One Bug Is Fake- The Rules Have Changed

Okay- I hear what you're saying.  Not Fair!!!  Last week Brandon Robinson announced a quest to fish for 30 days straight and give you a chance to win a T-shirt.  To be honest, we haven't gotten a lot of entries.  We both have day jobs and aren't professional contest designers, and a few holes in our plan became clear.  For one thing, the way we had it set up there was no guaranteed winner, which is no fun.  Plus, the entry process was too complicated.

What I've done is simplified the rules and the entry process.  To enter, just go to the sidebar and fill out the form.  Go ahead, it's right there.  You can see it now.  The next change, is that at the end we will draw from one of two pools.  If you think Brandon will complete his quest, vote yes in the form and be done with it.  Thanks for rooting for him.  If you think he's too lazy, know about an impending plague, or just don't think he's up to the challenge and you want to bet against him, vote no, then enter the date you think he'll fail by.  By the way- All existing entries are still valid.

Here's where it gets interesting.  I've decided to add a bonus prize to the T-shirt that Brandon is giving away. It's a Large Morell fly box.  Who doesn't need that? (if you don't fish give it to the angler you love- you do love an angler don't you?).

If you voted for Brandon (yes) and he succeeds, whoever gets drawn will get the shirt plus the bonus.  If for whatever reason you've voted against Brandon and he fails, the person who guessed his fail date correctly will win the T-shirt and the bonus.  If multiple people guess his fail date correctly, I'll do a drawing.  If no one gets the date right, I'll draw from everyone who bet against him and someone will get the shirt.

The re-cap-

• Brandon succeeds and you voted "yes" you're entered to be drawn for the OBIF T and Morrell fly box.
• Brandon fails and you guess the date correctly you win (or get drawn for) the T and the fly box, or...
• Brandon fails and no one guessed correctly and we'll still draw someone to win the T.

Got it?  Go, fill out the form, and don't forget, Brandon will be posting his progress here each Thursday until November 18th; look for his next post tomorrow!

Make sure you check out his site- http://onebugisfake.com/

One Bug Is Fake- 30 Days of Fishing

That guerrilla blogger that has been making the rounds, Brandon Robinson of One Bug Is Fake has agreed to do not one, but multiple guest posts coupled with a contest right here on Fontinalis Rising.  It is my pleasure to introduce......

That's right.  Thirty straight days of Lou Gehrig-Dale Webster-Strom Thurmond fishing.  Thirty calendar days where I drop a line in the water, with the intention of catching fish.  The brains behind the scene here at Fontinalis Rising has agreed to host this ulyssean undertaking, allowing room for a weekly update, succeed or fail, every Thursday for a month.  Oh yeah, and to step it up a notch; I am doing it with glass only, specifically my Eagle Claw Featherlight 4/5 weight rod.

This may not sound like a big deal, but  here are the stumbling blocks I will have to weave around.  It's football season.  I work full-time, with an odd schedule: 1000hrs-1400hrs and 1800hrs-2200hrs, Monday – Friday.  I live in Austin, Tx and this city is still stuck in a record breaking drought.  30 days straight is a lot of fishing...  (In fact 42% of the fishing that Jason (FR) has logged for the year.)  Lastly, I am kind of lazy by nature.  Let's be honest, everyone that knows me is nodding their head a little at that particular confession.

Here is what is working for me.  I know of at least two ponds I can hit between shifts, which should help in a pinch.  I do have weekends off, allowing serious travel time to find the water, and to catch picture-worthy fish.  I also have no life, zero.  No life, no kids, no girl; no other responsibilities outside of work.   To quote the philosopher JZ Carter, “I got 99 problems...”  Austin is creeping towards some semblance of fall, which is good for warm-water fishing.  That also gives me a decent chance for a trout or two as well.  Lastly, my teams are University of Florida and the Miami Dolphins so, not missing much there.

Here are the rules I am laying out:

1.      I must fish for at least an hour for it to count as an attempt. 

2.      I can only fish one day per outing.  In other words, I can't start at 2330hrs and fish until 0030hrs and have that one trip count as two days.

3.      There are no mulligans or do-overs.  No excuses, period.  Not for weather, illness, or work.  If I miss a day, that's it, the party is over and I lose all credibility.

4.      No fishing the same water more than twice in a row.

5.      I will keep track of the various species that I catch.

6.      The fishing count starts the day of this post, nothing earlier.

Why should you care?  Why should you read?  Well, for starters, how much fishing are you going to get done in the next month?  Not enough?  Okay, I am going to sweeten the pot.  Send an email to the FR's Head Honcho including your pick of the succeed/fail date with your mailing address, then comment on this story when you send the email.  (Why the two steps?  I don't want to know when the bets are, I just want to know who is playing.)  There will only be one winner, but two levels of prizes.  I am hoping that FR's resident random numbers girl can help with this...  All correct day bets will be eligible to win.  If your name was chosen, and you got the right number of species, your prize will be upgraded.  Sound good?  Cool, starting now, you have one week to get your bets in!

Correct Date: 1 OBIF “Warning Label” shirt, green, any size.  Gratis.

Or...

Correct Date & Species: 1 shirt off the OBIF: any color, any size.  Gratis.

Recap: 30 days of fishing, with glass, and a prize ( See the shirts here.) at the end.  I'm ready, are you?

See you downstream amigos!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, Brandon has thrown down the gauntlet, and now it's your turn.  Send your entries to fontinalisrising@gmail.com with the subject "30 Days of Fishing" and your guess as to the fail date, then come back and leave your comment.  Choose any date between today and November 18.  We'll draw a winner the Sunday after his fail date, or Sunday November 20, whichever comes first.  Make sure you check back next Thursday and see how he's doing.

Be sure and check out his website at onebugisfake.com.  His Best of @OneBugIsFake page is hilarious.

Also, if you haven't already, please give me some love and vote for me (Jason Tucker) in the T.F.M. spotting contest at thefiberglassmanifesto.com.  I had to get another plug in.