Painting Tiger Trout

  This morning with a cup of coffee and a bit of time to kill I came up with this painting.
Tiger Trout are one of those rare natural occurrences that hatcheries now use to their advantage.
By fertilizing a brown trout egg with Brook trout milt, these beautiful and sterile fish are born with a very aggressive and predatory nature that allows stream keepers to use them to control fish populations without causing long term harm to the streams in which they are placed.
The colors that hey are born with very as well and can range from the brilliant yellows and oranges of a brown trout to the dull skin color of darker species but the one thing they all have is the unique striping that sets them apart from all other species.

This painting will soon be posted up for sale at www.hexfishing.com and can also be viewed at www.facebook.com/hexfishing .  If you would like to know how you can own this original painting then shoot me and email.

"March Tiger Trout"

Watercolor on Paper

10in x 9in

For Sale

Don't forget to enter the contest for a FREE original painting at http://ayearonthefly.blogspot.com/2014/03/win-free-painting.html - Contest ends on the 10th of next month!

Win A Free Painting!

Here is your chance to win a FREE painting.  In an effort to boost the followers of my newly created https://www.facebook.com/hexfishing page, and my updated HexFishing.com site, I am offering this "Rainbow Fin" free for your help in getting the word out.  Like and share this bog, hexfishing.com, and our Facebook page and you will be entered to win this brand new - original painting.

  Make sure you leave a comment below or on our hexfishing Facebook page and you will be entered.

    The painting is a rainbow trout fin done in acrylic on a 14x11in canvass.
 "Rainbow Fin"
Acrylic On Canvass
14in x 11in

Contest will end on the 10th of next month and announced here and our facebook page. Winner will be selected via Random.org - Good Luck!

The Drift Life

  As some of you might have seen, yesterday I posted a salt fishing graphic just to give a little variety to the 'Salt Life' stickers that have flooded the sticker market.  Well, for all you inland anglers that couldn't give a rip about the salt - here is what I came up with.  I added the distressed look just because... well it just looked cool.  Its a short post today but I think the graphic says it all.

  As always, if you want to use any of my images, please contact me for pricing.

Assault Angler Graphic and Antler Sheds

    Messing around with the sketch pad yesterday I came up with this salt fishing graphic.  After working on Angler 360's logo and graphics for their product line, I fell in love with working on salt fishing graphics.  No doubt that many of you near the sea have seen the deluge of 'Salt Life' decals on the back of trucks but If you are like me then you are a little tired of them.

  I'm not saying that they are bad, I'm just saying that it is no longer original to have a decal on your truck that everyone else has.  This graphic however says it all.
  Next month I plan on spending a little time hunting Speckled sea trout and reds off the Carolina coast from the deck of a kayak so it is fair to say my head is in a salty state of mind.  For all of you out there that hunt fins from the deck of a flats skiff, I figure that this graphic might speak to you.
It goes without saying that if you would like to use this graphic - please contact me for purchasing and usage rights.

  On a completely separate subject.  The other day I took my kids out exploring and my little boy spotted this gem in some isolated woods.  I know there is guys out there that pay big money for dogs that can hunt up shed like this one but for my money I will take my little Eagle eye boy any day.  For a little kid that loves the outdoors it was a find of a lifetime.  I love living in the south!

Bass Off The Bottom

    Its not a style of fishing I usually go for but when a guy asks 'hey, you want to go fishing?' you just don't say no.  Besides that, a change of pace is a welcome thing so last week I bundled up in 30 degree weather to go to an up-state reservoir to do a little trolling for trout.
   No, I'm not insane and yes I know that the picture is not of a trout.  It is a bulky large-mouth bass boarding on five pounds and it was by far the best fish of the day.  The story behind it is just about as interesting as the size of the bass.
   While trolling a back water at about 50 feet the boats sonar began to pick up a rising rock pile so as quick as we could we cranked up the down-riggers to about 20 feet and then dropped them back down to 45-50 feet.  As soon as that weight hit the forty foot mark I saw the rod bounce but thinking it was just the weight settling out I let it go and set the other rod.  Then the rod double over and I thought I had hit the rock pile at 50 feet and unleashed the rod from the rigger.  As soon as I pulled on the rod I knew it was no rock pile but since we were trolling for trout I thought I had one huge brown trout on the line.  Never in my wildest dreams would I believe that a bass would hit my trout spoon at forty five feet in the middle of winter.
    The state record for both brown trout and lake trout were both pulled out from this lake so the thoughts of big trout were dancing in my mind as I fought the fish and the rest of the crew cleared lines and weights.

    As soon as the fish cleared the water we knew we had no trout on the line.  To date it is the largest bass I have ever hooked.  The lyrics to "Five Pound Bass" by Robert Earl Keen played in my head as we gently netted the fish and celebrated a great fish.
    Prior to this great catch, my fishing partner was having a little fun at my expense because I had been fish-less all day.  He on the other hand he had hook three small trout on his side of the boat.  His sarcastic laced 'Its not a contest' line however never again crossed his lips after my bass hit the boat.

  My many thanks to Sam for taking me and Marty out and despite a bone chilling cold day, we all had a blast!

Side note:
  You might have also caught that I said that this trip took place last week so the thought that might cross your mind 'why did it take so long to post?"  The truth is the very next morning, the family and I left for Phoenix for my sisters wedding and I just haven't had time to warm up the computer till now.  I did manage to post these pics on my HexFishing Facebook Page so If you like Hexfishing then you had the early scoop.  If you are on facebook then click over and get on board - The button on the right of the screen with the giant stonefly will take you there.

Troutalope, Streamer King, Music, & #GlassIsnotDead

    On a Monday that again finds winter weather smacking us in the face I thought I'd give you a few links that could occupy your time.
  First off I got this awesome sticker in the mail the other day from www.troutalope.com.  I helped to design this logo for Steven and now that he had them made into stickers I just had to have one.  It looks sweet on the back on my jeep.  Click on over and pick yourself up one for a more than fair price.  You will be the envy of all your fishing buddies.

  Second up is a recent design I did for The Streamer King.  The logo says it all.  You want some killer streamers then click on over and get some hand made brown trout killers.  They are the King of all streamers on the water.

And finally I leave you with a pick of my weekend activity.  Friends, steaks, beverages, Roger Creager and Rober Earl Keen On the radio, 70 degree weather, and a coozie from Cameron over at the fiberglass manifesto and #glassisnotdead- not a bad way to pass the afternoon.  Don't worry northerners, spring is on the way soon.