Have You Ever Been a Trout Bum?

[@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com]

I remember the fall of 1996. I had been unemployed all summer, but
chanced upon a large business deal which erased my financial straits and
eventually launched the career that I have now. At the time, I was
courting a job in another state and was uncertain where my future would
take me. So I decided to fish.

I began in September on the Salmon River in Pulaski, then sliding along
the Ontario coast to Oak Orchard Creek and finished up the month of
November on the Niagra River catching lake trout. I was single and
unattached, had no debts or obligations. It was an oddesey that I knew
I would never get to repeat again. I will spare the details of all the
fishing, but can sum it up with one converstion I had on the bridge in
Altmar, in mid October. A man told me he had just arrived in town for
vacation, and asked how the fishing was. My answer kind of rambled,
sounding like,

"Oh, they are running hard at night now compared to last week. At the
end of September you would really have to hunt to find them, but in the
past few days they are everywhere, blah blah....."

The guy paused, kind of touched my arm, and said,"You mean, you have
fished the WHOLE RUN?" I said yes. "WOW!" he said, gazing at me enviously.

My few months of fishing bumdom is a treasured part of my past. I just
remember being absolutely pumped about every day. To illustrate, one
morning I cracked an eyelid and noticed twilight "Oh, Boy!" I thought.
"Time to fish!" I was sleeping in the back of my pickup, the truck
cap forming a tent, camped out in the DEC parking lot by the trailhead
(you would never get away with that today). Got into waders, strung up
rod, vest on, all suited up and beginning to head down the trail. "Wait
a minute....somethng is not right..." Checked my watch. It was 2:30
AM. The full moon was the source of the twilight!

Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
living the life for a short while.

Pete Collin

[tony weall]

i did plan a adventure with my best mate to catch some australian many years
ago in my teens planning to get there the night befor sleep in the van and
get up at sparrows fart to be the first on the water and clean up on the
salmon while all the other silly buggers where still getting there we got
there about 9pm fished a bit at night drank a bit then crashed in the van
woke up hearing people talkin looked outside there was 30 cars and people
comin back from the beach not only did we sleep thru the sparrows fart we
slept thru the peak hour traffic and woke just in time to see people
carrying 4-6 kilo fish talkin about a hot bite we didnt catch a
thing........except a good nights sleep lol
"@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com" <""pcollin\"@(Peter A.
Collin)rochester.rr.com"> wrote in message
...
> I remember the fall of 1996. I had been unemployed all summer, but
> chanced upon a large business deal which erased my financial straits and
> eventually launched the career that I have now. At the time, I was
> courting a job in another state and was uncertain where my future would
> take me. So I decided to fish.
>
> I began in September on the Salmon River in Pulaski, then sliding along
> the Ontario coast to Oak Orchard Creek and finished up the month of
> November on the Niagra River catching lake trout. I was single and
> unattached, had no debts or obligations. It was an oddesey that I knew
> I would never get to repeat again. I will spare the details of all the
> fishing, but can sum it up with one converstion I had on the bridge in
> Altmar, in mid October. A man told me he had just arrived in town for
> vacation, and asked how the fishing was. My answer kind of rambled,
> sounding like,
>
> "Oh, they are running hard at night now compared to last week. At the
> end of September you would really have to hunt to find them, but in the
> past few days they are everywhere, blah blah....."
>
> The guy paused, kind of touched my arm, and said,"You mean, you have
> fished the WHOLE RUN?" I said yes. "WOW!" he said, gazing at me
enviously.
>
> My few months of fishing bumdom is a treasured part of my past. I just
> remember being absolutely pumped about every day. To illustrate, one
> morning I cracked an eyelid and noticed twilight "Oh, Boy!" I thought.
> "Time to fish!" I was sleeping in the back of my pickup, the truck
> cap forming a tent, camped out in the DEC parking lot by the trailhead
> (you would never get away with that today). Got into waders, strung up
> rod, vest on, all suited up and beginning to head down the trail. "Wait
> a minute....somethng is not right..." Checked my watch. It was 2:30
> AM. The full moon was the source of the twilight!
>
> Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
> great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
> internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
> living the life for a short while.
>
> Pete Collin
>

[troutbum_mt]

"@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com" <""pcollin\"@(Peter A. Collin)
rochester.rr.com"> says...

> Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
> great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
> internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
> living the life for a short while.

