Croaker Caught On Fly Made From JR's Tail

Bob Clouser has a fly pattern called "Foxy Redd" (I think).  The pattern called for Fox Tail.  I had no fox tail.

I looked at JR in a whole new way.  He's like a mobile Bass Pro section - live fur and hair for the plucking!  JR has an excellent undercoating that I bet will work as dubbing for mayflies too :-)

I've always thought, "we should be able to do *something* with this hair"... and I took it, seriously, as a personal challenge to find some use --- still I felt kinda bad taking a little snip from JR's tail... It was a little spot... but if take another... then another...

And well actually JR has been to the vet twice or three times for allergies of some kind.  He looks completely screwed and chopped.  I wouldn't be doing much more damage... hmmm...

ANYHOW!

I caught this croaker this evening on the JR Fly!  It was my first, I'd call it, true wade fish catch in salt water.  I was about 40 feet off the shoreline.

PS: that bass from today, when I held him - he was really something... I can still see him curling over the water.  It was seriously cool.  I just wish somebody would have passed as he took about 15 feet of line then came charging at me... the reel action...  i mean everything I've learned was condensed into about 45
seconds... then having to go into the water...

PPS: and work... 9 hours today... and kicking butt...  I told Kaley, "I don't know what's happening to me.  I can do stuff again.  And it's lasting."