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As I mentioned in my last post, I am doing some ties for Casting For Recovery and a drawing box over at Fly Fishing Addicts…here are some things I be workin’ on…details to follow:

HALO CADDIS LARVA, #14-#16…

REFRACTORY CADDIS PUPA – AMBER, #18…Daiichi 1760

The above pattern is for HERE:

This little Amber Caddis comes off the water, in the Spring and Summer, on the East Walker River. I think it will keep Michael BUSY…that one has a “PINKY” in his mouth…

GUIDE SERENDIPITY…Matthew’s/Variant…#14-#18…for the “Mother’s Day” Hatch and Brachycentrus “echo” hatch in the Fall…

ALLY with her friend Liz in San Francisco…sends regards…Nice TAT LIZ !!!…

BH AMBER SERENDIPITY… (for Helicopsyche borealis)…#18-#20

BH AMBER SERENDIPITY UV THORAX…#16-#18…a variation on the above theme tied on a curved hook – Daiichi 1130..this pattern is  weighted…

…for the East Walker River in late Spring and Summer…

TUNG READY BAETIS NYMPH…Smith/Variant…#18-#22

P&PT TWIST NYMPH…La Fontaine/Variant…#16-#20

Where the above pattern proved… SPECTACULAR

BREAK TIME…Miles’ 1st. BIRTHDAY !!!

(L-R) Front: PT, Auntie Ally, MOM – Nadia, Great Grandama Hong

(L-R) Rear: Great Grampa Hong, Grandma Jean Marie, MILES, Dad – Greg, Grandma Maratea

More to follow !!!

PT/TB

Winter…cold, snow, sleet, ice in the guides, lethargic Trout, hands that don’t work , many trips to the truck to warm up …and. these little guys. Fortunately, most of the Midges I tie… will work year round in the tail water fisheries we visit in the Eastern Sierras…These particular ties will be used this Spring on the Lower Owens River near Bishop, CA and the East Walker River in Bridgeport, CA. In this series, I have included some variants of patterns that were created by Pat Dorsey and Steve Parrott, the guys who are BLUE QUILL ANGLERS, in Evergreen, CO…their patterns WORK

Just like the ARMY, one guy is out of step…

Those red hooks are these and I get them HERE

Here are the patterns:

Steve’s Midge (Medallion Midge)/ Variant…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, Mustad c49s, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White or Lt. Cahill

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

OVER ABDOMEN: Clear or Tan Micro Tubing

THORAX: Black or Dark Brown Superfine Dubbing

TRIGGER SPOT: Micro Flasahbou – Pearl….for this tie, I used SM. Opal Tinsel

SHELLBACK/ WING PADS: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun – Hareline

This is a Steve Parrott design, the original recipe may be found HERE. I have chosen to use a different hook and tied it in color(s) that match the small cream midges found in the Lower “O” and East Walker. For those waters, I generally go deep with my Midge patterns, in those locations, because that is where the Trout prefer to take up feeding stations…

BROWN HOLOGRAPHIC MIDGE (side view)…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

ABDOMEN: Brown Holographic Flashabou

RIB: Lagartun, x-Fine Copper wire

WINGLETS: Flashabou, Tinsel Flash, Marabou Action, Pearl Orange – charge with sunlight, it “GLOWS”…

THORAX: Iridescent Peacok, Brown, Spirit River

BEAD: Copper Tung. or Brass – Lead or Lead Sub. – Optional

BROWN HOLOGRAPHIC MIDGE (Tilted View) …

There is a little Brown Midge that makes it’s appearance on the Lower Owens River, in the Spring. This fellow was designed to mimic that critter. Standard chocolate wd-40′s and 50′s work well during this emergence…I offer something a bit …well...DIFFERENT. It will probably have some applications on the East Walker…the character below will, report on that…

Michael likes Midges and the East Walker River is loaded with them…

MISTLETOE MIDGE #18-#20, side view…

MISTLETOE MIDGE …tilted view…

HOOK: Daiichi 1153, #18 or Gamakatsu C12-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Chartreuse Midge Flash

ABDOMEN: Chartreuse Holographic Tinse, Wapsi, SM

WINGLETS: Flashabou, Tinsel Flash, Marabou Action, Pearl Chartreuse…as above

BEAD: Silver Tung., sized to hook

I have been using pearl or other colored midge flash shucks on many of my Midge patterns for some time. I believe they are very effective and now, I have started playing around with materials which act as “triggers” in these, and other patterns I tie…try some…

PRE-XMAS POWER DINNER WITH Michael…to kick my FLU to the curb !!!

