[Ghostie]

OK so you guys got me into bugs now and I am able to combine three hobbies when I head for the local Southern California mountains.

Met a buddy up there a couple days ago to ride my motorcycle and catch some fish on my fly rod. They also always have tons of ladybugs at this spot and I thought I might try looking for a mantis here.

Here's some pics and their descriptions from that day.


This is my riding buddy Adrian scaring all the fish in the pool. He took his car that day too and was slow to follow me up the hill on my bike. Hehe
Looks like he's taking a leak but I can assure you it's a fishing rod he's holding there.


Since he was mostly new to the creek fishing thing I had to show him the ropes. He was using spinning gear and I was using fly fishing equipment so he had it much easier than me but he missed the only bite he had all day.
Me being a pro creek fisherman nailed one in short order on a home tied fly. A little 6-8" brown trout. I've caught hundreds of these back here. They get fat on ladybugs, shown later.




Since I had caught a fish and had to run more to a few places afterward, I decided to take a couple more pics of the scenery before leaving Adrian to a skunk (no fish caught = skunked) and riding back down the mountain.

Here's the rest of what I shot.

I kinda feel like this photo sometimes.


A shot of the skinny creek waters


A self portrait of me suited in motorcycle leathers while fishing and looking for bugs. Yup, I've officially lost it! lol

[Ghostie]

and to continue..


Hmmm not so many lady bugs today. Normally EVERYTHING would be covered in them but you know how it is when you are looking for something. No luck finding any mantids either. I did find a huge red toed tarantula here though once under some bark. Also I have found those tri color kingsnakes here and even rattlers. Good place to look for critters.


Stink Bug action


Communal giant ants and lady bugs






...and last but not least, my chariot home. Hehe. Catch me if you can! I locked it to Adrians' wheel while we fished up the creek so it didn't "go missing" while we were gone.


Guess that's all I have. I'll look for more mantids somewhere else next time.

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 29 July 2010 - 09:37 PM

[Ghostie]

PS..
I release all my fish very carefully using wet hands every trip out. I just like to play with them and snap a photo before I send them back.

[Laura G]

You have boney fingers! How many cc is your bike? Very creative lock down on it!

[Ghostie]

2003 Suzuki GSX-R600Z Alstare 50th Anniversary edition.
600CC's but race tuned by alstare to go higher RPM than stock block.
One of 1500 that exist(ed). Vin 666.
She's a lil monster. Love Hate relationship.

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 29 July 2010 - 10:14 PM

[Rick]

Nice pics! Love the scenery. Your bike really isn't secure that way. I could just remove the cars wheel and load your bike up with a few guys.

[hibiscusmile]

nice, no wonder u had hard time with the move!

[Peter Clausen]

That fish is a gorgeous animal! Looks and sounds like a nice place to go bug hunting.

Quote

A self portrait of me suited in motorcycle leathers while fishing and looking for bugs. Yup, I've officially lost it!

oh, that's okay about the leather and scales stuff. We won't judge you since you were looking for bugs too!

[Laura G]

Ghostie, on 29 July 2010 - 10:10 PM, said:

2003 Suzuki GSX-R600Z Alstare 50th Anniversary edition.
600CC's but race tuned by alstare to go higher RPM than stock block.
One of 1500 that exist(ed). Vin 666.
She's a lil monster. Love Hate relationship.

Not too shabby. I want a motorcycle but I think my dad would have a heart attack and die if I did

[Ghostie]

Rick, on 30 July 2010 - 05:50 AM, said:

Nice pics! Love the scenery. Your bike really isn't secure that way. I could just remove the cars wheel and load your bike up with a few guys.

That's what I told Adrian until he pointed out those aren't the stock wheels and they had a wheel lock!
I was like, eh, ok. I suppose that'll do, as long as nobody is packing a wheel lock popping kit up in the back woods.
I was going to lock it to the building but I think they could have used a saw and cut through the 4x4 really quick too.

It was a question of weather someone was carrying a saw or a wheel lock pop kit in the woods. I opted to bet they had a saw in their truck and no wheel lock popper.

Creepy owning one of these things. I have it literally locked to my apartments right now by a support beam holding this place up with three heavy duty motorcycle locks. Someone was stealing bicycles from the guy in the next space over from my bike last week so they were definitely right next to it and thinking about it. I went straight back out there and put/bought another beefy lock for/on it. Can never be too safe with your bike.

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 30 July 2010 - 09:59 AM

[Rick]

Wheel locks are easily defeated.

[Ghostie]

Laura G, on 30 July 2010 - 08:39 AM, said:

Not too shabby. I want a motorcycle but I think my dad would have a heart attack and die if I did

This would be my fourth street bike. I totaled one into a guard rail doing 50mph in the hills once. I was wearing $3000 in leather and back protectors and padding and helmets. I got dang lucky nothing happened but a slight scratch on my hip like I fell off a bicycle. It takes way more experience than you can imagine to control these and you will never be in total control of it until you are 90 years old with 70 years of riding experience. By then you'll be too old and scared to ride it anyways.

Basically, you're bound to crash at some point to learn a valuable lesson if you ride motorcycles.

Two words of advice..
Your dad has grounds to stand on in this argument. Hehe.

And two..

Never buy one used. EVER.

OK I lied one more thing.. LEARN TO RIDE IT if you get one. Seriously have instructors teach you at some classes. I'm a very smart person but the power is so fun that it will sneak up and get you for sure no matter how much control you have. Either that, or you'll make a mistake on the street and it'll get you when you least expect it, not even when your horsing around on it just regular riding to and from work.

These things are to be taken very seriously.

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 30 July 2010 - 01:08 PM

[Arkanis]

Yay for catch and release - I too am a flyfisher and that sure looks like a great stream. Nothing like that around where i live in pasadena - recently one of my kids even hooked a diaper!

[Ghostie]

Mt Baldy!
Half hour from Pasadena.
Get together your shortest fly rod and drop me a PM.
That's the same exact place I found the Tri-Color kingsnakes like you posted pics of.
All the animals back there have red accents! The red toed tarantula, the lady bugs, the red kingsnakes! The rattler blends right in with the dirt though.

I have to dig up the picture of that spider.. give me a few

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 30 July 2010 - 10:51 PM

[Ghostie]

Aha!
Here is that spider from the same creek!
Also, this kingsnake was from there too!
And last but not least, my biggest ever wild brown trout caught on a home tied fly with my 3wt 5' rod! All in the same spot.






Woops still have to dig up that kingsnake pic. Will do soon.

My friend Mike got that big trout to rise again the other day but didn't land it, so we know he/she is still in there! Look how long and skinny she is! Best trout fight I ever had, was like fighting a crazy snake!

This post has been edited by Ghostie: 30 July 2010 - 11:04 PM

[likebugs]

I would like to know what freshwater fishing is like, all I have caught, have been difficult monsters, in the waters that I have fished. Fly fishing sounds pretty difficult, But I love to fish, and I would like to try.

[Laura G]

likebugs, on 30 July 2010 - 11:56 PM, said:

I would like to know what freshwater fishing is like, all I have caught, have been difficult monsters, in the waters that I have fished. Fly fishing sounds pretty difficult, But I love to fish, and I would like to try.

I love going catfishing on the lake, and I never get any monsters that way thank goodness! I'll trade you places

[hibiscusmile]

The red toes T. is really neat!

[Peter Clausen]

Can't quite see that tarantula, but that's a fish all right. Almost has as much meat on it as one of Yen's new katydids!