Western Clave Impressions
 

I've been going to the Western Claves since they started. This one was
fairly typical and had the stuff that keeps me going back - fine
fishing, good companionship, beautiful country,......

Like usual, there were some flamboyant incidents like "kerosene" Joe and
his astonishing, forest fire avoiding, pyrotechnics display; Wayno's
serenade to the young Amish girls that got us in trouble with the
campmaster; and various and sundry minor injuries, but most of my
impressions are of a more mundane sort....

Watching Danl work a rising fish for a half hour going through numerous
fly changes and finally landing it without spooking it off (this from a
guy who could barely cast a fly at the first Clave)

Visiting one of my favorite small waters where I saw some interesting
Brown trout behavior (and caught some nice fish)

Hearing about Bruce's vacuuming job on the Madison (but unfortunately
spending little fishing time with him). Bruce was even more "on fire"
than usual, fishing with an intensity that was impressive even for him

Finding out I could still make the hike in to Slough Creek (beautiful
place) without too much trouble

Watching Jeff become "of age" on the Madison

Seeing lots of wildlife that included moose, mule deer, elk, beaver,
white tail deer, muskrat, marmot, coyote, bison, bighorn sheep,
antelope, many different birds and assorted ground creatures and having
a couple fine conversations with a talkative Marmot and a taciturn Bison
(missed seeing a grizzly sow and her cub at Slough by about fifteen minutes)

Had a good time

Willi

Seeing lots of wildlife that included moose, mule deer, elk, beaver,
white tail deer, muskrat, marmot, coyote, bison, bighorn sheep,
antelope, many different birds and assorted ground creatures and having
a couple fine conversations with a talkative Marmot and a taciturn Bison
(missed seeing a grizzly sow and her cub at Slough by about fifteen
minutes)

Had a good time

Willi

Willi,
Chas got some good shots of the grizzly on Slough with his massive Nikon. To
cool. He should be home Monday and hopefully post to ABPF.
Guy

Isn't someone compiling a CD? I thought Danl made that announcement at
the Happy Hour but I just can't remember who the volunteer was...

bruce h

wrote in message
ups.com...
Isn't someone compiling a CD? I thought Danl made that announcement at
the Happy Hour but I just can't remember who the volunteer was...

bruce h

i have several images i would like to post, so please guide me to the
proper website.

yfitons
wayno

Wayne Harrison wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
Isn't someone compiling a CD? I thought Danl made that announcement
at the Happy Hour but I just can't remember who the volunteer was...

i have several images i would like to post, so please guide me to
the proper website.

It would be really cool if Danl could compile the "top twenty" or so
photos and send them to me at timj at sbcma dot com so everyone could
see them. I'll display them on the http://css.sbcma.com/timj/roffpics/
site in a place of honor.
--
TL,
Tim
---------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/

"Tim J." wrote in message
...
It would be really cool if Danl could compile the "top twenty" or so
photos and send them to me at timj at sbcma dot com so everyone could see
them. I'll display them on the http://css.sbcma.com/timj/roffpics/ site in
a place of honor.
--
TL,
Tim
---------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj/


Well...errr...ummm...tell me again how I got volunteered for the CD
compilation duties.........Ah, nevermind. If nobody else wants to do
anything fancier, I'll be happy to compile any and all binaries into a
single CD, or set thereof, and distribute same to all contributors of said
binaries. Anyone else that wants a copy owes me a beer...maybe two beers. If
anyone wants to do something else, like a slideshow set to music or some
other multimedia extravaganza, please step forward. Contributors should
unmunge my email and send me an email stating thus so as to get an addy to
send said binaries. Please don't send them to my usual email addy as my
soupcan-string-soupcan connection will puke on anything over about 2k
bytes/fortnight.

Again, anyone else that wants to do a compilation, please speak up.

As to picking a Top 20, I don't think that there were twenty hero shots
taken of me with fish, but I could be wrong.....

Danl

"Danl" wrote in message
...

