, please check it out. Thank you very much to those who have used the store, the feedback I have received has been very positive. Everything offered in the store comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.
As promised here are pictures from Operation Catch Fish 2009, brought to the Troops in Iraq for the second year in a row by Joe Mercurio. The winner was Jason Sparkman with a 13lb 1oz carp. Joe has been on radio shows all over the country spreading the word about Operation Catch Fish and the club. Thanks for everything Joe!!!
To begin with, this link is to a video produced by the Public Affairs staff at Camp Victory. http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=56093. Here is another video: http://www.reeltimeproductions.tv/clients/ocf/OCF%2009%20Tripmed.mov Now for the pictures of the day: I'm way over due in giving Ken Bergman his due for his recent catch. Ken caught a mangar on his flyrod, about the same size as mine. Moreover, Ken has the vision to get it registered and it stands as a world record! Now for the story in his own words. Ok so there I was fishing my usual spot and we weren't gettin squat. Pritchard and I decided to move over to the old Chapel and fish the bridge and see what shakes loose. Well the baby asps were bitin, nabbed 10 of them in about
20 minutes. I decided to move down a bit further to get away from the trees and the cars and in the corner by the bridge I heard a big splash and a boil.. "hmmm musta been sumptin big" I thought... I whipped my size 2 black wooly bugger with big bead chain eyes into the small weed bed in the corner and before I could mend line and get ready to strip there was a huge crash and I felt the line singing through my fingers. Before I realized I had a GOOD fish on she pulled the line all the way through my fingers and the drag began it's song... She railed off about 3/4's of my fly line in about a second and I finally got my wits about me. I jammed my palm to the side of the reel and let it sing. Man, what a great song :-) Then all the bad things that could go wrong started going through my head... will the leader hold? Is my backing really tied on? I hope there isn't anything on the bottom to snag up on... She made another blistering run and had me into the backing a good 40 feet before I realized what was happening. I started walking back and forth following her and gaining line. Reel a little, shed take a little. After about what seemed like 3 days, about 5 minutes actually, I really started gaining line and I could see my leader. Finally she made an appearance, it was a Mangar! One of the two species left for me to catch here in the VBC. I really got excited now. A little more fight and she really started to go where I wanted her to go. I walked over to the steps that go down to the water and slipped my fingers under her gill plate and she was MINE!!! After practicing CPR (Catch, Photo, Release) she swam away strong and fast to fight another day. 34 inches long, about 9 inches thick, a good almost foot across the hump and since I don't have a scale I am guessing at about 15-20 lbs... felt heavier than the 35" redfish I caught so I am leaning more towards 20lbs.
Ken and his mangar - nice fish!!!
Ken practicing CPR
Ken is not the only one to get on the water. 2LT Trent Glashof caught this nice mangar jigging turkey sausage off the bottom. The fish LOVE the sausage!
Likely the most creative and innovative way to catch fish...this one was caught on Liberty with a spoon rod (literally, a spoon), and corn for bait CPT Bill Nguyen, 8 MAR 09.
SFC Joel Hoover sent in these shots of asp he caught. He is from Louisiana and loves to fish as well as duck hunt. So far he has caught 44 ASP’s on Rooster tails, the biggest estimated at about 2 lbs. He hasn't caught any carp yet, but intends to. He never would have guessed there was fishing in IRAQ! Good on you Joel and keep the pictures coming!
Alex Sambro caught two nice carp, but he is really looking to land a mangar.
SSG Baldauf caught this 12-14lb carp on a 5/6w flyrod behind the JBV. The fight lasted thirty minutes because the carp rooted into the bottom and wouldn't move. SSG Baldauf was quoted shouting out toward the lake "Ive got smoke damn you Ill wait you have to move sometime!" I have gotten some input from a biologist who has identified this species as Barbus sharpeyi and the Arabic name is "bunny." I'm not sure I can refer to a fish as a bunny, but maybe rabbit fish?
Mike Verdi has been out on the water and sent in these shots. Mike also worked with Yellow Dog Adventures, who sent over a batch of DVDs on fly fishing all over the globe for the guys to enjoy.
That is the latest and greatest. As always, I'll close out this update with a request for the guys on the ground to keep the pictures and stories coming in.
Fish on! Joel
ASSOCIATES
SUPPORTERS |
| Rick Pope Dallas, TX |
| Ed Laine Charlotte, NC |
| Quint Overocker Knoxville, TN |
| Howard Weinberg Severna Park, MD |
| John Mundinger Helena, MT |
| T.L. Lauerman Mountain Home, AR |
| Chris Campion Coronado, CA |
| Keith Moore Spartanburg, SC |
| Wade Caler DDryden, NY |
| John Naiser Louisville, KY |
| Bill Bartee Charlotte, NC |
| Fred Bridge York, PA |
| Ed Kelleher Pacific Grove, CA |
| Richard Farino New York, NY |
| Tony Delaney Ringwood, NJ |
| Gary Wilson Covina, CA |
| David Payne Parkersburg, WV |
| Ronald Aston Weirton, WV |
| C.D. Shirk Parkersburg, WV |
| Alan Cayn Eastpointe MI |
| Jim Brossard |
| Patrick Colgan Royersford, PA |
| Bob Rorick Royersford, PA |
| Art Schueneman, Cody, WY |
| Gerry Stribling, Louisville, KY |
| Jack Hanley Barnstead, NH |
| Brad Morgan Boulder, CO |
| Colston Newton Clarksville, TN |
| Rolf Jacobsen Warminster, PA |
| Kelly Palmer Troy, MT |
| Steve Williams Lexington, NC |
| Doug Dale Kamas, UT |
| Gwen Crabtree Charlotte, NC |
| Jerry Brumfield Parkesburg, PA |
| Michael Rury Salisbury Mills, NY |
| Jesse Riding Logan, UT |
| Eric Bridge Ashburn, VA |
| Huxley H. Conklin Warsaw, VA |
| Jon Stanberry Palmdale, CA |
| Willard McCorskey Cleveland, TN |
| Chad Burrell Parkersburg, WV |
| Kim Stewart Parkersburg, WV |
| Kelley Laughlin Norway, MI |
| Bill Kasper Royersford, PA |
| Matt Wanamaker Royersford, PA |
| Dan Miller Royersford, PA |
| Jim Taylor, Cody WY |
| Danny Egloff Pineville, LA |
| Don Edwards Garfield, GA |
| Kurt Carpenter Aurora, CO |
| Rob Gregiore Bozeman, MT |
| Gene Langston Watkinsville, GA |
| Doug Gilmore Adairsville, GA |
| John Roach Trenton, IL |
| Jack Elmer Canton, NY |
| John Harder Idaho Falls, ID |
| Sante Giuliani York, ME |
| James & Kristen Lyle Truckee, CA |
| Chris Jones Cedar Rapids, IA |
| Greg Holland Stafford, VA |
| Jon Sunquist Palmdale, CA |
| Dave Mercer Palmdale, CA |
| Rick Browning Parkersburg WV |
| Bob McKinney Parkersburg, WV |
| Pete Isner Parkersburg, WV |
| Bob Ealer Little Ferry, NJ |
| David Mosteller Royersford, PA |
| Brian Wood Royersford, PA |
| Charles Sabolovic Richardson, TX |
| Gray Thornton Cody, WY |
| Bill Streitz Destin, FL |
| Kyle Brehem Billings, MT |
| Bill Roberts Horsham, PA |
| Mike Hayden Springfield, MO |
| Shelley Wagner Escondido, CA |
| James Kissane Lees Summit, MO |
| Bob Romano, New Jersey |
Baghdad Time & Temp
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