MOO’S outing on ESOPUS CREEK…

So yesterday, 5.11.2019 Michael and Aimee ventured up to Esopus Creek to wet a line. He caught several nice Browns and got to spend a beautiful day on the water…

Esopus Creek, New York…

He worked a streamer…

…through the above run and let this guy go…

He tried this Iced Apple Caddis pattern that I tied up for him in 2015…

…and got this Brown…

Two others as well !!!

 

…way to go son … 😉🍏

 

 

NEXT: Some ties for Kelly Creek, the Locsha and Selway Rivers in Idaho…

 

 

PT/TB

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BIG MOO…back in MONTANA…

Michael and his wife Aimee traveled to Montana in late July to attend a wedding for Aimee’s BFF at a cabin over by Henry’s Lake in Idaho. What follows are some photos that he sent to me highlighting their trip… 🙂

Arriving at West Fork Cabin Camp…

Getting ready…

Walking the bridge…

Maybe down here first…

Heading up to $3.00 Bridge the next morning…

A nice AM Rainbow…

Standing on my rocks…

Another Rainbow to hand…

Aimee, working the drift late in the day…

Michael, just doing what he does…

Then Aimee blows him away…

A different kind of Rainbow…

MOO’S Sunset Rainbow…

Sunset 1, Madison River above $3.00 Bridge…

Some flies that worked for Michael & Aimee…

Sunset 2, Madison River, MT…

Sunset 3, same place… 😜

A visit between the lakes before heading to the Park…

Working a streamer…

In Yellowstone National Park…

Those guys again…

That’s close enough…

Long shot…

The Yellowstone River looking upstream…

Another perspective…

A Westslope Cutthroat…

…on one of ALLO’S POLAR EXPRESS HS CH BUGGERS…

Further downstream on the Yellowstone River…

 

Boulders in the Yellowstone…

Hot pool…for some reason, Michael takes a photo of everyone of these that he has ever encountered…

 

NEXT: Hangin’ at Palouse Falls, Ally & Hero exploring local waters then…Patterns for Chrome…not necessarily in that order…

 

 

PT/TB  

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SUNNY SUNDAY in MONTANA…

After a surprising dump of snow in the Yellowstone area, beginning on Friday, September 15, Michael and I awoke to a bit of sunshine on Sunday, September, 17.

The parking lot at $3.00 Bridge, some snow showers in the background…

I think Michael is chanting in anticipation of a large Trout…

It is noticeably warmer (in the low 40’s) and most of the snow on the ground has melted…the water temps were in the low 50’s…

The white tube on the left was put the by Blue Ribbon Flies for waste leader and tippet materials…general information is on the large board…

This is where one picks up an envelope…

…to deposit in this lockbox each time $3.00 Bridge is visited…I generally leave more than $3.00 because of all the great experiences this area has given me through the years…

Michael positions himself above my favorite rock…

…while I futz around tying on the following fly pattern…

…Paul Freeman’s SHUKA KAHN MIDGE Variant, #20…it worked nicely…SCROLL DOWN

Michael has something in his net…

…a healthy Rainbow, also taken on a Midge…

This one…

Back to the vehicle for some snacks…

It has warmed up quite a bit…now,  off on a long walk North of $3.00 Bridge…

…but first, Michael HAD to photograph this Woolly Bear Caterpillar…More HERE

…just a little further…

Here ya’ go…and why they call Montana “BIG SKY” country…In 2004, I hooked a 5lb. Brown just above those two side-by-side rocks. When I tightened the line, it flew over my head and behind me… 🙂

Michael works behind a rock in the expanse of the Madison River…

For me, this is one of the most beautiful parts of the Madison River…

Lots of water to work & nooks and crannies to explore…

The “old guy” checks to see what kind of bugs are moving around stream side…

…while Michael works some additional rocks and boulders…

An excellent hiding place for a large Trout, a deadfall in the middle of the Madison…

Playing with the camera #1.

Playing with the camera #2.