.....Anyone else that wants a copy owes me a beer

O.k.

....maybe two beers.

*******! Oh.....all right!

We're even.

Wolfgang
who begins to understand why he isn't wealthy. :(

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

We're even.

Well that's what I thought, but most of the bastids herein keep saying we're
"odd". Who's to know who's correct.....


Wolfgang
who begins to understand why he isn't wealthy. :(

Send a snailmail addy sometime between now and then and I'll send the CD..

Danl
..

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...
Gracias, mon Freund.

Wolfgang
who, in the spirit of reciprocity, would be delighted to send by return
mail
the classic 300 photo cd, "The Evolution of Our Front Yard". :)


Oddly, I already have the original version, but thanks. However, if you have
the 2005 version, the one where the Amish Strippers take on the Mormon Girl
Scouts in a best of 49 games of Nekkid Volleyball on the grass court just
right of your sidewalk, I'd like to have a copy.

Danl

...who has always supported the true artists.......

"Danl" wrote in message
...

"Wolfgang" wrote in message
...

We're even.

Well that's what I thought, but most of the bastids herein keep saying
we're
"odd". Who's to know who's correct.....

Horton......or so I hear.

Wolfgang
who begins to understand why he isn't wealthy. :(

Send a snailmail addy sometime between now and then and I'll send the CD..

Gracias, mon Freund.

Wolfgang
who, in the spirit of reciprocity, would be delighted to send by return mail
the classic 300 photo cd, "The Evolution of Our Front Yard". :)

Thanks for the compliment, Willi, but that musta been one dumb fish! It
helps to have two weeks or so every year to fish with folks that really
understand so much about "the great mystery", as jeffie would say. The brown
that was eating the brown that ate your fly was really unusual! Wish we had
gotten a photo of that.

This clave was another week well spent. The veterans were well represented:
Willi, Warren and his daughter, Jodi and his beautiful galfriend Sabrina,
rw, John Hightower (who will, by Gawd, get to Slough Creek someday!),
Charlie Choc, Bruiser, Mark Tinsky, Chas and Meg, the Jeff & Joe Show, and
others. The cast of newcomers was numerous and I hope they all had a good
time: The Marylanders; Frank "Floaties" Reid, Allen Epps, and Gene Cyprich
(sp?), JR from Oregon, Guy Thornberg, Bevin (what a hiker!!!), Robin, Asadi,
my buddy Harry, the inestimable Mr. Harrison Hisownself and his beautiful
daughter Rhee, and others I can't recall AOTM.

The weather was for the most part was perfect. The salmonflies had the big
fish looking up. The countryside was absolutely awash in the most amazing
display of wildflowers I have ever seen. The animals were out, some of them
were actually not ROFFians. Seldom was heard, a discouraging word. I saw
some new water and the old waters were kind to me. What more could one want?
I'll be back.....

Danl

....I missed the fire dance that Chief Kerosene Joe orchestrated and
choreographed, maybe that's a good thing.....





"Willi" wrote in message
...

I've been going to the Western Claves since they started. This one was
fairly typical and had the stuff that keeps me going back - fine
fishing, good companionship, beautiful country,......

Like usual, there were some flamboyant incidents like "kerosene" Joe and
his astonishing, forest fire avoiding, pyrotechnics display; Wayno's
serenade to the young Amish girls that got us in trouble with the
campmaster; and various and sundry minor injuries, but most of my
impressions are of a more mundane sort....