EVERGREEN KOREAN BBQ

Michael, in from San Francisco and the sides…

Kimchi Spicy Pork Belly Soup, BBQ Sliced Beef and Purple Rice…YUMMMmmmmmm…

BIOT BLUE KF TUNG MIDGE…side view…

HOOK: TMC 2488 #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Natural Goose Biot

RIB: Blue Krystal Flash or Blue Holographic Tinsel for extra “BLING”…

THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair, Pearl Blue

WINGCASE: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun

BEAD: Black Tung., sized to hook

Tilted view…

This is more of a Midge/Mayfly hybrid than a straight Midge pupa. I have had some interesting experiences with the Browns, in the East Walker River, all year round, with blue incorporated into the fly pattern design. This is another offering for Spring, that was influenced and inspired by a pattern I saw HERE. I see some other variations, tied with Turkey and Goose Biots, using other flash materials for the ribbing, in my future…

PEPT-HO MEDALLION MIDGE…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C12-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

SHUCK: Midge Rainbow Flash, Cascade Crest

ABDOMEN: Pink Holographic Flashabou, 2 strands

RIB: Ultra wire, Red, x-sm

ABDOMEN: Ice Dub, UV Dun

WINGCASE/WING BUDS: Medallion Sheeting, Dark Dun

A little play on Steve Parrott’s Medallion Midge using the red Gamakatsu hook I am really becoming enamored with…the “Pinky” clobbered some nice Browns and Rainbows for us on the East Walker this past Spring…I believe this variant will see some exciting “hook-ups”…

Tilted view…

The TRADITIONAL day after Christmas Chinese Dinner with FAMILY…this year at a new place : MISSION 261“.GUNG HAY FAT CHOY” from PT and Family !!!

$3.00 BRIDGE DIP. HOLO/RED…#16-#18…side view…

Tilted view…BECAUSE, Craig is out of the # 18′s

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #16-#18

THREAD: Gordon Griffith 14/0, Red

ABDOMEN: Red Holographic Mylar Motion – Spirit River

RIB: Lagartun, Silver, x-fine

WING: Coastal Deer Hair, Bleached

BEAD: Silver Tung. or Brass, sized to hook

The “classic” BRF, Craig Matthew’s pattern with a new paint job…this pattern and a whole lot of variations on this theme, consistently take nice Trout…I would not be without them…

TUNG FLASHBACK BLACK BEAUTY…Dorsey/Variant…(the winglets are a secret trigger on the EAST WALKER RIVER)

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18-#24

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

RIB: Lagartun, Copper, x-fine or Silver, x-fine

FLASHBACK:  UTC SM Pearl Tinsel or UTC SM OPal Tinsel

WINGLETS: 2 strands of Grizzly Krystal Flash, Black/White

BEAD: Tun. or Brass with Lead or Lead Sub., Black or Silver

Another Pat Dorsey original that I have taken the liberty of “tweaking”. The winglets, in this coloration combo, have acted as a trigger on this pattern with which, Michael totally outscored his Pop one afternoon and evening on the East Walker…We are talkin’ about some Browns of major proportions !!! I plan on getting EVEN

CHIRONOFLASH MIDGE PUPA…Parrott/Variant…Side view…

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18-#24

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

ABDOMEN: Tying thread

OVERABDOMEN: Tan Micro Tubing

TRIGGER/HOT SPOT: Micro Pearl Flashabou

WINGCASE: Medallion Sheeting, Mottled Brown

Tilted view…

This is another Steve Parrott design…simple with a “hot spot”…my variation, is once again for those chocolate/brown Midges that are seen on the Lower Owens River in the Spring…

