Afterall, this Web log is named for the Stray Cast, which has snapped off the end of the outdoors column in the Sun-Times on Wednesdays since April 2, 2003.

Here's today's:

The Bears remind me of the guy with a too-big tackle box: Sometimes a white Bandit, black Senko, chartreuse spinner bait and firetiger Skitter Pop are enough, if used right.