Watching Danl work a rising fish for a half hour going through numerous
fly changes and finally landing it without spooking it off (this from a
guy who could barely cast a fly at the first Clave)

Visiting one of my favorite small waters where I saw some interesting
Brown trout behavior (and caught some nice fish)

Hearing about Bruce's vacuuming job on the Madison (but unfortunately
spending little fishing time with him). Bruce was even more "on fire"
than usual, fishing with an intensity that was impressive even for him

Finding out I could still make the hike in to Slough Creek (beautiful
place) without too much trouble

Watching Jeff become "of age" on the Madison

Seeing lots of wildlife that included moose, mule deer, elk, beaver,
white tail deer, muskrat, marmot, coyote, bison, bighorn sheep,
antelope, many different birds and assorted ground creatures and having
a couple fine conversations with a talkative Marmot and a taciturn Bison
(missed seeing a grizzly sow and her cub at Slough by about fifteen
minutes)

Had a good time

Willi

ALrighty, this is a bit late, but I just joined the group so as to (1)
say a BIG thanks to all the ROFF veterans that made me feel so welcome
at my first Western Clave (especially Warren for organizing/hosting,
Bruce H who took me along, and Danl, Harry and Willi who showed me
around the park) and (2) keep an ear to the ground and make sure I hear
about other opportunities to fish with this great group.

Danl, I've ordered a pair of those nice Body Glove neoprene booties (sz
11) to replace the ones I left on your roof at the Yellowstone. Let's
hope they got picked up by some lucky angler, and not mistaken for
trash. Nonetheless, a new pair is on the way, so don't rush out and
replace them yet. I'll get your shipping addy and send them off to you
when they arrive. All my other missing gear turned up "found" so the
booties were the only casualty.

THanks to everyone and I hope to see some of you in New Mexico this
fall/winter.
Bevin

Hey Bevin, No need to replace those booties. I wrote'em off as an "Oh ****!"
Heck, I was driving the vehicle anyway.

It was great to spend more time on the stream with you than the usual Hi/Bye
that we exchanged at the SJ Claves. Looking forward to more of the same.
BTW, you owe the group a trip report from your Slough Creek adventures.

Danl


"Bevin" wrote in message
oups.com...
ALrighty, this is a bit late, but I just joined the group so as to (1)
say a BIG thanks to all the ROFF veterans that made me feel so welcome
at my first Western Clave (especially Warren for organizing/hosting,
Bruce H who took me along, and Danl, Harry and Willi who showed me
around the park) and (2) keep an ear to the ground and make sure I hear
about other opportunities to fish with this great group.

Danl, I've ordered a pair of those nice Body Glove neoprene booties (sz
11) to replace the ones I left on your roof at the Yellowstone. Let's
hope they got picked up by some lucky angler, and not mistaken for
trash. Nonetheless, a new pair is on the way, so don't rush out and
replace them yet. I'll get your shipping addy and send them off to you
when they arrive. All my other missing gear turned up "found" so the
booties were the only casualty.

THanks to everyone and I hope to see some of you in New Mexico this
fall/winter.
Bevin

"Danl" wrote in message
...
Hey Bevin, BTW, you owe the group a trip report from your Slough Creek
adventures.

Danl


hear, hear!
I'll second the motion

jh

Danl wrote:

Thanks for the compliment, Willi, but that musta been one dumb fish! It
helps to have two weeks or so every year to fish with folks that really
understand so much about "the great mystery", as jeffie would say.


....as with most everything of any meaningful value i might say, others
said it first and i merely lifted it. "the great mystery" is harry
middleton's fine and fitting phrase. he knew...

jeff

and, as gawd's own truth be known, having observed your efforts, i'd say
many of us are fortunate to fish with you and gather some more hints at
the mystery's solution.

Alrighty, Danl and John. Here's a little bit of the Slough Creek
report, as I remember it...

After 6 days on the Madison, I was ready for some new sccenery. Not
that the Madison wasn't great - as you all know - I just thought I see
the sights a bit, since the western clave was my first visit to Montana
since I'd started fly fishing, and fishing Yellowstone sounded too good
to turn down. And besides, I had great guides for the day - Danl and
Willie knew what we were getting into. Harry, like me, was in for his
first day on the Slough. Chas and Guy were going, too, so we thought
that if we could make it into the Second Meadow, we could take over the
whole place; rule the banks; own the holes. We agreed to an early
start.