So I am sitting on the bank watching Michael cast…

…and this very skittish, strange dog, which appears to be a Greyhound rescue, comes up to me then Michael…

Finally figured out that he belonged to one of these two guys who were dry fly fishing this side channel…

My Winston Boron IIIX Super 10, 5wt. with a Hatch Fanatic 4…really like this rod for nymphing…

We decide to head back to the cabin a little early so that Michael could BBQ before dark…

Do you really need half a bottle of lighter fluid ?

Salad fixins…

Before dark eh ???

Well…it was worth it … 🙂

 

NEXT: A visit to Kelly’s joint & Between the lakes…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

 

 

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FALL BAETIS – 2016… PART II…COMPLETED

So these  will be emergers, duns and maybe a spinner or two along with more detailed information on the little guys that are available almost year round and the most important May Fly hatch perhaps anywhere…Gary LaFontaine had a book in the works, at one time, on Blue Winged Olives. It was never completed prior to his passing. I would have definitely enjoyed having a copy of THAT…Here are some great resources for learning more about the Baetis Complex…books and links…

My first book on Mayflies…and still a good one…

A must…

Shane Stalcup’s classic…

…another classic from Swisher & Richards…

A recent publish that has excellent informations and BWO patterns with recipes…

These links provide a primer on Blue Winged Olives…one may notice a few of my fly patterns included in the photos from Fly Fishing Traditions:

Baetis Complex – Part I

Baetis Complex – Part II

Baetis Complex – Part III

Baetis Complex – Part IV

Completed BAETIS BOX…and a little something from Rick Hafele on BWO’s:

Hafele’s Bug Blog

Winston BORON IIIX SUPER 10, 5wt. – Hatch  4 Plus Finatic…

Frozen MOO…

PQ BWO PARA EMERGER …

HOOK: TMC 206BL, #16 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Olive/Brown

ABDOMEN: Polish Quill, Olive – * Coat with UV Resin for durability and Bling

THORAX: Superfine Dry Fly Dubbing – BWO

POST: Blue Dun McFlylon #.24

HACKLE: Dun

Michael likes his dry flies, so this is a hanging emerger for his use. I gots to tie more Mayfly emergers on this hook…me likee…

Materials PQ BWO PARA EMERGER…

PQ BWO PARA EMERGERs …# 20’s…

Baetis water…0 degrees at the 45th. parallel – halfway between the North Pole and the Equator…

BWO PARA SPINNER – Schollmeyer/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #16 – #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Dark Brown

TAIL: Micro Fibetts, Light Dun

ABDOMEN: UV2 Fine & Dry, Rust

POST: White Poly Yarn

HACKLE: Dun

A simple Jim Schollmeyer spinner pattern when one encounters them and the Trout are receptive to flush floaters…

Materials BWO PARA SPINNER…

BWO PARA SPINNERS…#20’s…

CHART DOT I.C.U. BAETIS – McCormick./ Variant …

HOOK:  TMC 2488, #20

THREAD: Veevus 16/0, Olive Dun – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Olive – Thorax Forward

SHUCK: Zelon, Dun

POST: Rainy’s Parachute Post ( foam cylinder), Chartreuse, 1/16″

THORAX: Orvis Spectrablend – Olive Gray

WING(s): Zelon – Dun

Another Bucky McCormick pattern from Blue Ribbon Flies for these old eyes to see…

Materials CHART DOT I.C.U. BAETIS …

CHART DOT I.C.U. BAETIS…#20’s…

BUCKY’S KLINKHAMMER SHUCKIN’ BAETIS …

HOOK: McCormick/Variant- Daiichi 1167, #18 – #20

THREAD: UTC 70 Denier, Olive – Abdomen / Thorax Forward, Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Dark Olive Dun

ABDOMEN: UTC 70 Denier, Olive

RIB: Lagartun Copper Wire, x-fie – * Coat with Hard As Hull for durability

POST: Poly Yarn, Orange

THORAX: Dark Tan Beaver

Bucky McCormick, of Blue Ribbon Flies, ties this pattern as a Midge. I have adapted it for an emerging Baetis…

