Chief and Midger

Midger and Chief - 5th Annual Big Woods Summit

Hell, one didn’t even know about Jim Croce. Flatlander Flies, single ply toilet paper in the shitter, a water drinkin Pro Staffer and a host of other abnormalities nearly sent the Chief packin from the 5th Annual Big Woods Summit by midday Friday. Everything around him seemed headed straight to hell in a hand basket. Hell the whole lot couldn’t even catch a dumb trout if it was placed in a wash tub! Well at least no one was dancin around like a Kansas City faggot. That was a good thing. The only good thing. Well, that 6 pound buffalo meatloaf was a good thing come to think of it. Come to think of it another good thing was the official RBF Hot Shower Stall. But other than that, things were quite dismal.

Moderation taken to the extreme.

The Chief was indeed distracted and headin for despair. He had just finished off a case of Straub Special Dark when Midger arrived. Midger’s arrival brought the Chief’s blood pressure back down to where head stopped poundin. After the customary greetins, the Chief had a sidebar with Midger, Second in Charge of the RBF Pro Staff. Chief described the earlier distressing affairs and requested that they fish the First Fork together. “Amend it, thus provided we don’t fish with bait”, responded the strappin young lad as he cracked open a can of beer. Midger was reassuring. “Don’t worry Chief, everything will be alright,” he calmly said as he handed the Chief a bag of fresh, aromatic herbs grown by his lovely wife.

The Rossiter Lodge Beat waters were up and slightly discolored after the night's rain, perfect for these talented anglers often described by others as ospreys. They observed the waters and it was decided that since the Chief was highly skilled in dry fly fishin, the Chief would have the responsibility of bringin those bastards up to a dry fly while Midger could more skillfully cover the middle with a brace of deadly wets. The Chief tied on one of his famous RBF Half’n Half’s in the ETS version. After the blasted thing hit the water, Midger asked, “What are you fishin with Chief…a gum wrapper?” Just then that “gum wrapper” disappeared into the gullet of a stocked brown trout. Chief promptly renamed his famous fly the RBF Gum Wrapper.

“Nice Chief!” exclaimed Midger as he netted the Chief’s catch. It was good to be brothers of the angle, they thought. Together they skillfully fished, catchin both stocked and wild fish, laughin and sharin turkey huntin and tomato growin stories and whatever crossed their minds. It was almost like they were on the Golden Beat.

Almost the Golden Beat

Then Chief asked if they had to abide by those delayed harvest rules. “No Chief, we can keep’m,” responded the VP of Catch and Release. They had somewhat of a conundrum on their hands. “Look,” pronounced the Chief, “you brought those bastards into the world, you can take them out of it!” "And I'm with you!" The Chief made a formal appointment amendment declaration then instructed Midger to gather a forked stick and they would commence to harvest enough stocked trout for an appetizer for the Chief’s Paella later that evening. The limit would be placed at six.

Life is Good!

They worked as a team, fishin the fertile waters of the First Fork. They focused on catchin that Orange Trout the Chief spotted the evening before. Chief spotted that bastard again when he flashed at his famous RBF Gum Wrapper. It didn’t take them too long before Midger hooked, netted then rapped the Orange beast with the back of a Gerber knife blade finally shovin him down the forked stick. It was time for a beer. They celebrated. The boys packed beer, not bottled water.

“Chief you lay this Orange Trout on top of your Paella tonight and it will be good!” instructed Midger. The boys continued to catch fish, releasin all the wild trout and others not worthy of the paella pan. There were a few hearty laughs when Midger’s elderberry forked stick broke on the way back to the Rossiter Lodge and his catch fell into the muddy waters of the First Fork. Ospreys as they are, it didn’t take long before they were back on a stick.

Orange Trout Poachin away in Chief's Paella

And to think they wondered if the Chief could make yet another tasty paella!

A morning fishin with the Chief, a belly full of Paella, Yucca and the Chief’s Hard Cider and Winter Pear Wine were a bit too much for the Youngin as he slept soundly while the others swapped fish stories and other lies.

He's dreamin of Orange Trout

The Chief’s day was good, the Paella was tasty and the Big Woods Summit was salvaged…thanks to Midger.

"Soc un gran pescador!"