6am and we were on the way to McDonald's in West Yellowstone. Two and
a half hours after we left the campground, and 3 (count 'em) Egg
McMuffin's later (thanks, Dan'l, for the extra protien), we were at the
trailhead. It wasn't quite what I imagined for a launch-point for a
back-country fishing adventure in the middle of the Park. Lots of cars
and horse trailers all around; and down the road, a barn and stables to
support the back-country ranch that uses the Slough Creek trail as
their only access to what is rumored to be one of the swankiest dude
ranches in the area. Granted, this was all in a typically
mind-blowing-ly beautiful valley - with the Slough winding it's way
south right in the middle of it all. The photographers lined up along
the road were taking pictures of who knows what. We were just ready to
fish. And it was heating up.

We'd been warned about mosquitos and heard that we needed to remember
the insect repellent. I chose to arm myself with both standard-issue
DEET and a giant tube of lemon eucalyptus repellent, both of which I
was glad I brought along.

Excited by the prospect of large, naive and rare fish, we started
hiking. It was 2 miles into the first meadow and another 2 or so to
the second. We knew we had some ground to cover, and I started off
humping it uphill in the shade which wasn't going to last long. After
passing several of the ranch wagons along the way, I made it over the
hill and started down into the first meadow. Now this was more like
it. Before me lay a spectacularly beautiful meadow surrounded by
purple mountains and filled with a dazzling array of wild flowers.
Other than the 2-track trail and a couple of old backcountry cabins,
there were no signs of civilization, and almost no people. A few guys
worked the pools at the bottom end of the valley, but the river seemed
to go on for miles before it entered the small canyon leading to the
second meadow. Before long,I caught up with a nice couple whose names
i forgot but who walked with me for the next mile or so.

Coming to what I thought was the pass between the two meadows, I
stopped behind the nice couple and figured I'd rest in the shade and
put my rod together while waiting for Harry, Willie and Danl, who
weren't that far behind, to catch me.

And boy, was I ready. I could tell I wasn't that far from the river,
and that once I'd got my rod rigged, we be fishing in short order. I
got my 5-piece 4wt assembled and dug into my pack for my reel and other
gear - which to my horror weren't there. Dumping everything out of my
pack, I was hit with the realization that I'd left my reel in the car -
at least 3 miles back down the trail. Before I could smack myself,
however, the nice guy ahead of me backtracked down the trail to ask
where I was planning to go next, and said he'd just seen a grizzly and
2 cubs lope across the trail and head into the woods in the direction
of the river. Great, I thought. No reel and the stream was guarded by
protective grizzly bear mothers. But I knew what I had to do. I'd
come this far... too far to not fish this amazing place, so I announced
to my new friends that I'd forgotten the only piece of equipment that I
couldn't do without, I repacked my bag and started back towards the
car.

It was only a minute before I ran into Willie, Danl and Harry who, to
their eternal credit, didn't raz me too bad. A spare reel was the only
thing none of us had and, since there was nothing else to do, I set off
at a brisk pace for the car, jogging all the flat and downhill portions
of the trail. A bit later, I passed Chas and Guy on their way in, and
soon came across a dozen or more fishermen on horseback headed in.
Perfect - the river was going to be crowded by the time I got back.

One of the guys on horseback said "where ya' going?"

Jokingly, I lied "well, I got an early start and already caught about
60 fish. It was getting kinda boring, so I'm headed back in."

I think that guy believed me. At least he wanted to believe me. The
look he gave me was priceless - hopeful anticipation that my fake
fishing report meant his groups was going to have a huge day. But I
couldn't sustain the falsehood, and had to make the best of the
situation. Laughing out loud, I confessed my brain fart, thinking at
the same time that one of these guys might be carrying an extra reel
they'd be happy to part with for the day. Collectively they groaned on
my behalf, wished me luck, and we were off in opposite directions. I
was still at least a mile from the car.

