2019-Whenever Misc. Grab Bag Thread

[LJG]

My OM-1 used to be an appendage of mine from the early 80s to the early 00s. No idea how much I spent on slide development. Now it gathers dust.
Five years ago I bought an Olympus DSLR (OM-5 D???). I simply can't love that think like I did my OM-1. Waaaaaaaaay to many functions on it. The OM-1 had shutter speed, film speed, and f/stop settings. And it was set up so you worked the shutter speed on the lens barrel and aperture on the lens w/ one hand. So fucking simple. One actually had to know how to photograph with that camera.
The best picture I could ever have taken was a rainbow in the Watkins Glen gorge (Kurtz, I bet you've been there). Late afternoon sun and water to my right from around a bend in the trail. Push the shutter button and nada. End of the role and out of film! The image is still in my head.
My most amusing photo was an inadvertent double exposure. I took a bunch of pictures at what was likely the SoD's spring 1984 Outdoorgasm and probably shot half a role of Ektachrome, took it out for something different and forgot about it until the fall. While in NYC w/ my old roommate, we were at the top of the Empire State Building and I took a few shots of the spire. I smoked a doobie up there and, let me tell you, the elevator ride back down was funny as hell! Anyway, I got the slides back and there is a bunch of double exposures, one being my gang's favorite SoD archtectrue professor with the ESB spire horizontal through his head.

 

[Pucking Lamplighter]

Is the bucket for the bait or the keepers?

As long as you don't end up as bait, it's all good. The best thing about digital cameras is that you can delete the crappie ones and keep the best shots. It sucked to pay for E6 processing, only to find out that your images were garbage or the camera was set wrong. Plus, 32, 48, or 64 shots per dive ain't that many if you get in fast action.

 

[LJG]

As long as you don't end up as bait, it's all good. The best thing about digital cameras is that you can delete the crappie ones and keep the best shots. It sucked to pay for E6 processing, only to find out that your images were garbage or the camera was set wrong. Plus, 32, 48, or 64 shots per dive ain't that many if you get in fast action.View attachment 35453View attachment 35454

My old boss/partner worked in the Bahamas after he graduated in the early 70s. Said that one day he went running, then diving off a pier, and in mid flight looked down on a big ol' ray.
He has another great Bahamas story of going to punch a dude at a bar one night and he got jumped by English secret service types as the punch was beginning. Prince Charles' security detail ensured barroom tranquility prevailed and got Charles to pay attention to what he was doing.

 

[Pucking Lamplighter]

I met Kathleen Turner in a little hole in the wall bar on Bonaire one night twenty some years ago. I knew she looked familiar, but wasn't sure if it was her. As soon as she started laughing, I knew exactly who she was. I didn't interfere with her good time. She initiated conversation with me on her way to the can.

Jim

 

[Fayettenamcanesfan]

I met Kathleen Turner in a little hole in the wall bar on Bonaire one night twenty some years ago. I knew she looked familiar, but wasn't sure if it was her. As soon as she started laughing, I knew exactly who she was. I didn't interfere with her good time. She initiated conversation with me on her way to the can.

Jim

I picture her chainsmoking Menthol 100's and double fisting Jim Beam

 

[LJG]

I picture her chainsmoking Menthol 100's and double fisting Jim Beam

God damn, that's making me want to heave.

 

[ThirstNHowl]

While in NYC w/ my old roommate, we were at the top of the Empire State Building and I took a few shots of the spire. I smoked a doobie up there and, let me tell you, the elevator ride back down was funny as hell! Anyway, I got the slides back and there is a bunch of double exposures, one being my gang's favorite SoD archtectrue professor with the ESB spire horizontal through his head.

My son worked on the 74th floor of the Empire State Building 10 years or so ago. He took me up to his office really late one night - and opened a window in the office break room! The window had somehow come unsealed over the years and had not yet been repaired. You could have simply stepped right out, 74 floors up. Then, we rode the elevator, either up one floor, or down one floor, I can't remember. But that floor was vacant, and was being marketed for lease as an open environment. All the non-load-bearing walls had been removed, so you could look right through it, other than bathrooms, elevator shafts, pillars, etc. We walked the perimeter, an entire city block, with only the faintest of lighting inside the building, looking out on the city and surrounding states. A truly beautiful, almost surreal experience.

 

[LJG]

My son worked on the 74th floor of the Empire State Building 10 years or so ago. He took me up to his office really late one night - and opened a window in the office break room! The window had somehow come unsealed over the years and had not yet been repaired. You could have simply stepped right out, 74 floors up. Then, we rode the elevator, either up one floor, or down one floor, I can't remember. But that floor was vacant, and was being marketed for lease as an open environment. All the non-load-bearing walls had been removed, so you could look right through it, other than bathrooms, elevator shafts, pillars, etc. We walked the perimeter, an entire city block, with only the faintest of lighting inside the building, looking out on the city and surrounding states. A truly beautiful, almost surreal experience.

I bet you were not as high as I was!

 

[Christer]

As long as you don't end up as bait, it's all good. The best thing about digital cameras is that you can delete the crappie ones and keep the best shots. It sucked to pay for E6 processing, only to find out that your images were garbage or the camera was set wrong. Plus, 32, 48, or 64 shots per dive ain't that many if you get in fast action.View attachment 35453View attachment 35454

Wow some awsome photographing you've done there.
I don't have anything as impressive to show but I can share my ice fishing setup for pike. I usually have seven rods out at the same time. I even got a nice zander on it this early spring.

 

[Pucking Lamplighter]

Nice zander is right! That dude has some shoulders. Congratulations on a great catch. I'll bet you were worried if the hole in the ice was big enough to pull him through.