Materials BUCKY’S KLINKHAMMER SHUCKIN’ BAETIS…

BUCKY’S KLINKHAMMER SHUCKIN’ BAETIS…#20’s…

A visit to SPOOL CITY…

PQ BAETIS EMERGER – Barr/Pennington Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Zelon, Amber

ABDOMEN: Polish Quill, Olive – * Coat with UV Resin

OVER/WINGCASE: 2 strands Holographic Mylar Motion, Black, 1/32″

WINGCASE/LEGS: Fluoro Fiber, Brown or Black, 16 strands or less depending on hook size * Coat Mylar Motion with UV Resin

This is a composite of John Barr’s BWO Emerger and Carl Pennington’s Biot Emerger ,using a Black Holographic wing case. Why Black ??? Because BWO’s are most active when their wing cases darken, just prior to hatching…This pattern is meant to be fished from the bottom of the water column to just under the surface. Grease thy leader or hang it off a larger dry pattern…I prefer the wing case be pronounced as a trigger…

Materials PQ BAETIS EMERGER…

PQ BAETIS EMERGERs…#20’s…

SPANFLEX CDC CDL OLIVE BAETIS EMERGER …

HOOK: TMC 2488, #16 – #20

THREAD: Underabdomen – Tiemco 16/0, White / Thorax Forward, Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Whiting CDL Fibers

WING: Marc Petitjean Blue Dun CDC tips * tied in opposed

THORAX: Superfine BWO Dubbing – BWO

LEGS: * ( not Pictured ) Coq De Leon, Light Speckled – Hareline …and yes, there is a big difference between the Whiting and Spanish CDL

This is a pattern that sits with the abdomen just below the surface film. It is meant for slick, slow water below riffles…

Materials SPANFLEX CDC CDL OLIVE BAETIS EMERGER….

SPANFLEX CDC CDL OLIVE BAETIS EMERGERs…# 18’s….

FOAM BIOT EMERGER BWO – Bill Black/Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1110, #18 – #22

THREAD: Under Abdomen – Tiemco 16/0, White / Thorax Forward – Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Sparkle Emerger Yarn, Olive/Brown

ABDOMEN: UV2 Turkey Biot – fringed side out

WINGCASE/BURST WING: Razor Foam, Translucent Dun , 1mm or .5MM -sized to hook

LEGS: Dyed Brown Partridge, V-Notched

This is a Bill Black pattern. He was the President of Spirit River and the developer of the UV2 products. That company no longer exists. They were acquired by Hareline this past Fall (2016). This is an excellent floating emerger pattern for slick water…

Materials FOAM BIOT EMERGER BWO…

FOAM BIOT EMERGERs BWO…#18’s…

In hand, on the East Walker River…

DOA BWO CRIPPLE (Olive/Gray) – Nyman/Variant…

HOOK: TMC 103BL, #17 -#21

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Zelon, Olive/Brown

ABDOMEN: Micro Fine Dry Fly Dub, Gray/Olive

BURST WINGCASE/WING: EP Trigger Point Int’l.  – Dun or Black (for those Gray Days)

Hackle: Dun, clipped so it rides low

This is a version of Rowan Nyman’s pattern tied on a TMC 103BL hook. This is an older pattern that was first presented by Blue Ribbon Flies awhile ago. It still works, real good, when Trout are feeding on cripples, in the surface film…

Materials DOA BWO CRIPPLE (Olive/Gray)…

DOA BWO CRIPPLEs (Olive/Gray)…#21’s…

CDL TPI PARACHUTE BWO …

HOOK:  TMC 102Y, #17 – #21

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dun

ABDOMEN: Orvis Spectrablend Dry Fly – BWO

POST: Enrique Puglisi Trigger Point Into. Fibers Dun (BWO) or color of choice

HACKLE: Dun

Just a simple little BWO parachute for darker BWO hatches. I find that the BWO’s on the East Walker River tend to have a deeper Olive color than those, lower down, on the Owens River, below Pleasant Valley Reservoir. The Fl. Orange post is for me and the Dun post for Big MOO and Ally…they have better eyes…I am a big fan of this hook because of it’s color and wide gape…

