Record price paid for Meltzhoff Bluefin Tuna painting

I'm a little late on this one but when I found the press release in my email I had to share it with you. This is amazing!

Four paintings of game fish by Stanley Meltzoff set unexpected records for the artist's work at the recent Jackson Hole Art Auction, an annual event that specializes in high-end Western art.

Most noteworthy was "Bluefin at Ballyhoo," an oil-and-acrylic painted by Meltzoff in 1979 that sold for nearly $32,000 -- almost 10 times the pre-sale estimate. Another Meltzoff painting, titled "White Marlin," from 1986, sold for more than $21,000, four times the pre-sale estimate.

The results were especially noteworthy in that the Jackson Hole auction is primarily a vehicle for Western art and rarely deals in other genres.

I'd better keep on working at my fish art! The full report is here.

Octopus attacks and eats shark!

This video has been around for a while, but it's still an amazing capture. This octopus has been hunting in a public aquarium...hunting sharks!!

Cletus take the Reel!

Admit it: you identify with this song don't you? :)

Hereford Manor lakes fishing restrictions lifted

I remember the very first time my big brother and I slept under the stars to welcome the opening day of trout season in Pennsylvania. I also remember that the temperature dropped rapidly and we decided it would be best to sleep in his car. Another irreplaceable memory of that next morning was waking to find that our minnow bucket had frozen into the water where it was sitting because the temps had dropped so low the night before!

My brother, one of only two fishing partners I've ever had, died 2 years ago, but I know that if he were still here he would have a strong reaction to the news I got today. That spot at which we shared not only that opening day memory but many other fishing memories, Hereford Manor lakes in Beaver County PA, will soon be completely drained because the dam that creates it (actually 2 lakes) has deteriorated beyond safety.

The fish and game commission will be lifting all regulatory limits on the fish in there in order to make as much use as possible of the bioload, and keep from wasting all that life.

Still, it's a sad notice for me, because my memories of that place are so good. We went there often for the trout season's opening day, and invariably I caught loads of...bass! Yup, opening day of trout season is always my best day of bass fishing, haha!

It was a good spot, and hopefully the money to make repairs and eventually refill the lakes will come through. If not, well...we have our memories.

Murphy's Laws of fishing

I was able to sneak away for a couple hours of fishing this weekend and was reminded that Murphy's Laws are still in full effect. Which laws did I review you ask?

1) When you find the fly/lure that the fish really want, you'll only have one and will soon lose it.

2) Rediscovered subsection one of that law, its Inverse Proportion: the longer it takes you to find said fly/lure, the SOONER you will lose it.

It took me about 3 hours to find the right fly that gave me consistent catches. When I did, I caught nice 'gills and perch and even a foot long Wiper in 6 consecutive casts. Then I snagged and lost it.

Meh.

Highland Park Lock and Dam 2 closed for 2 weeks

The discussion about needed repairs reached a boiling point when pieces of a lock wall actually fell off, and now the work begins and Channel 4 news reports that it's expected to stop all traffic through Lock and Dam 2 Highland Park for about 15 days. Boaters beware!

Here's the most updated report.

Check out the "At Sea Diary"

We've watched them on television, now you can follow a fisherman at sea via his blog!