DISSONANCE MIDGE…Side view…

HOOK: TMC 2487, Daiichi 1130, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0 Grey

SHUCK: Midge Flash, Lt. Blue Dun

ABDOMEN: Danville Silver Tinsel, 16/18

RIB: Lagartun, Blue wire, Fine

WINGLETS: 2 strands of Grizzly Krystal Flash, Red/Black

THORAX: Arizona Diamond Hair, Lt. Blue

BEAD: Silver Tung., sized to hook

Tilted view…

My experience, with stuff I tie like this…is reflected BELOW

“HEY DAD, Gimme’ another one of those…!!!”…

KG’s FULLBACK/FOAMBACK MIDGE… Glissmeyer/Variant – Chocolate…“NOW PLAYING IN EUROPE”

HOOK: Mustad c49s, Dai Riki 125, #18-#22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Brown

SHUCK: Strands of SLF PRISM, Amber

ABDOMEN: Uni-Stretch 1x, Brown, twisted

RIB: Lagartun, Copper, x-fine

THORAX: Hare-Tron Dubbing, Dark Brown

WINGCASE: Electronics packing foam

KG would be Kelly G. Glissmeyer who ties some nifty patterns. This little guy is intended for spring creeks and appeared in the WINTER 2011 Issue of Flyfishing & Tying Journal pg. 29. Kelly tied this pattern in black using flat tying thread for the abdomen and black dubbing for the thorax. My variant is keyed for those Chocolate/Brown Lower “O” midges that will, hopefully, be lookin’ up – this Spring…I like this UNI -Stretch for the segmentation it provides…tied in other colors, it would cover a wide range of Midge hatches…

“THE BURPLE”…a Midgey-Nymphy Thingee…Gamakatsu, C12-B, #20…side view…

For this place, just about this TIME of day…

Tilted view…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C16-B, #18-#20

THREAD: Tiemco16/0 Black

UNDER ABDOMEN: Purple Haze Holographic Flash Fibers – Hareline

OVER ABDOMEN: Blue Micro Tubing

THORAX: Arizona Simi-Seal, Purple

LEGS: Fluro Fiber, Grey

BEAD: Killer Caddis, Glass, Blueberry, SM

So the sun is starting to hang low, in the late afternoon, while we are on the East Walker River and Michael turns to me and asks, “What should I put on, Dad?” I reached into my box and handed him THIS (“Deep Purple”) “Try this as your lead” , I said. He wasn’t disappointed…this pattern may be tied with or without legs…it is meant to be used as a surface trailer or fished in the depths, as a trailer, when the sunlight is off the water’s surface…you won’t be disappointed – either

To those who are new to this tying thing…make it FUN…retain a sense of wonderment and expectation that anything produced will catch a fish…glue this look on ‘yer face – as the experiments begin at the vise:

My Grandson Miles, attempting to levitate his first milk shake at Bob’s Big Boy

NEXT: Some ties for CFR and a participation/fly box drawing at FFA

PT/TB 

FOR THE RECORD…

One Finn Jensen has taken it upon himself to “trash” me personally on Facebook…He presented himself on the Trout Predator Online Forum as a representative of VEEVUS.dk:

“My name is Finn Jensen and are the person at Veevus.dk who take care of the Private market World Wide in those Countries that not yet have Veevus products in wholesales.”

Here is a PM to me… on that forum from VEEVUS.dk

“Also it’s VERY important to mention that Finn has never, and will never work for veevus. What he wrote is not true. He was not a representative of the company. He simply bought some products that he was re-selling, in order to make a proffit. Same way people do on Ebay all year long. That’s it. No more, No less.”

