We were somewhere around Orviston when the Yucca began to take hold...

Except instead of seeing dive bombing bats I was hallucinating about carnivorous Green Drakes devouring the stockies in First Fork. And that was after only one glass of Yucca.

Truth be told, we were a well behaved bunch this year, which drove the Chief to distraction. We either need new blood or we need the irregulars to return along with the bacchanalia.

Glen gave you the fishing report, which was the same story for all of us. Here Glen explains to Bunyan the difference between a Green Drake spinner and a midge spinner.

Which Bunyan quickly noted and cranked out a couple dozen on the vise back at camp.

After all the fishin, food, and other assorted activities it was time to shoot the breeze around the ol camp fire.
A pet peeve: At least twice during the BWS a younger prostaffer needed education about common American cultural icons. For example, the Chief regaled us about his encounter with Greg Allman and the aforesaid prostaffer asked "who is Greg Allman?" And, the same prostaffer had never heard of, or read, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (not to mention having no knowledge of the gonzo journalist himself). I tell you, the world is going to hell in a handbasket.

BWS - 2009

Well, since nobody else is doing it, I guess I'll step in and recount the angling events that took place....

My journey started off, with the intent to fish a small freestoner on the way there, where ever "there" is. I'm not at liberty to disclose the location, though you can see it on Google maps if need be. Do you know you get a check mailed to you everytime you write "Google" in a blog? Opps, there it was again....Yep, saw it on a chain e-mail, so you know its true! Anywho, there I go again gettin off track...Focus....focus...OK, I'm better now...

I hadn't fished this freestoner in quite some time, so anticipation ran high. Long story short, the weather was dark and dim, with sprinkles and drizzle here and there. The weather so far this season, despite some warm dry weather, has mostly been cool and damp. Today was no exception. When I arrived, the water level looked about normal, and as it always is, the water was gin clear. No fish were feeding. A few small stones were buzzing around, but no mayflies.

After hiking downstream a good ways, I stopped and studied. About that time, I started to notice some sulphers emerge, then followed by a flurry of green drakes. Yessir, this was going to be a field day...NOT. All day long I saw squadrons of sulphers, dozens/hundreds - lots for a freestoner, and saw 2 fish rise, which I rose and missed both. Missed a couple of others too, both of which caught me by surprise when they rose. A slow, tough catchin day for sure...But the place is still pretty sweet!

When I arrived at the Rossiter, eating and drinking began in earnest for the weekend - Thank God, I was thirsty! Kudos and thanks to Mike for his hospitality!

The next day, which always follows the previous day for some odd reason.....Anyway, this day dawned, and had the promise of clearing skies, and also more angling anticipation. We were going to visit a stream I never fished before. I can't wait for Alzheimer's to kick in - then they will all be new again to me! This stream was at least at one time, Class A water. The stream looked amazing - clear, fast, and in spots, deep. I caught one lonely fish, and I believe that was our average for each of us, and all we had to show for a entire morning of angling.

Then Andy struck paydirt....Truth is, he ran ahead of me all morning, and when I caught up with him, he kicked me shins, then jumped right in this awesome pool and promptly caught this fish. Good thing I have a short memory, or I wouldn't have taken his picture! A nice, above average wild Brookie.

Matt plies the waters...

I would have taken a pic of the Chief, but he resorted to using the stealth spray, and I couldn't find the bastard. He didn't sneak up on any either, so the spray's effectiveness has come into question. A full review from the staff is pending.....

This stream's bottom land was very unusual for a stream in this area. In the sense that it had mostly sycamores growing in the riparian zone. Most streams have hemlocks, pines, maples, willows, or some other tree, but not usually sycamores. Probably a result of the intense timber activity that took place about 125 years ago.

Larger streams also will have an abundance of sycamores, but its rare to find one this size with trees like this.

The evening on the larger stream, produced some good risers and an incredible variety and quantity of insects. Very impressive!

The next morning was almost magical too.....

But nymph fishing yielded nada.....

So upstream to a trib we went......

Mike and I beat this water to a froth, and not a fish came to hand. Very interesting water though. Deep, fast, and some nice/nasty undercut banks. Prime habitat for browns, one would think. In fact, hell, it looks like New Zealand, South island....