Our water seldom freezes deep enough to walk or skate on, so I have never ice fished. The only zander (called walleye here) around this part of North Carolina in the Piedmont are in some of the big reservoirs along the Virginia/N.C. border, like Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston, though walleye are not the primary game fish in those bodies of water. The main targeted species there are bass, crappie, catfish, and striped bass. Out west of here toward the foothills, we also have walleye near Hickory. I've only ever caught small ones and wasn't really focused on catching them. We also have White Bass, which make spawning runs upstream in the Spring and provide some great action, especially on light tackle. They're super-aggressive and easy to catch. It is not impossible or unusual to catch 100+ White Bass when you get into schools of pre-spawn fish or big schools chasing baitfish in summer. I've taken a new out of the package 1/8 oz. Rattle Trap (vibrating crankbait) and at the end of the day there was barely any finish on it. The White Bass had chewed the paint off to where it looked like it was 10 years old.

There's a little known species of bass near where I live called the Roanoake Bass, which only live in a few drainages in the north & central part of N.C. and south-central Virginia. They live in rivers and especially like the edges of the fastest water in deeper pools. Since they thrive in fast water, they're incredibly strong fighters. The first few bigger ones I caught were much smaller than I imaged they would be. White Bass really pull in a current, but the Roanoake Bass is the champion fighter. Our state record was a little over a kilo (which is double my personal best). To be recognized by the state angler reward program for a citation-sized Roanoake Bass, it has to be around 28 cm (11") or 453 grams ( 1 pound). They love Mepps minnow spinners and original Rapala in 7 cm size.

I used to tournament fish for bass pretty successfully (I'm still way ahead on money won versus entry fees paid), I also worked in a couple tackle shops, and worked as a fishing/hunting guide on my days off for years when I was single. I got married at 33 years old, then reality kicked in, where I had to go get a real job, and only got to play when I could. I have enough fishing tackle to last a few lifetimes. I had a decent 6 meter bass boat that I was forced to sell when I got busted up in a vehicle wreck almost 20 years ago. I bought a kayak to help rehabilitate my left shoulder, which I went out in exactly one time without fishing gear. It didn't make sense to me to be on the water without fishing tackle. So, I rigged it up for fishing. I have caught more and bigger fish from it than I used to from my bass boat because I have to to cover water more slowly and thoroughly. I really miss being able to take friends fishing and teaching kids how to fish, but my gas bill dropped significantly since the boat went away. The biggest problem with the kayak is the motor (me) is getting old, rusty, and doesn't always like to get out of bed super-early in the morning. I definitely love being on and in the water and getting the time to enjoy it all.

Jim

 

[CanadaCanes]

Nice zander is right! That dude has some shoulders. Congratulations on a great catch. I'll bet you were worried if the hole in the ice was big enough to pull him through.

Our water seldom freezes deep enough to walk or skate on, so I have never ice fished. The only zander (called walleye here) around this part of North Carolina in the Piedmont are in some of the big reservoirs along the Virginia/N.C. border, like Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston, though walleye are not the primary game fish in those bodies of water. The main targeted species there are bass, crappie, catfish, and striped bass. Out west of here toward the foothills, we also have walleye near Hickory. I've only ever caught small ones and wasn't really focused on catching them. We also have White Bass, which make spawning runs upstream in the Spring and provide some great action, especially on light tackle. They're super-aggressive and easy to catch. It is not impossible or unusual to catch 100+ White Bass when you get into schools of pre-spawn fish or big schools chasing baitfish in summer. I've taken a new out of the package 1/8 oz. Rattle Trap (vibrating crankbait) and at the end of the day there was barely any finish on it. The White Bass had chewed the paint off to where it looked like it was 10 years old.

There's a little known species of bass near where I live called the Roanoake Bass, which only live in a few drainages in the north & central part of N.C. and south-central Virginia. They live in rivers and especially like the edges of the fastest water in deeper pools. Since they thrive in fast water, they're incredibly strong fighters. The first few bigger ones I caught were much smaller than I imaged they would be. White Bass really pull in a current, but the Roanoake Bass is the champion fighter. Our state record was a little over a kilo (which is double my personal best). To be recognized by the state angler reward program for a citation-sized Roanoake Bass, it has to be around 28 cm (11") or 453 grams ( 1 pound). They love Mepps minnow spinners and original Rapala in 7 cm size.

I used to tournament fish for bass pretty successfully (I'm still way ahead on money won versus entry fees paid), I also worked in a couple tackle shops, and worked as a fishing/hunting guide on my days off for years when I was single. I got married at 33 years old, then reality kicked in, where I had to go get a real job, and only got to play when I could. I have enough fishing tackle to last a few lifetimes. I had a decent 6 meter bass boat that I was forced to sell when I got busted up in a vehicle wreck almost 20 years ago. I bought a kayak to help rehabilitate my left shoulder, which I went out in exactly one time without fishing gear. It didn't make sense to me to be on the water without fishing tackle. So, I rigged it up for fishing. I have caught more and bigger fish from it than I used to from my bass boat because I have to to cover water more slowly and thoroughly. I really miss being able to take friends fishing and teaching kids how to fish, but my gas bill dropped significantly since the boat went away. The biggest problem with the kayak is the motor (me) is getting old, rusty, and doesn't always like to get out of bed super-early in the morning. I definitely love being on and in the water and getting the time to enjoy it all.

Jim

View attachment 35484

I’m here to say speaking from experience that Jim is an encyclopedia of knowledge on fishing and the area history of the lakes and fishing spots! I had the pleasure many years ago of him taking me out on Jordan Lake on his boat! Great pics and great stuff Jim!