Greetings all, Dave here back at the controls of Der Blog, posting late at night from the Blog Cave!
I am pleased to report that Group One's day on the Mighty Mo was a success! These waters were truly uncharted in Extravanza history, and Group One was chomping at the fly to see how well it would fish and put up some big numbers. So eager were they in fact, that Jim Kreig, appointed Timekeeper of the bunkhouse rousted everyone down there at 4:30am!! There was some excuse offered about an analog clock, a highly complex device that took me some time to master at the age of 8.
But despite Jim's best efforts, the group was slowed out the door by Ken "Squeaky Klean" Peralta, who defied the order to be ready to roll at 6am sharp, and took a luxurious hot shower while Der Blogmaster and others guzzled coffee in the chill morning. However, I do not begrudge Ken this luxury, as his story is just one of many in a long tradition of being Uncondoned on Rock Creek. Ken Peralta: Uncondoned, June 21, 2008.
And we were off! It's a long way to the Missouri, while still acutally in Montana we were required to drive two and a half hours to Craig where we put in. Highlights of the drive were enjoyed solely by Der Blogmaster and RCR, while everyone else slept.
And now the fish! As everyone knows, the report from the boats is delivered nightly at dinner, where we gather round and see who can get away with telling the biggest whopper.
Jim Krieg and Mary Reilley were first. Jim was quick to point out that they missed the drop in on their first go around, and had to make a big loop to circle back, which cost them valuable fishing time and hurt their productivity. Yeah right! But despite the falsehood, the pair did well, pulling a dozen into the boat, all in the 16-18 inch range. A respectable total, and a good follow up from Mary's capture of a Yellow Hat in 2007. Clearly not beginners luck, but one did have to wonder when Jim mentioned that he started landing more fish once he realized that "there is some skill involved."
Loyal readers of Der Blog saw the photos posted last night of that travesty, Brad and Rich all pretty in pink. Never fear, for despite being told that pink San Juan worms were the best performing fly on the river, RCR and Ken Peralta steadfastly refused to fish pink worms! I tip my cap to these gentlemen, who stuck to their guns even in the face of total failure in terms of fish count. Well, not total failure. One fish is more than zero fish. Nice job fellas!
Those dandy lads in pink, Brad and Rich fared somewhat better. Brightening up the river with pink hats, shirts, and I daren't ask what else, they landed 4 fish each. All were of good size, although Brad did poke me in the rib later on to tell me that he caught the biggest fish, from the back of the boat no less.
I wouldn't kiss either of these two:
Bill Hart reported for himself and Der Blogmaster next. The two had contrasting styles out there on the river, with Bill bringing in 3 beautiful brown trout, all tantalizingly close to 20 inches but not quite. He had to go to the measuring tape for one which proved to be 19.5", although it is alleged the tailfin looked a bit chewed up and had the fish been whole, it would have been a twenty. As for myself, although I suffered some doldrums, I hooked some fighting Rainbows that had me out of the chair and stripping hard... sometimes too hard. I lost two beauties, broke off one, and the hook popped on another.
Frank Ratto and Demetry Kondrasheff reeled in the heavyweights and things at the Boat Report got downright serious! Demetry pulled in two browns over twenty inches, and Frank landed a 21.5 inch brown, making these two the first inductees into that most exclusive of societies, The Twenty Inch Club! Congratulations gentlemen! A successful day, 15 fish total, with 20% being over 20 inches.
The numbers game continued in the next boat, which held Bill Schneider and John Reimann. However these gentlemen posted the high quantity of the day, 20 fish total in the boat. Their top fish were in the 19-plus-plus size, a successful day.
Extravaganza Rookie Larry Gondola made a strong showing, landing 10 fish his first day fishing. Partner John Kruger quickly followed Demetry and Frank into the Twenty Inch Club, with a prize 21" rainbow.
The Wise guys, Mike and Ben were next. Mike reported staring at an orange indicator all day... no Ben, that is NOT a bobber, please. But the guys did a lot more than watch bobber, indicators, whatever, they watched a couple twenty inch fish get pulled into the net and out of the water! Ben bagged a 21" brown, not to bad for a rookie! Mike's prize was a 20" Brown, making this the first father-son Twenty Inch Club day in Extravaganza history!
Ben Lamb and Land Tawney were the last boat to report in, and did so in style. Ben reports that despite Land's terrible cast and general lack of fishing skill, he somehow managed to bring in a 22.5" brown first fish of the day! 'A bullet headed nasty sucker' were the words used I think. But it was a fine fish, enough to induct Land into the Yellow Hat Club and the Twenty Inch Club in one fell swoop!
At the end of the day we faced the long drive back to Rock Creek. So naturally, a senic diversion was in order! It was decided to drive through Lincoln, so that Group One might see the adopted hometown of the unibomber. We stopped at Trixies shortly thereafter, a local watering hole of some repute, which had shirts stating 'if you want to get beer go to Trixies, if you want to get bombed go to Lincoln.'
Before Group One visited Lincoln:
After Group One visited Lincoln:
Is Group One having fun yet?
That's it for this edition of Der Blog, I have to get up in 5 hours to fish so I bid you good night!