The rest of the day gave way to drinking and eating, as the fishing was proving to be too tough and unproductive. Truth be told, my own feeling is that the drought that we have been mired in for the last three years, may have taken its toll on the resident fish population. There are just not the amount of fish as we have seen in the past. The streams in the north central part of the state appear to have taken the brunt on the damage caused by the drought. I even got a letter from AL Gore saying that this is a direct result of global warming. Good thing he invented the Internet too, or I wouldn't be here doing this right now. Not to fear, this is not the first bad drought, nor will it be the last. The streams will bounce back. If there's one thing that can be said about wild trout - they're tough and are survivors!

Did I mention the yucca flowed, and the beer was cold?



Kickin Back..

Just another lousy weekend in paradise.....Thank you sir, may I have another!

Just Helpin Out

Ya know, I started thinking that some folks out there in cyberspace might think all of us guys, and of course Carrie, are nothing more than a bunch of dumb fisher folk, with nothing better to do than eatin, drinkin and fishin. Well, I’m here to tell ya, you’re mostly correct. I mean, fishing, as noble as it might appear, doesn’t feed the hungry (in most cases), or clothe the naked, shelter the homeless either. And I understand all of that. So when I get a chance to do something for a friend of neighbor, I’m all about that. So when I saw this cat, that appeared lost, I quickly thought that I might be able to do something real nice for someone who lost a pet. Unfortunately, I was rather impaired at the time, so I never did figure out whose cat it was. I mean, I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know a lost pet when I see one. And I just love cats, except feral cats, but that’s a story for another time. But yes, I love cats, medium well actually, with a nice gravy, and mashed potatoes. But I digress. When you’re 15 and still in 6th grade, it’s pretty apparent that life is gonna be more difficult for you than most folks. You realize your shortcomings are large, and life’s is gonna be hard. But like I said, I know a lost pet when I see one. So if anybody knows someone who lost a cat in the vicinity of Central Pee Aye, please let me know. It would be nice to be able to facilitate a touching moment between a pet owner, and their happy, glad to be back, cuddly pet cat.
Below is a poster that I attached to a telephone pole, so that someone might see their cute, lost pet.

Culinary Delights of the 5th Annual Big Woods Summit

Bowhunter's Iron Skillet Camp Breakfast

Bunyan's Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

Bowhunter's Six Pound Bufallo Meatloaf

Bowhunter's Grilled Buffalo T-Bones

PF&BC Stocked Trout Sizzlin' in the Pan

Chief's Orange Trout Paella

Midger's Yucca

(Recipe by FlyRodder)

There were many other culinary delights enjoyed at the Summit that were not photographed. Examples were Agrontrutta's Reduced Salt Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies, Bowhunter's 3-Eggs Omelet and the Chief's Octopus in Garlic Sauce.

Chief Kilroy

The Chief made a surprise spot inspection the other night to ensure that the Flatlander Department of the Pro Staff was measuring up to the prescribed level of performance and code of conduct.

Unfortunately, all I have to show for it is his calling card:

Maybe that’s a good thing, as going Chota-to-Simms with the author of “Caddis and a Beadhead” can be an intimidating experience. Heeding the advice given to a Pro-Staffer of long ago, (a member of a group of 12 desert stillwater specialists from the Sea of Galilee Chapter of Trout Unlimited), I resigned to “keeping close watch, so as not to be put to the test: the spirit is ready, but the flesh is feeble.” However, not as feeble as my casting loop as I slung my dry-dropper rig with a 10’ – 3 weight.

Actually, we really put a Number 6 on the trout, and went “a-ridin' into town, a-whompin' and a-whumpin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life” with a variety of sulpher patterns:

Including this red hued spotted beauty

The Chief’s mojo must've rubbed off on me. Then again, maybe it was his Straub-paella-butifarra sausage marinade that invariably makes its way onto his calling card. Regardless, when a sucker can nymph up a sucker with a Caddis and Bead rig, you know the planets have aligned:

Reporting from the Flatlands,

Greg G.

