"Joe McIntosh" wrote in message
...
Neighbors and friends have each asked--how was the fishing trip? Great!
The weather, the fishing and the friends made this probably the best of
all
eleven claves attended.

Fellow clavers have expounded on the streams, fish and fellowship, but I
offer a few marginilia for folks not in attendance.

* Get to Yellowstone Park - sure it's crowded but no where in America
will
you see such an abundance of mountain scenery and wildlife. Imagine
Bruiser wading in the Yellowstone and five huge buffalo come swimming
across
the river toward you. Cheap two-bedroom cabins--$48 available right in
the
park.

* Fish with different folks - Willie and I spend a day on the Ruby where
he
spots fish for me--just like a New Zealand guide and I spook them just
like
a NZ tourist. How can so many big fish live in such shallow water.
Danl
(voted most congenial and worst joke teller), John Hightower (the always
helpful, silent one), and fellow NC, Jeff Miller, allowed me to accompany
them on the Gallatin. I OUTFISHED (14) all of them (2 nympths, plus
indicator in flat spots) and them catch the BIG ONE! The fish heads
downstream while I take off for stream side--take a 3/4 Reid dunking, fish
is almost in the backing; I work him back and forth upstream and then 12"
fouled hooked rainbow is discovered.

* Lost of fishing spots - Jeff and I wade up Graylin Creek close to
lake--dry flies (yellow humpy for me) pull in around 15 rainbows each.
Daniel Boone Miller suggests we avoid crowds on opening day of Yellowstone
by fishing behind small mountain--no other fishermen here--lots of small
cutts--I finally get my eighteen and twenty-inchers on small caddis. (We
agreed to keep the place a secret and later are advised not to mention it
to
Park Police--signage was poor.

* Lots of birds - Ospreys taking fish right out of our fishing
lanes--someone saw a bald eagle knock down a duck and head out. Bruiser
suggests it must have friends coming over for dinner. Danl suggests
western tanager as most colorful, but he has never seen the painted
bunting
in our backyard (according to Peterson's Guide--the most colorful bird in
North America.)

* Slide Inn - cabins right on Madison River with a cut containing lots of
big fish in your backyard--38 breeding pair counted last fall. Some
expert
fishing folks say they have stayed there for the last 20 years.
Small--get
a smaller one--flies and late hatch each evening. They call old-timer,
Harry Mason, "sneaky" as he changes flies every few minutes and pulls in a
fish with each one. Harry's lady friend calls him "sneaky" also, but we
don't want to know why!! On our last day, Jeff (Mr. Dedication) fished
from
8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. in Madison area behind the cabin. I had to pull
him out of the trench after dark as he wanted to catch one more 18 incher.
Buy some Hot Butt CDC caddis from Harry--they are killers.

* Best laugh of the week - After long day of exploring flat dusty ranch
land, changing flat tire for flat spare, the group approached Ennis for
dinner. Short Danl spilled bowl of blue cheese salad dressing all over
his
crotch and young waitress approached with towel to wipe if off.

*Attendance - If you just want to fish, get a friend and go fishing. If
you
are a bashful, quiet guy like this old Indian and want to expand your life
with new and real friends, fishing tips, poor camp stories (tell Cindy
thanks for the hook removal kit) find time to attend a ROFF clave.

Joe

The living are alive
walking flying ripening bursting
the dead are alive
oh bones still hot
wind shakes and scatters them

---Octavio Paz


Excellent Joe! Hopefully next year.

Mark