Matt,

I been hitting the swattie for bass and doing well. No ticks but plenty of fish

Jay,
I am often surprised at the places people wet wade, such as the Susquehanna. I've done it, and I continue to do it, but now only in the cleanest streams and no longer in the Susque.... For the record I've also become more careful while walking in and around streams, I'm getting older and falling isn't an option I like. I still go commando fishing all the time, but I'm just more careful.
For those that care, waders aren't protection from snake bites, a friend of mine was bitten by a ratler several years ago, it bit right through neoprene waders.

Dear Boyer,

I used to work with a guy who grew up in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. Mind you this was 20 years ago, and he was almost 50 years old then, but he used to tell me that when he was a kid they used to swim in the Delaware River below the dye plant. They would stay in the water until they turned the color of the day and then they would go home, hoping to change color the next day depending on what the plant turned out.

I've since lost touch with him, but I know he lived well up into his middle 60's and since no one we both know has told me he's died since I figure he's still alive? This despite his childish madness and 2 tours in Viet Nam.

The world offers no guarantees. I'd rather try and die rather than not try at all, but maybe that's just me and it's certainly not meant as a slur against you or anyone else.

My roundtrip ticket was punched at birth, and I'll go when I go, for it's not up to me. In the meantime I'll do whatever I want to do until I can no longer do it.

Regards,
Tim Murphy

It stopped bleeding on friday. I was able to walk without a limp saturday.

It still hurts, but has scabbed nicely. The bruise is fading. I cannot believe how much damage I did. My entire right leg is still about 15% larger than the left. At its worst, it was almost double.

Jay,

not as bad as yours, but I had something similar happen to me that day I happened upon you guys on Spring Creek. I was fishing the bottom of that pool, with you guys in the main pool, and I slipped, and ended up in sort of a going down to a knee motion. Only, I never made it to the full knee, there was a boulder in front of me, which I caught right on the bone a few inches below the knee. It stung, but I didn't think much of it at the time, and I don't think anyone noticed so I sort of played it off.

When I got home it got worse, there was only a little blood, but a nice bone bruise and some swelling. It had me hobbling a bit, I was amazed at the damage from something I didn't think was more than a stinger. After 2 or 3 days the swelling disappeared and it didn't hurt in normal motion, but if I kneeled on it or something, yeow! That lasted a good 2-3 weeks.

The worst was several years ago. Playing softball, I made the mistake of sliding in shorts. The entire side of my chin from knee to upper ankle was scraped up and bleeding, but no single deep gash. It created a single scab nearly a foot long and 4 or 5 inches wide, but whenever I'd walk it'd stretch and bleed. It was especially bad while fishing, stepping over logs and stuff and rubbing waders against it, pretty gross actually. Lasted several months, the scab just slowly got a little smaller from the edges, and itched like crazy.

Who says Fly-fishing isn't an extreme sport...When you stated that you were tying a knot and walking at the same time I got chills...More then a couple of times have had close calls doing the same thing..Thanks for posting this: Helping others learn this lesson with you...

Jay, I hope its just swollen from the trauma, and not any infection! How is the wound itself looking?

Ps, where were you fishing? I'm from jerz just across the bridge.

Broy,

The wound is a nice dark scab. It's still very deep, but is fully dried. It looks healthy.

The swelling is mainly on my shin bone, a few inches from the cut.

I figured I'd update this. I'm still having some big time problems with this injury.

The skin finally healed about 4 weeks ago. About two weeks ago, the area swelled up like a golf ball. It's pretty nasty.

I went to the doctor (again), and I have a 5cm x 4cm hematoma on my shin. It basically looks like someone implanted an egg under my skin. They jabbed a needle into it and said it's just gelatinous blood, and should go away in time.

Be careful out there.

First off- those hooks look like no fun!!

Jay- I see that did'nt keep you from Pulaski. Good luck with your noma.

govtmule- I thought at first you only bogeyed 17 and were one over par(thats impressive) Then I reread it. And with a bad leg no less. Hope you back on course.

I claim I am a 26 handicap but they tell me I'm a 19.

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Getting old Jay??

I feel it too... only 26. I played football 2 weeks ago with a bunch of high school kids and my shoulder still hurts from being the QB all afternoon.

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Pete, you're a former rock climber. Have you ever busted open a shin on a rock? Not hard to do even through pants or waders. No?Let me wrap this rag around this sledge hammer and I'll see if I can bust open you shin.

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Yep. Simms G3s are worth their weight in gold. Figuratively and literally.

Jay, I had a similar injury about 5 years ago, only it was right above my ankle. I was cutting some firewood, and was loading a large piece on the wagon. It slipped out of my hands and bounced off the edge of the wagon. I got the closed leg out of the way, but it hit right above my right ankle on the inside. Man that hurt, but i danced around a little and swore a lot and finished what i was doing. Later I was sitting around a camp fire for an hour or so burning the wood I had just cut (I showed him). When I went to get up, I couldn't put any weight on it. So I lifted my pant leg and rolled down my sock. Ankle was twice the size of the other and purple. It had also cut me, but didn't tear the pants or sock. I ended up with a scar, and the area is still off color, but it doesn't bother me anymore.

Shin injuries really suck. Hope your leg gets batter.

acristickid,
...i read it again to and it does sound like that i said bogeyed...too funny....a bogey is basically like a birdie to me!! But yeah JayL you should have listened to me man!!!....never know what kind of zombie infection could be eating away at your flesh!!....when you get over 30 and have a kid you tend to get more "injuries" checked out...

jeff