I am pleased to report that Group One's day on the Mighty Mo was a success! These waters were truly uncharted in Extravanza history, and Group One was chomping at the fly to see how well it would fish and put up some big numbers. So eager were they in fact, that Jim Kreig, appointed Timekeeper of the bunkhouse rousted everyone down there at 4:30am!! There was some excuse offered about an analog clock, a highly complex device that took me some time to master at the age of 8.
But despite Jim's best efforts, the group was slowed out the door by Ken "Squeaky Klean" Peralta, who defied the order to be ready to roll at 6am sharp, and took a luxurious hot shower while Der Blogmaster and others guzzled coffee in the chill morning. However, I do not begrudge Ken this luxury, as his story is just one of many in a long tradition of being Uncondoned on Rock Creek. Ken Peralta: Uncondoned, June 21, 2008.
And we were off! It's a long way to the Missouri, while still acutally in Montana we were required to drive two and a half hours to Craig where we put in. Highlights of the drive were enjoyed solely by Der Blogmaster and RCR, while everyone else slept.
And now the fish! As everyone knows, the report from the boats is delivered nightly at dinner, where we gather round and see who can get away with telling the biggest whopper.
Jim Krieg and Mary Reilley were first. Jim was quick to point out that they missed the drop in on their first go around, and had to make a big loop to circle back, which cost them valuable fishing time and hurt their productivity. Yeah right! But despite the falsehood, the pair did well, pulling a dozen into the boat, all in the 16-18 inch range. A respectable total, and a good follow up from Mary's capture of a Yellow Hat in 2007. Clearly not beginners luck, but one did have to wonder when Jim mentioned that he started landing more fish once he realized that "there is some skill involved."
Loyal readers of Der Blog saw the photos posted last night of that travesty, Brad and Rich all pretty in pink. Never fear, for despite being told that pink San Juan worms were the best performing fly on the river, RCR and Ken Peralta steadfastly refused to fish pink worms! I tip my cap to these gentlemen, who stuck to their guns even in the face of total failure in terms of fish count. Well, not total failure. One fish is more than zero fish. Nice job fellas!
Those dandy lads in pink, Brad and Rich fared somewhat better. Brightening up the river with pink hats, shirts, and I daren't ask what else, they landed 4 fish each. All were of good size, although Brad did poke me in the rib later on to tell me that he caught the biggest fish, from the back of the boat no less.
I wouldn't kiss either of these two:
Bill Hart reported for himself and Der Blogmaster next. The two had contrasting styles out there on the river, with Bill bringing in 3 beautiful brown trout, all tantalizingly close to 20 inches but not quite. He had to go to the measuring tape for one which proved to be 19.5", although it is alleged the tailfin looked a bit chewed up and had the fish been whole, it would have been a twenty. As for myself, although I suffered some doldrums, I hooked some fighting Rainbows that had me out of the chair and stripping hard... sometimes too hard. I lost two beauties, broke off one, and the hook popped on another.
Frank Ratto and Demetry Kondrasheff reeled in the heavyweights and things at the Boat Report got downright serious! Demetry pulled in two browns over twenty inches, and Frank landed a 21.5 inch brown, making these two the first inductees into that most exclusive of societies, The Twenty Inch Club! Congratulations gentlemen! A successful day, 15 fish total, with 20% being over 20 inches.
The numbers game continued in the next boat, which held Bill Schneider and John Reimann. However these gentlemen posted the high quantity of the day, 20 fish total in the boat. Their top fish were in the 19-plus-plus size, a successful day.
Extravaganza Rookie Larry Gondola made a strong showing, landing 10 fish his first day fishing. Partner John Kruger quickly followed Demetry and Frank into the Twenty Inch Club, with a prize 21" rainbow.
The Wise guys, Mike and Ben were next. Mike reported staring at an orange indicator all day... no Ben, that is NOT a bobber, please. But the guys did a lot more than watch bobber, indicators, whatever, they watched a couple twenty inch fish get pulled into the net and out of the water! Ben bagged a 21" brown, not to bad for a rookie! Mike's prize was a 20" Brown, making this the first father-son Twenty Inch Club day in Extravaganza history!
Ben Lamb and Land Tawney were the last boat to report in, and did so in style. Ben reports that despite Land's terrible cast and general lack of fishing skill, he somehow managed to bring in a 22.5" brown first fish of the day! 'A bullet headed nasty sucker' were the words used I think. But it was a fine fish, enough to induct Land into the Yellow Hat Club and the Twenty Inch Club in one fell swoop!
At the end of the day we faced the long drive back to Rock Creek. So naturally, a senic diversion was in order! It was decided to drive through Lincoln, so that Group One might see the adopted hometown of the unibomber. We stopped at Trixies shortly thereafter, a local watering hole of some repute, which had shirts stating 'if you want to get beer go to Trixies, if you want to get bombed go to Lincoln.'
Before Group One visited Lincoln:
After Group One visited Lincoln:
Is Group One having fun yet?
That's it for this edition of Der Blog, I have to get up in 5 hours to fish so I bid you good night!
No comments:
Post a Comment