Materials CDL TPI PARACHUTE BWO…

CDL TPI PARACHUTE BWOs… #19’s…

Fill’er up…

UV2 BROOK’S SPROUT BWO – Bob Brooks/Variant…

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #16 – #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

SHUCK: Sparkle Emerger Yarn – Olive/Brown

ABDOMEN: Premo Goose Biot, BWO

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry – BWO

POST: Rainy’s Parachute Post (Foam Cylinder), White or color of choice, 1/16″

HACKLE: Dun

Bob Brooks developed this style pattern for Midges and small May Fly hatches when he was the river keeper on Hot Creek in the Eastern Sierras. This pattern has found wide-spread use throughout the world since it’s inception. With the shuck, it imitates an merging BWO…

Materials UV2 BROOK’S SPROUT BWO…

UV2 BROOK’S SPROUT BWOs…#20’s…

 

NEXT: Up the road with MOO then a smattering of patterns which will be done individually and not for a complete box…

 

PT/TB

 

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FALL Owens Gourmet Gambit II…FINISHED for XMAS…

These will be the second batch of patterns for The Lower Owens River in the Eastern Sierras, from Fall through Winter and into early Spring.Most of these guys will work in other areas of the world…Never know where me n’ the tribe might wander. As usual, first the fly, then the recipes and additional information…

So…in the midst of tying these SCOTTY’s MIDGES, the tension screw on my older Renzetti Traveler vise went South. Well, after eleven years and thousands of flies, that happens …back to Renzetti for a new cam-lever set of jaws and an upgrade to the Renzetti 2000…a back-up now for me and something for Michael to get started tying on…Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the “Old Guy”…

“OLD GUY”…

 

Finished GOURMET GAMBIT BOX II…

OLIVE RAINBOW DIP (G-BCS-20)…

Hook: Daiichi 1130, #18 -#22

THREAD: Gudebrod 8/0, BCS 20 Light Olive Green – Abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

RIB: Lagartun Copper wire, X-Fine – * Coat Abdomen with Hard As Hull

WING: Six strands Midge Rainbow Flash (Pearl or Silver) or Hareline Midge Flash (Pearl or Silver)

Slowly using up the last of the great Gudebrod thread left in my stash. If one is interested it still may be obtained through Performance Flies. Below is what was available when a wonderful store put out the best Fly Fishing catalog ever..

On the subject of threads, check out this “floating thread” that my friend Jacob just got in at Competitive Angler…

Materials OLIVE RAINBOW DIP…(there is the G-BCS-20)…

OLIVE RAINBOW DIP(s)…

UV/2 GLO-BRITE MIDGE (Purple)…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C-12B, #18 – #20

THREAD:  Tiemco 16/0, White – Under abdomen (not pictured) / Tiemco 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

SHUCK: Krystal Flash, UV Pearl

RIB: Purple Ribbing Wire, .005 Dia.

ABDOMEN: Datum Glo-Brite Floss, #14, Purple

THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Purple – Spirit River

BEAD: Black tungsten, sized to hook

Floss over white thread for translucency – always. Something in Purple, which will always work…

Materials UV/2 GLO-BRITE MIDGE (Purple)…

UV/2 GLO-BRITE MIDGE(s)…

Big MOO on the Lower Owens River in late December…maybe again this year ?