Mr. Jensen is now claiming, on Facebook, that I have been STEALING photos from “others”…For those of you who follow my BLOG, I think it is fairly evident, that I do my utmost to credit others by name or link, if I use a photo or fly design that is not my own…

If I have ever used a photo or fly design that belongs to someone who posts in this community or other communities, please contact me and I will either remove said design/photo or provide the necessary credit…

* I received this Email, this AM from the “other” person who accused me of ripping off their images…1.11.2012:

to me

Mr. Barker,I must apologize for the inconvenience I have caused you. In writing my post on Finn Jensen’s status I was under the impression that some of my photos were taken by planet trout’s site. I openly admitted that I was in the wrong after posting on his status when in fact it was someone else using my images, not planet trout. I would be glad to provide you with that info if you aren’t friends with Mr.Jensen.
Again my sincere apologies,
Grant
…My thanks to this person, friends who lurk here, THE program(s), that short Mexican guy from East LA who has put up with me all these years and, of course, THE BIG GUY…

PT/TB

From Denmark…and that is all I know at this point...besides

Comes in 12 different colors and in 14/0, 12/0…on down…

Here are some comparative breaking strengths (straight pull) from Veevus:

“For those interested who are interested, we compared the breaking-strength for the veevus threads with UNI and Benecchi.”

uni 6/0 = around 930g
veevus 6/0 = above 1kg

uni 8/0 = around 450g
veevus 8/0 = above 1kg

benecchi 10/0 = around 650g
veevus 10/0 = around 800g

benecchi 12/0 = around 450g
veevus 12/0 = around 530g

veevus 14/0 = around 520g

veevus 16/0 = around 430g

10/0 Thread colors…PHOTO: FINN JENSEN

SOME additional details on the thread:

“Veevus 16/0 is a twisted unwaxed thread.
Veevus 14/0, 12/0 and 10/0 are all flat unwaxed threads. These threads are also useful if you wish to “split” the threads for spinning hackles.”

Here are two videos featuring some guys one might know, using the 10/0 product:

VIDEO # !.

VIDEO # 2.

VEEVUS

PT/TB 

Rumor has it that this company will one again be making its’ tying threads and other products available…

WEL-TEC LLC purchased the assets of Gudebrod Industries LLC in 2010. WEL-TEC is manufacturing all the products that Gudebrod made in their Fishing, Craft/Specialty, and Threads Divisions. The same equipment and a few of the same people making everything the same way. We have all the Rod Building Threads including Nylon, NCP, and HT Metallics in 100yd, 1 ounce and 4oz put-ups. Bait-Rigin’ floss and rod building accesories, including Fish-Grippers and Fold-Away glasses. Our Craft area includes Artificial Sinew, Silk bead stringing and braids. Finally we have the Industrial thread division making MIL-spec threads for the aircraft industry as well as custom coated braids. Everything is Made In The USA.”

At the moment, availability is limited…the threads may be found here:

LAKELAND FLY TYING

Their 10/0, 8/0 and 6/0 threads  came in colors one just could not find elsewhere…

…Merry XMAS, Andy Baird !!! – “ hang on to your 327 spools of light grey, it may become the Chadwicks 477 of tying thread some day

Yeah, I am working on those MIDGES…

PT/TB Christmas Smilies - Xmas Present Unwrap

Here are a few being worked on for Spring and the Eastern Sierras…There is a dearth of soft hackle, stone fly patterns drifting around – these are some that I have spied and tweaked for my (and the kid’s) use in those waters I love on the run between Bishop, CA and Gardnerville, NV. The first pattern (below) is another good’un from CO tier Eric Pettine…this design was inspired by a bottle of Wild Turkey on the Poudre River in Colorado. Some of Mr. Pettine’s creations may be viewed HERE…I have tweaked this pattern for use on the East Walker River, in March, when the Skwala Stoneflies are about…It may also be tied in black, dark brown and yellow, in the appropriate sizes to portray an impressionistic (and easy to tie) versions of other species of stoneflies…

RAT FACED SPIDER – Pettine  / Variant (Skwala)…Side view

HOOK: TMC 2457, Mustad CO68, Daiichi 1120, #6-#10
THREAD: Uni 6/0 or Wapsi Ultra 140 Denier – Brown
TAILS: Natural Goose Biots
BODY: Hare’s Ear Dubbing, #3, Bunny Mask -( From Crown)
RIB: Glitter D Rib, Medium, Amber
THORAX: Hare’s Ear Dubbing, #1, Bunny Mask – (From Ear’s)
WINGCASE: x2, Mottled Thin Skin
HACKLE: Speckled India Hen Back