Big Woods Summit

Well it's that time of year when the pro-staffers and friends get together for some fishing and drinking. We will be in the big woods country from Tuesday May 26th thru Sunday 31st. If any of you non-staff members would like to stop in for a cold one drop me a line for directions.

The chief will be making Paella once again on Saturday night. The other meals I'll decide once I get a head count

Bowhunter

P.S. sorry I wasn't clear the invite is for those that post or have fished with Pro-staff members.

Open for Business

After a long hiatus the Rossiter Lodge was back open for business.

We were greeted with temperature more fitting for the end of May, instead of the first weekend of trout.
Once again Kory managed to win the fish pool. Catching both the largest (18 ½) and the most trout on Saturday. The kid kept at it all day long, although surprisingly he did stop and eat lunch.
Saturday afternoon we were treated to a wonderful caddis hatch that had the fish eagerly taking emergers right behind the camp. Sunday proved just as nice as the rest of the weekend, although the fishing was a little slower.

Get ready, the 5th annual BWS is just around the corner.

Classic Sporting Art

If you like classic sporting art, check out the work of Bob White.

http://www.whitefishstudio.com/

Easter Vigil Paella and Butifarra

The Chief was busy preparing another batch of butifarra, a Catalonian Garlic Sausage. The Easter Vigil Dinner Paella was prepared with chorizo, butifarra and shrimp. Happy Easter to All!

Happy Easter!

Holy Thursday

Goose looking for risers

Chief and the Goose usually spend Holy Thursday fishing Big Fishing Creek, but this year we settled for another very productive day on Spring Creek. After a hearty shore lunch of Country Fried Chicken Breast, Honey Mustard Potato Salad and Feta Stuffed Olives, we began to torture those dumb trout. Theory has it that the trouts' brain capacity was seriously and permanently affected by Mirex exposure. Hence the ungodly effectivess of the RBF Mirex Ant, not be confused with the BRF Chernobyl Ant, but quite similar in design.

Best fish of the afternoon

Several dozen dumb trout fell for the #20 RBF Olive Sparkle Dun, not to be confused with the BRF Olive Sparkle Dun. We continued to locate pods of rising trout and bring them to hand. We moved a bit upstream as the afternoon moved on and found many more rising trout. But these bastards were fussy. They refused the #20 RBF Olive Sparkle Dun, well not totally.

Past experiences with this wonderful cabin fever buster hatch reminded the Chief that it was time for his #20 RBF Half 'n Half Olive. Trout love those numerous crippled duns and helpless spinners. RBF's contraption resembles a cripple dun and a not so crippled spinner. We continued to catch those dumb trout with the #20 RBF Half 'n Half until we got tired of catching fish.



The Chief decided to just sit and watch Goose work his magic on those dumb trout. Trouble was, the Chief sat down right on his famous RBF Cedar Landing Net renderin it down to splinters. It will go back in the woodshop later for repairs.

It's that time of year when the Chief usually gets flogged by a gander and latter has a plump goose on the smoker. Don't know where he was this time. His mate just calmly sat on the nest as the Chief stumbled on by.

It's Spring Time in Penn's Woods

Chief and Katie

I enjoyed another day on the stream with my lovely daughter. We have been fishin buddies since she was old enough to stuff into a backpack. We tried to find some open water on Spring Creek but it was very difficult. Found two other local RBF Pro Staffers at the McCoy Dam. Those guys are like fly crap. While we were getting rigged up, Katie said that the fishing would be marginal today because the water was dropping after yesterday's rain. She's knows things.

There were a multitude of caddis on this bright sunny day. We decided to swing some wets in the new run created by the dam removal. Nothing, not a nibble.

We moved downstream hoping for some dry fly action. Katie tried to pound them up with a Caddis and a Beadhead just like her dad. She missed a couple. I bet you guys wish that you could throw a tight loop like Katie. She's a natural. Casting and line control came easy for her. Katie also ties flies and has been tying my RBF AP Emergers.

After a fishless few hours we enjoyed a good Catalan Shore Lunch. Catalan toast, roasted artichoke hearts, anchovies, olives, sheep cheese and some fine Muscato wine.

"Soc un gran pescador y gran cazador de la tortuga!"