Mike Conner

[Ron Eagle Elk]

What a Saturday morning treat. Posts by Mike. Good to see you, Mike, I've missed your highly informative posts, but understand completely. Still, really nice to hear from you since I lost your e-mail addy in a computer crash.

REE

[kanutripr]

Hi Mike! Welcome back (if you choose to stick around).

"Misunderstandings" notwithstanding, and one may easily misunderstand or misinterpret anything at all if one wishes to, there is no defence against such behaviour, certainly not on the internet.

In person ,and face to face, it is highly unlikely that any of these ignorant animals would dare to open their mouths.

The measure of a man's character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.
— Baron Thomas Babington Macauley, English historian and statesman (1800-1859)

Misunderstandings and opinions happen and sometimes are fun but should NEVER lead to harassment and stalking! EVERYONE is entitled to an opinion, misguided or not, but that should NEVER, NEVER hurt someone else. I decided when I started participating in forums to always put my name (which may have been a bad move and took a bit of agonizing) but I wanted people to know who I was so if they didn't want to deal with me they didn't have to and I think it makes me think a little before I reply too stupidly to anything (doesn't make me any less stupid though )

Thirty years as a lawman and twenty of those in a small community I prefer to stay at home then go anywhere just to keep from running into folks that really don't care for me.

Funny narcodog, I'm not a lawman but am in a one of those professions that people love to hate for some reason and have decided that is the reason I am becoming antisocial and like to either stay home or go places where I don't have to associate with crowds. While it causes me pause the worse part is that it doesn't bother me at all that I'm becoming this person!

I find that everyone here has been diplomatic and open (although I haven't received any nasty PMs yet) but if you have a problem Mike let me know and I will personally hunt them down like the dog that they are and kick their bass!

(Oh please don't anyone send me any nasty PMs now)


Vicki

[hankaye]

Thank you again Donald;
I say this for you are the one that started this thread and brought Mr. Conner out into the open, having not heard of him till you started this post.
Is it safe to assume, or should I say presume, that your intention was to draw him back out into the open so that neophytes such as myself can learn from one that you hold in large esteem? If so, well done. If not, then again Thank you Donald.

Mr. Conners, sir. Thank YOU for the informative posts that you have placed upon this forum. As a true beginner in this facet of fishing I can not express the amount of appreciation that I have for the vault of information that you have unlocked with just those few links that you have so graciously provided. I have saved them already and look forward to being able to reference them countless times in the future (It takes time to remove a lot of trivial unused information and reload new useful information into this old noggin LOL).

THANK YOU GENTLEMEN;
hankaye

[Ruard]

Shall we spell the name of Mike correct: Connor


Greeting

[Joe Billingsley]

Absolutely GREAT to hear from you again, Mike!
Thanks to you, I no longer "tie" flies, I "dress" them! It doesn't make my horrendous little creations look any better, but it does sound more refined and proper!
Again, please don't be a stranger!

Joe

[DNicolson]

I am really pleased to see your posts Mike, I have managed to revive my website and even extend it a bit.
My sight is not what it was but is much improved. I can manage to read posts on BBs so I looking forward to your occasional remarks. It was your previous experiences that decided me to have no comments section or e-mail address on my website.
All the best and lang may yer lum reek.

[crazy4oldcars]

Thanks, Mike. A wonderful recounting..
It is a real pleasure to see you posting again.

Kirk

[GlassJet]

Hi Mike,
I can relate to so much of that! I justified the membership fee to fish my local reservoir to the gf by saying how much it would save us in putting food on the table. Trouble is, I still can't muster up much enthusiasm for fishing for stocked rainbows... just doesn't do it for me.

Where were you describing, when sea fishing as a kid, can you say? I enjoyed reading that, very good. I think we can too often forget that putting food on the table lies at the heart of our passion for fishing - or hunting in general.

Will reply to the other thread this evening - can't keep up! If you were paid by the word you would have no shortage of tackle!

I only have two vices btw - well for fly tying anyway. One at base camp, and one for travel - does that make me inadequate?

Andrew.
ps enjoyed tying up waterside as well, I love to do that, with stuff just lying around...

[GlassJet]

Sure, no problem, the pier mentioned is at Sunny Saltburn-by-the-sea, although I lived in a smaller village a couple of miles along the coast;

http://www.saltburnbysea.com/html/pier.html

I fished at lots of places along the North East coast, all year round, when I wasn't fishing somewhere else! Most of the marks I fished regularly are mentioned here;

http://www.whitbyseaanglers.co.uk/

Although I fished in many other places as well.

I had a feeling it was the North East coast... don't remember you mentioning it, but something about the style of writing I think...
I love Whitby - best fish and chips I have ever had, in Whitby

I have never accepted money for anything connected with fishing, it's something I feel I shouldn't do. Call it a personal foible if you will.

It's a personal foible
Not one I share!

Enjoyed your stuff, thanks for posting, learnt loads too. Can't be bad, eh?
Andrew,

[kanutripr]

Asking non-fishing house guests into your fishing room is not a good idea. Especially as previous experience has amply demonstrated that attempting to explain your apparently eccentric behaviour to the uninitiated, or God forbid actually to commit the indescribable folly of showing them your collection, inevitably results in comments such as "Why don't you use worms? Wouldn't that be easier? ", or "Our Fred catches plenty of fish in the park lake on maggots, what are all those feathers for then? " or "doesn't all that stuff smell when it goes off" or "God what an awful pong, have you got moths ?" and similar remarks generally signifying utter incomprehension and vague disapproval, verging in some cases on naked aggression ! Which, were one foolhardy enough to mention the cost of this exceedingly fascinating and harmless pleasure, would certainly have erupted into outright violence!

Tight lines! ~ Mike Connor

Funny stuff Mike! It's amazing we ever find anyone willing to spend the rest of their lives with us.

The above quote reminds me of something that happened earlier this year. I went to work excited about the purchase of my first cane rod, a beautiful, 100 year old 3 weight, bought solely based on the fact that I was going to fish it. I was telling a group of my co-workers about it and all I got was "You're not actually going to fish that? (antiques collector) and "But they've invented graphite, isn't that better?. I was feeling a little let down that they didn't understand my excitement. After shift I get back to base and somewhat doubtfully was telling a friend who is a fisherman (just not a fly fisherman) about my purchase and his response was "Wow, think of all the fish that rod has caught and you're going to keep adding to that history!"

I guess that's what distinguishes us from regular people. Call it passion, call it fanaticism, whatever.


Vicki