The second time around, the hike was much hotter and not nearly as
shady. But I made the entire round trip to where I'd turned around in
about an hour. Onle one hour lost, I though, wasn't that bad. But I
was hotter than hell and covered in sweat, flies and mosquitos.

Breaking off the trail, I tried to follow what I thought were the
groups' tracks through the grass which headed in the direction of the
river. Well, the river was out there, but between me and those
Yellowstone cutthroats was about a mile of boggy marsh. No wonder
there were so many bugs. This is what a headwaters looks like. Water
seeping up out of the ground, feeding the wildflowers and waist-high
grasses, and sustaining one of the densest populations of biting
insects I've ever encoutered in the west.

Eventually, I found the nice couple I'd been hiking with. This guy and
his girlfriend were parked on either side of a nice hole and both of
them were hooking into a fish about every 3 minutes it seemed. I
scrambled to get my rig together, tied on the grey drake I'd gotten the
night before, hopped in the river and immediately started catching
fish.

This was exactly what I'd hoped for. The water wasn't too cold to wet
wade, I needed a swim anyway, and the fish weren't being too
discriminating. Within 10 minutes I'd hooked 3 small cutts and one
18-incher on the dry. But the water was crystal clear, and each hole
offered a single oppoprtunity. Working my way upstream I found Chas
and Guy in short order, and other than my walking buddies, there were
hardly any other anglers within sight. I guess the party on horseback
was headed to the third meadow. Another time, I vowed to myself.

The rest of the day was beautiful. Other than being both hunter (of
the fish) and the hunted (by the biting flies), it couldn't have been a
more perfect day. From tall, undercut banks, I could watch huge fish
rise straight up from 10 foot-deep holes to gulp my fly as slowly as
I've ever seen a rising fish take a bug. While swatting horse-flies
off my neck between casts, I could see dozens of fish take their time
examining my fly.

Some time after noon, the fish seemed to stop feeding on the surface,
and Danl produced his custom streamer pattern that to me looks like a
wolly bugger with mange. Willile Danl and I all tied one on (a
streamer, that is) and started picking up hits. Walking downstream, we
found the couple I'd met earlier working a nice, deep channel. The
girl had one on as we approached, and we all stopped on the bank above
to watch her land a nice 18+-in fish. Her boyfrienb got the picture of
the day when he snapped a shot of her netting the giant cutt with
Willie, Danl and Harry standing on the bank above her, looking on.

My last fish of the day came when Willie pointed to a huge eddy pool
and said "we saw on in there last year that musat' been 3 feet long!"
I climbed up on a rock at least 8 feet over the pool and started
stripping line. With several huge casts, I had enough line to
completely cross the pool and from my vantage point, I could see the
fly hit just right in the edge of the deep water and start sinking. I
was stripping in the first few feet of line when a monster fish shot
out of the dsark, deep water and slammed my fly. From my perch above,
the fish looked huge, but when I landed it, it was just another fat 17
or 18 incher. No matter, it was the perfect fish to end the day.

Slogging through the bog on the way back to the trail, we all agreed
that we'd caught more than enough of those beautiful Yellowstone
cutthroats to make up for the hike in and the man-eating insects. And
even after my extra round-trip, I still felt I'd do it again. 14 miles
later (for me at least), we were back at the car cooling off and
opening a barley-pop. 2 hours later, and we were having yet another
mediocre meal in West Yellowstone. The next day we were to fish the
Yellowstone on opening day; but you already read about that.

What a trip. I'm still thinking of all the fish I caught, and the
friends I made. We'll surely do it again next year - but next time I'm
not forgetting anything!

"Bevin" wrote in message
oups.com...
Alrighty, Danl and John. Here's a little bit of the Slough Creek
report, as I remember it...


What a trip. I'm still thinking of all the fish I caught, and the
friends I made. We'll surely do it again next year - but next time I'm
not forgetting anything!


Thanks Bevin, felt like I was there.- One of these days I swear I'm going to
hit Slough- and Fawn sounds fun if'n you can get a float tube up there.

jh

nice one Bevin...