I BELIEVE IN DRAGONS

"HELL FUCKING YEAH!!!!" - Justin Carfagnini

There really are no other words that could express my excitement, except for those above, in bold capital letters. 

I've been hunting this fish for awhile now. Every outing in musky waters I have gotten closer and closer to landing one. From the follows, swipes, blisters, broken leaders, lost flies, broken rods, sore shoulders, and beaten down confidence, I finally caught my mythical creature, I finally, got my musky.

This was such a special catch for me. Not only did I just catch my first musky, it was a wild musky. I caught it while utilizing my preferred method of fishing - fly fishing, and on a fly that I tied! EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS!!

It was also my first outing with my brand new 10 wt rod that Ed over at FSA Custom Rods finished just days before. The rod is now named "Dragon Slayer."

I'm not really big on weighing or measure fish, but I estimated this one to be about 20 inches, but who cares...it's a musky!!!!

I have stared at these pictures multiple times a day since the catch. It's hands down the most beautiful fish I have ever caught. Nothing I have ever caught before compares to the emerald green shimmer and markings of this apex predator - Beautiful Violence.

I can see how guys become totally obsessed with this fish. I believe, that I have just become one of them.

It's known as the fish of 10,000 casts, and to quote my friend, The Fat Gordo - "Now that you got your first, every one after, is just a bonus."

Winterizing the Outback

Stumbled upon this on one of the Facebook Subaru Outback forums. Someone posted about how the side skirts really have no drain holes, and if removed you will find all kinds of dust, muck, and old salt residue. 

Living in the Chicagoland area, in the winter we go through a astronomical amount of salt. That is bad news for our vehicles, because, of rust. The side skirts in the picture below have almost no drainage holes underneath.

Underneath the side skirt it's all painted metal. That paint is really not going to protect or prevent your vehicle from rust.

After cleaning the all of the dirt, soot, muck, salt, and debris in the side skirt and body, I just used painters tape to protect the areas that I did not want to spray with the Rust-Oleum undercoating.

I sprayed on 2 layers on the side and underneath where the side skirts cover. I just made my vehicle better prepared for the upcoming winter and beyond. I was very pleased with the outcome.

Small Fish

I don't always catch big fish. Here are some honorable mentions. You gotta give the little guys some love, so, they can grow up to be big.

Catch and Release.