Have I got stories......
--
Warren
(use troutbum_mt (at) yahoo to reply via email)
For Conclave Info:
http://www.geocities.com/troutbum_mt3/MadisonConclave.html

[Anglerboy]

Dear Pete,
Once, for sure, and maybe twice or three times. A maybe is when I was
working for Mono County in Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, and living in June
Lake. In season I fished just about every day during and after work. I
fished the Walker a lot on the days I worked in Bridgeport, and Hot Creek on
those days I worked in Mammoth, oh, plus all those lakes up the hill. Of
course I tubed Silver and June Lakes, and fished Reverse Creek on the
weekends at home. And scattered throughout, lots of short walkins to
various lakes and streams. Oh, yeah, what a fond few years.

For sure, I spent a month on the McCloud in the fall of 1986. I volunteered
to bring my chain saw and clear out a bunch of snags and lay in fire wood at
the Conservancy. I cut and hauled and stacked wood all month, eventually
laying in eight or ten cords. I slept out on a little island just below the
cabin and fished practically every moment I wasn't cutting wood, manhandling
the big steel weir, running an errand into Dunsmuir, or cogitatin' on my
situation. Still left plenty of time for fishin'. I was pretty much
immersed in the thing by the time I had to leave. That month had pretty
good weather, so I slept under the stars every night I could, with the river
rustling down by my ear. I met a spotted skunk around the campfire one
evening, fed it some lettuce and stroked its coarse fur. I met three
miner's cats, or ringtails, named Larry and the two Darryls. They were only
half wild, and kept the cabin clear of bats, mice and other varmints. They
were also quite playful, sorta like otters. One night I was awakened by
them as they played ring around the rosie, and I was the rosie. They
frisked all over me chasing themselves in circles. And every day, up before
dawn out fishing, and every evening, out after sunset. I reckon I fished
damn near every riffle and pool down to the rope and back, and a lot of them
more than once.

Thanks for letting me share,
Anglerboy

[@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com]

troutbum_mt wrote:

> "@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com" <""pcollin\"@(Peter A. Collin)
> rochester.rr.com"> says...
>
>
>>Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
>>great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
>>internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
>>living the life for a short while.
>
>
> Have I got stories......

Boy, I thought Ernest Hemingway used spare prose....

[Tim J.]

"Willi" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Peter A. Collin wrote:
>
> > I remember the fall of 1996.
>
> I guess I was SOME kind of bum. After college, over several years, I
> worked double shifts at a newspaper for a few months each Spring and
> Fall. I lived frugally, saving as much money as possible. I Wintered in
> a small fishing village in Jamaica and spent the Summer cruising around
> the States and Canada.
>
> Lots of memories and good times - fishing, snorkeling, drugs, canoing,
> drinkin, backpacking and women.
>
> Seems like I must have had too much fun because I started feeling guilty
> about it, got "respectable" and went to grad school.

Did you learn anything about time and space? You seem to be ahead of your time,
being that your post was made at 10:55 tonight. ;-)
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Ken Fortenberry]

Peter A. Collin wrote:
> ...
> Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
> great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
> internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
> living the life for a short while.

I spent one season working as Field Manager at the Yellowstone
Association Institute in the Lamar Valley. It is an incredible
privelege to be able to live in the Lamar Valley. Nice little
stream full of wild cutts literally right outside my door, the
Lamar River right across the road, right smack in the middle of
some of the best trout fishing in North America.

After that gig ended for the season I worked as a camp cook at
an elk hunting camp 12 miles back in the Absaroka/Beartooth
mountains. Got up at 3 a.m., made breakfast and packed lunches,
the hunters would be gone before daybreak so they could get
into position, I'd clean up the mess tent, chop wood, haul
water etc., be done by 8:30 or 9 and had till late afternoon
to take a nap and fish before I had to get dinner on. I could
take a nap til 10:30, walk to Slough Creek and fish til 3:30
then walk back to camp, but most days I just fished up in the
mountains.

Next season I worked at the Log Cabin Cafe in Silver Gate, MT.
I was the lunch cook, got to work at 9:30 worked til 2:30, then
fished the rest of the day. Sweeeeeeet.