SOFT HACKLE PSEUDO PT JIG …

HOOK: Hanak 400BL, #16, Dohiku HDJ, #18

WEIGHT: .010 Lead

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Light Speckled

RIB: Lagartun Copper, X-Fine

ABDOMEN: Natural Pheasant Tail Fibers

THORAX: Pseudo Peacock Dubbing, Natural – Spirit River

BEAD: Slotted, Copper Tungsten, sized to hook

A simple, little, unobtrusive jig for those times the Trout are not wanting Bling…

 

Materials SOFT HACKLE PSEUDO PT JIG…

SOFT HACKLE PSEUDO PT JIG(s)…

DNA TAC-VAC (Black) – Nyman/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

RIB: UTC Silver wire, x-sm

ABDOMEN: Non-flash strands DNA Holo Fusion, Black – * Coat with Hard As Hull

WING: Z-lon. Kinky White

THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Black

BEAD: Tungsten, Black, sized to hook

 

Simple little Black Midge Pupa based on Rowan Nyman’s “Shop-Vac”…which has caught a ton of fish for me and my guys…If on wishes to get technical, use melanistic pheasant tail fibers for the abdomen…

Materials DNA TAC VAC (Black)…

DNA TAC VAC(s) …

X2-UV2 (BLACK PEACOCK) SPARKLE GNAT – Griffith’s Gnat-George Griffith/Variant …

HOOK: TMC 101, # 18- #22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

SHUCK: Sparkle Yarn, Amber, cut short mixed with 3 strands of Midge Flash, Fl. Fire Orange, Pearl

ABDOMEN:UV2 Peacock, Black

HACKLE: Whiting, Grizzly

The Griffith’s Gnat imitates a cluster of Midges, this pattern (Sparkle Gnat), originated in the UK. I like using them on most High Sierra Lakes and in the swirling back eddys on the EWR and Owens River. Anywhere that midges collect in large numbers, on slow flat water etc…all of these are excellent locations for this pattern…

Materials X2-UV2 (BLACK PEACOCK) SPARKLE GNAT…

X2-UV2 SPARKLE GNAT(s)…

Half way there…

COMBO MID-BEAD BAETIS – Gunkel/Variant …

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

TAIL: Lemon Woodduck

ABDOMEN: Combo Thread, Olive/Yellow Cascade Crest – * Coat with Hard As Hull

LEGS: Fluoro Fibre, Brown, 10-12 Strands each side

WINGCASE: Holographic Mylar Motion, Black, 1/32′ – * Coat with UV Resin

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry, Callibaetis

BEAD: Copper Tungsten, Sized to hook

A variation on Shea Gunkel’s “Shotglass Baetis”. I used combo thread, for segmentation and a black, holographic wing case because the wing cases on BWO’s/Baetis darken to almost black when the nymphs are most active, just prior to emergence…The copper tungsten bead is for weight – use a glass bead to fish it as an emerged/dropper…

Materials COMBO MID-BEAD BAETIS…

COMBO MID-BEAD BAETIS…

OLIVE THIN WINGED JIG – Vasies/Variant …

HOOK: Daiichi 4640 Jig Hook, #16, Dohiku HDJ Jig Hook, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Olive

WEIGHT: .010 Lead

TAIL: Lemon Woodduck

ABDOMEN: UV2 Turkey Biot, fringed side up – * Coat thread with Hard As Hull before wrapping

WING: MP Select CDC, Blue Dun – two feather tips

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry, BWO

BEAD: Slotted Tungsten, Black or Copper, sized to hook

This is a unique Lucian Vasies pattern he designed as a “winged wet for dynamic nymphing”. Check out his other patterns and visit his Troutline store for some really interesting fly tying materials…This is just a quick and simple variant with generic BWO colors…These Daichi jig hooks have much longer shank than the European Jig Hooks. Rumor has it that Daichi will be offering the in smaller sizes, at some point…

 