Tilted view…

Michael working some water that holds excellent populations of Skwala Stoneflies on the East Walker River, Bridgeport, CA…

BROWN HOLO STONE – Egry-Davies / Variant…Tilted view…

HOOK: TMC 2302,5262,5263 or Daiichi 1270, # 12-#16

THREAD: Wapsi Ultra 70 Denier, Brown for under/abdomen, Tiemco 16/0, Brown for thorax – forward

TAIL: Hareline speckled crazy legs, Olive

RIB: Copper Brown wire, sized to hook

ABDOMEN: Brown Holographic Flashabou, 2-4 strands

THORAX: Brown UV Ice Dub

WINGCASE(s): x2, Mottled Brown Thin Skin

HACKLE: Brown Hen Hackle

BEAD: Copper Tung. or Brass

Side-ish view…

The Holo-Stone is a Joe Egry pattern. I first described it HERE in February, 2009. Since then, I have had an opportunity to use both the gold and black versions in a number of different locations on the East and West slopes of the Sierras…this is a good pattern that has taken some very nice fish for all of us. I have been itchin’ to get my hands on some Brown Holographic Tinsel to tie a version in this color…the wingcase(s) are a tweaked touch from Canadian tier Jeremy Davies…I have seen his use of Thin Skin this particular way and have employed it in a number of Stonefly patterns…I like Stonefly patterns that give the impression of movement…I add rubber or silicone legs for use in off-color water…


MIRAGE COPPER SEXY STONE – Gauerke / Variant…Tilted view…

HOOK: TMC 2302,5262.5263, Daiichi 1270 #10-#16

THREAD: Wapsi Ultra 70 denier, Brown (to thorax) – Tiemco 16/0, Brown – forward

WEIGHT: 0.15-0.20 Lead or lead sub. (under thorax)

TAG: Pink UV Ice Dub (between tails)

TAILS: Tan Goose Biots

OVER ABDOMEN: Medium Mirage Opal Tinsel

WEAVE: Ultra Wire, Copper Brown wire (top), F. Orange wire (bottom)…Brassie, Medium or Small – sized to hook

THORAX: Spirit River Squirrel Blend – Rust / SLF Prism #120, Amber…70/30 mix

WINGCASE(s): x3, Mottled Brown Thin Skin

HACKLE: Brown Partridge Feather ( lower back of skin)

BEAD: Optional copper or gold, tung. or brass

Side-ish view…

This is a CHAD GAUERKE pattern that I just could not resist. The variations are limitless…check out his site for some most excellent flies and thoughts…He ties a lot with interesting  products from Europe…

Meanwhile…I will wait for Spring to put these guys to the test…in here…

PT in the East Walker…down river…

NEXT: Midges…a bunch

PT/TB Christmas Smilies - ELF

As is the custom in our family, we generally spend a day or two up in the Eastern Sierras during Thanksgiving weekend or, later during the Xmas Holidays. This time, Ally and I did a quick up and back to the Owens valley to recon some places for us to initiate my Grandson Miles (or Moo 2) into the Troutastic angling arts…I had mentioned in a previous post - “THE MUTHA’lode…”, that I would put up some information on places that MY Dad took my twin brother and I to fish for Trout when we were little – here is a bit on Lone Pine Creek…we also spent some time looking for “pointy obsidian and jasper” objects and roamin’ around…that’s how we roll…

The Owens Valley, just after sunrise, from the White Mountains…

After a long “mush’, up from East of Independence, we stopped here for some deserty activities

We pulled in here for some lunch and spent some time flipping over pieces of shiny black flakes…

Desert GOURMET lunch…

This place has been quite productive through the years…my Dad would get my brother and me out here at the crack of dawn on really cold December days…

It would be worth it to find a batch of these…this time we came up with only pieces…not a single complete point…

Ally wanted to send some pills out of her BHP… “THE SHADOW” documented her efforts…

Sunlight was getting short so we decided to gain some altitude…

Ally, bushwackin’ Lone Pine Creek…

Ally with Mt. Whitney in the background…it gets very cold when the sun drops below those peaks…

