in candid fear and recognition that i am now a geezer unsure about my
future days above the dirt, i took the entire month of october off to
chase puppy drum and false albacore. spent the month at harkers island
near cape lookout in the pleasant company of friends made here. roff
won't die for me til i'm planted. i'm grateful for what i discovered
here...lessons learned, adventures in new places, and for the enduring
friendships made. ...anyway...

weather sucked and the fishing was off - even the local guides
complained. the albies never really showed in any consistent pattern or
numbers...they were around, just not like they usually are, and up/down
so fast they were hard to find and get a cast to. one guide traveled
over 95 miles of water searching with no success. the albies and
migrating bait were probably out closer to the gulf stream this year.
we caught a few...posted some photos on the facebook roff site...but not
enough to satisfy the greed in a a month's effort at it. wind, weather,
and water conspired against us. of course, for me, it was way better
than the alternative of work at the office in groanville.

still, chasing the great mystery with a flyrod on the sal****er is a new
challenge for me. learning to cast more efficiently with a 9 or 10 wt
and heavy sal****er flies, figuring out water and fish. i think it also
will improve my mountain trout efforts. it sure makes the long intervals
between mountain trips more tolerable.

vacation done at the first of this month, gia and i went down to the
coast yesterday to pick up the boat after its annual service. it was a
beautiful day, so we went for a boat ride. took a rod with me just as a
habit. really intended only to putt about, drink a few chillybeers, and
enjoy the day. ...and, hell, whadayaknow, i snuck up on a false albie.
watched the take near the surface by the boat. one of those special
memories that won't fade...well, geezerhood and all, i hope not anyhow.
they are an incredible game fish. for those of you who have never
chased after them, give it a go.

jeff

ps to wayno...your tire tracks across the front yard at the rental house
never really faded, but did cause a good number of chuckles. the need
for a "fix" of Seaside's breakfast biscuits are an absolute defense. g