Materials OLIVE THIN WINGED JIG…

OLIVE THIN WINGED JIG(s)…

Somebody was fishing the “Housy” a few days ago…

…and caught this…

UV2 HOLO COPPER FIRE JIG – Oishi/Variant …

HOOK: Hanak C400BL, #16, Dohiku HDJ Jig Hook, #18

WEIGHT: .010 Lead

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

TAG & HOT SPOT: Veevus 14/0, Fl. Orange, * Coat with Hard As Hull

TAIL: Coq De Leon, Dark Speckled

ABDOMEN: Sulky Holoshimmer, Copper – * Coat with Hard As Hull

THORAX: 70% Firestar Copper Fire / 30% UV2 Dubbing Enhancer, Dark

This is a scaled down variant of Canadian tier, Todd Oishi’s ” Prospector “. With various colors of Sulky Holoshimmer, let thy imagination run…I like using these little guys as anchor flies, trailing a simple Midge pattern, like a Cream Miracle Midge, off the back on places like the East Walker River…

Materials UV2 HOLO COPPER FIRE JIG…

UV2 HOLO COPPER FIRE JIG(s)…

GAMERA MIDGE, Brown …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – #22

THREAD:Tiemco 16/0, White- Under abdomen / Tiemco 16/0, Brown – Thorax forward

ABDOMEN: 8-10 strands, non-flash DNA Holo Fusion, Brown

RIB: UTC wire, Red, x-sm

THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Brown – Spirit River

BEAD: Black tungsten, sized to hook

It’s Gamera…what else do I need to say…

GAMERA…

Materials GAMERA MIDGE – (Fl. Fire Orange/Pearl Midge Flash shuck, not pictured)…

GAMERA MIDGES…

UV2 BLUE HOLO MIDGE …

HOOK: Daiichi 1130, #18 – # 22

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Under abdomen to and including thorax / Tiemco 16/0, Black, behind bead

SHUCK: Krystal Flash, UV Pearl

ABDOMEN: Blue Holographic Tinsel (here, from Rainbow Holo Flashabou) or from Veevus

RIB: UTC Silver wire, x-sm – * Coat abdomen with Hard As Hull

THORAX: UV2 Peacock, Black – Spirit River

BEAD: Silver Nickel Tungsten, sized to hook

Yep, I like BLUE. There have been quite a few occasions that this color has worked very successfully for me and the tribe. I like to keep more than a few in my Midge boxes…just never know…

Brown, taken by Michael on the East Walker River, on a BLUE Midge…

Materials Uv2 HOLO MIDGE…

UV2 BLUE HOLO MIDGES – (one Black for contrast)

The new vise…

SCOTTY’S MIDGE – Matthews / Variant …

HOOK: TMC 2488, #18 -#20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, White – Underabdomen / Tiempo 16/0, Black – Thorax forward

SHUCK: Coachman Red Zelon

RIB: Brown Micro Tubing

ABDOMEN: Coachman Red Zelon

THORAX: UV2 Fine & Dry, Black

WING: Coastal Deer Hair – Nature’s Spirit

This is a pattern that has been around for awhile and mentioned frequently in the BRF Newsletter. Try and find a recipe for it ! Maybe Craig Matthews will do a video on this bug at some point in the future. And HERE it is (5.26 2016) In the meantime, I went with an approximation gathered from this location. Notice that the BRF version is tied on a TMC 2488 hook and the other on a TMC 206 BL hook…I like the former for this pattern…

Materials SCOTTY’S MIDGE…

SCOTTY’S MIDGE(s)…

MOTTLED MIDGE UV2…

HOOK: Gamakatsu C12-B, #18 – #20

THREAD: Tiemco 16/0, Black

ABDOMEN: Lady AmherstPheasant Tail, Red/Black fibers – Spirit River

RIB: Sulky Holoshimmer, Black

THORAX: UV2 Peacock Herl, Natural

WINGS: 4-6 Strands, Nymph Shear, Pearlescent White – Cascade Crest

BEAD: Silver Nickel Tungsten, sized to hook

Just an offbeat Midge with some mottling and a flashy wing. I like these kinds of patterns that the Trout have not seen before…

 

Materials MOTTLED MIDGE UV2…

MOTTLED MIDGE(s) UV2…

 

 

PT/TB

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