PT stands on a boulder overlooking Lone Pine Creek…this is one of the spots I would take my Dad into, to fish the creek…when he was two years younger than I am now, he refused to go down this hill, fearing he would take a fall…As Ally said: “What a WUSS”

My Dad, Jess Barker, about the time he became a WUSS, in 1974…along Lone Pine Creek…

Ally, preparing to clobber her Dad with a snowball where the road was closed heading up to the Mt. Whitney portal…

PT shows Ally where her Grandfather would make us sit and fish with a size # 18 Mustad, gold, treble hook and Velveeta cheese for planted Rainbows…while he wandered off – elsewhere…This is at the bridge above Movie Flats road…

Ally checks out the water on the upside of the bridge…it looks like this…

While we were standing there, we saw a 17″ Trout wave out into the current, just above the mossy rock…

A reminder of memories past and fishing Lone Pine Creek with salmon eggs, crickets and red worms…

Somebody else, sitting on a rock at Lone Pine Creek, with FRYE BOOTS, when she was about Ally’s age…

Looking East towards the White Mountains from the base of Mt. Whitney at dusk…

Another location along Lone Pine Creek where one has to slither in like a serpent to present an offering to the residents…there are Rainbows and Browns in this creek…I have taken Browns up to 18″ in here if I do my part…

The sandtrap at the bottom of Lone Pine Creek just before it enters the LA Aqueduct…this will be the location of my Grandson’s first Trout outing…Ally MADE this decision…

My son Michael, explaining to Muy ( Miles ), the size of the TROUT he will catch with his Grandfather…on Thanksgiving…

Mt. Whitney at sunset…

OK…time for dinner…and Virgin Marys…

…and the best spot for food on the EASTSIDE is:

SEASONS…Lone Pine California…hands down !!!

Back to tying…

PT/TB

2 NEW…to play with…

A couple of new arrivals to be incorporated into upcoming fly patterns for late Winter and Spring…still waiting for a few more…

J;Son Nymph Backs…from Sweden…for Caddis larvae

Pink and Brown Holographic Flashabou…whole lot of possibilities…

Workin’ on those Soft Hackle Stones…

PT/TB

Back in the day…that would be the sixties, growing up in the South and attending a Southern University in “the loveliest village on the plains”, the UNIFORM was Bass “Weejuns”, Gold Cup socks, Corbin slacks, Alligator belts, Gant Shirts, London Fog windbreakers with a Camel hair, V-neck sweaters or, on less frigid days, a button up Alpaca Sweaters…In those “Animal House” days, one could travel from one school to another and every guy was dressed pretty much the same…That idyllic time was exploded by events unfolding and occurring half a world away…When my turn came, in 1967, I gave my Father my three favorite Alpaca sweaters to keep for me. I returned to California in 1971 to find that the elbows on each sweater had been worn through by the endless hours my Dad spent in “leather sewers” along the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood – places like the Cock N’ Bull, Scandia and Frascatti’s…my love affair with fabric from these guys – was over:

( PHOTO: from River Mist Farm -Alpacas)

I would encounter these critters from time to time in Independence, CA, while traveling up Hwy. # 395 to Bishop, Ca and beyond…the one’s I saw were used as pack animals for those who ventured into the High Sierra backcountry…I and Ally thought they were cute…

Now Alpaca fiber has appeared for Fly Tying in the form of Paca-Dub and Paca-Tips from FIBER-FLIES

I am interested in finding out how well this material traps air bubbles and will be adding some patterns for Spring that utilize this product. It is currently available at: SOUTH RIVER FLY SHOP

PT/TB

HALO WIRE…

Another new product from Spirit River that will find it’s way into some Spring patterns I have in my head…

Spirit River Halo Wire…

“This is a very fine gold wire with a creamy-clear vinyl coating. It gives a very realistic segmentation and a slight glow emits from under the body. This wire is prefect for wets and nymphs bodies in sizes 10 thru 16. It also takes a marker well so the options are endless.”

I have already seen a Caddis Larva tied with this material…very interesting…in fact, it kinda’ looked lie this:

HALO LARVA, #14-#16…(1.14.2012)…MORE on this later…

PT/TB

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