--
Ken Fortenberry

[@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com]

Anglerboy wrote:

> Dear Pete,
> Once, for sure, and maybe twice or three times. A maybe is when I was
> working for Mono County in Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, and living in June
> Lake. In season I fished just about every day during and after work. I
> fished the Walker a lot on the days I worked in Bridgeport, and Hot Creek on
> those days I worked in Mammoth, oh, plus all those lakes up the hill. Of
> course I tubed Silver and June Lakes, and fished Reverse Creek on the
> weekends at home. And scattered throughout, lots of short walkins to
> various lakes and streams. Oh, yeah, what a fond few years.
>
> For sure, I spent a month on the McCloud in the fall of 1986. I volunteered
> to bring my chain saw and clear out a bunch of snags and lay in fire wood at
> the Conservancy. I cut and hauled and stacked wood all month, eventually
> laying in eight or ten cords. I slept out on a little island just below the
> cabin and fished practically every moment I wasn't cutting wood, manhandling
> the big steel weir, running an errand into Dunsmuir, or cogitatin' on my
> situation. Still left plenty of time for fishin'. I was pretty much
> immersed in the thing by the time I had to leave. That month had pretty
> good weather, so I slept under the stars every night I could, with the river
> rustling down by my ear. I met a spotted skunk around the campfire one
> evening, fed it some lettuce and stroked its coarse fur. I met three
> miner's cats, or ringtails, named Larry and the two Darryls. They were only
> half wild, and kept the cabin clear of bats, mice and other varmints. They
> were also quite playful, sorta like otters. One night I was awakened by
> them as they played ring around the rosie, and I was the rosie. They
> frisked all over me chasing themselves in circles. And every day, up before
> dawn out fishing, and every evening, out after sunset. I reckon I fished
> damn near every riffle and pool down to the rope and back, and a lot of them
> more than once.
>
> Thanks for letting me share,
> Anglerboy
>
>
Where did all these stories take place? I am not even sure what
continent ringtails live on?

[redfishnc]

"@(Peter A. Collin)rochester.rr.com" <""pcollin\"@(Peter A.
Collin)rochester.rr.com"> wrote in message
...
> snip>
> Has any other roffian fished an entire hatch, run, or season? Wasn't it
> great? Of course, a real trout bum can not afford a computer or
> internet service, but I would like to hear about anybody's tale of
> living the life for a short while.
>
> Pete Collin

Worked in northern Michigan. Went there thinking it would be terrible.
What a misstake that thought was. Manistee river, AuSable, and other great
places in backyard. Could not have dreamed of anything better. Fished
every season for five years. Did I mention the smallmouth fishing there.
Made great friends on the local rivers. Was one of the best times of my
life. Now I am back on the North Carolina coast chunking big baits for
drum and jigs for speckled trout (sal****er variety). Did I tell you about
the striper runs this year?? Memories! You make them every day. Now it's
taking the grown children fishing and passing on the lessons.

redfishnc
wayne w.

[Willi]

Tim J. wrote:


>>I guess I was SOME kind of bum. After college, over several years, I
>>worked double shifts at a newspaper for a few months each Spring and
>>Fall. I lived frugally, saving as much money as possible. I Wintered in
>>a small fishing village in Jamaica and spent the Summer cruising around
>>the States and Canada.
>>
>>Lots of memories and good times - fishing, snorkeling, drugs, canoing,
>>drinkin, backpacking and women.
>>
>>Seems like I must have had too much fun because I started feeling guilty
>>about it, got "respectable" and went to grad school.
>
>
> Did you learn anything about time and space? You seem to be ahead of your time,
> being that your post was made at 10:55 tonight. ;-)

Sue tells me I'm getting old and behind the times. It's nice to be a
trend setter for once!

(It's fixed, I think)

Willi

[Anglerboy]

Anglerboy> Where did all these stories take place? I am not even sure what
> continent ringtails live on?
>

Dear Pete,
Ringtails live in North America, as far as I know, and are related to
racoons, though much smaller, about the size of your average housecat.
They're usually pretty shy, and I've only seen them in the wild a couple of
times. The trio located on the McCloud, had been partly tamed with
handouts. I've read that the 49ers used them similarly, that is, to keep
the varmints at bay in their miner's shacks, and thus the name, "miner's
cats". http://www.humboldt.net/~tracker/ringtail.html

Anglerboy

[Willi]

Peter A. Collin wrote:

> I remember the fall of 1996.

I guess I was SOME kind of bum. After college, over several years, I
worked double shifts at a newspaper for a few months each Spring and
Fall. I lived frugally, saving as much money as possible. I Wintered in
a small fishing village in Jamaica and spent the Summer cruising around
the States and Canada.

Lots of memories and good times - fishing, snorkeling, drugs, canoing,
drinkin, backpacking and women.

Seems like I must have had too much fun because I started feeling guilty
about it, got "respectable" and went to grad school.

Willi