Group Four is here and is Fishing!

I feel I must preface this edition of Der Blog with an explanation. The last group here was Group Ta Two, Group Four is currently here, and Group Three arrives on Thursday. Why the switcheroo? When calendaring the Extravaganza RCR had to juggle around the 4th of July, which led to a switch, which led to protest on name changes. So Group Four is here and is Fishing!

The Group arrived Sunday afternoon, with only one bag lost at the airport. After the traditional stop by the Hackle and lunch at MacKenzie River Pizza Co, it was off to Rock Creek.

I should say most of the Group arrived Sunday afternoon. As noted in previous entries in Der Blog, Scott McAdams arrived Saturday afternoon! This came as some surprise to yours truly, who was walking down the street minding my own business when I saw Scott, Ron Beeler and Don Valdez. So much for my day off!

But I digress. Back at Rock Creek, there were some casting lessons on the lawn and some of the anglers headed to the Creek to try their hand. First timer Sara Klaustermeier got some instruction from RCR, and hooked into and landed a whitefish in minutes. But it wasn't too straightforward, as her father Larry was just downstream, saw the fish on the line, and cast right at it! Get your own fish Larry!!

Gotta kiss your first fish:


There was also some trouble when Group Four got into the stash of Rockin' C tattoos left behind by Group Ta Two.

Jeanne and Ann, art tastefully applied by RCR:


Julie and Don:


Some might remember that last year Ron vandalized not one but two charcoal grey lexus sedans, by removing the dealer plate frames and replacing them with Grizzly Hackle frames. Well, revenge was served up this year on RCR!



RCR replies:

Now on to the first fishing day!

I myself fished with RCR and Grizzly Hackle owner and fried of the Extravaganza Dan Shepard on the Blackfoot. It was my first time on that river, and it really is tremendous, you really feel out in the wild there. Unfortunately, RCR's stomach also felt a little out in the wild so he didn't get much fishing in! All is well now however! We dropped off Ron early so he could ride into the Hackle, and with that dead weight out of the boat, I lit up the river!! My nymph rig was getting tagged by trout every hole, I finished with a fish count of about a dozen, with a big 19 15/16" rainbow. Also got to see an impressive salmon fly hatch, hundreds of those bugs flying around but the fish weren't eating on the surface.

Hundreds of Salmon flies!


You read-a Der Blog you see-a my fish!!



Jeff McNear and Jill Spicer got off to an auspicious beginning, catchin and landing a fish during casting practice on the bank! Unfortunately it was the last fish they would seen for 5 hours, but they did get one more at the end of the day.

Michael Besselievre and Peter Pelham, another couple of Extravaganza Rookies, also enjoyed modest success but fantastic scenery out on the Blackfoot. Peter got the bagel but I'm confident he'll bag one today. Michael got a nice trout on the line and in the boat.

Christine and Paul Crowley put 7 in the boat on Monday, but the highlight was what didn't happen on the boat. After releasing a 10" trout that Christine caught, it began to swim. In a dramatic moment reminiscent of that full killer whale breach from Free Willy, a 30" Bull Trout appeared from the murky depths to swallow the fish whole! Wow!!

The Narodny's Peter and Alex placed another wager on this year's fishing, and again Alex took home the $20. They did put up a nice 20-20, with 20 fish in the boat before lunch and a 20" Cutbow landed by Alex, putting him on the board of the Twenty Inch Club. Well done! While I was roasting on the Blackfoot, a storm rolled into the upper Bitterroot, showering their boat with freezing rain for a few minutes. Good thing Alex told his dad rain gear was unnecessary.

Alex's fish:


Don Valdez and Carl Payatt bagged a dozen, with a couple nice big brown trout. They were fishing the Bitterroot with Kurt on the biggest water in the Bitterroot's history, chasing trout into a forest! They should have been hunting turkey in there not trout!

Carl and Don:


Jeanne Monague and Chad Overway are experienced fisherfolk but first time Extravaganzaneers. And the two did well, landing 14 fish, including several while bank fishing right after lunch, nabbing 3 in quick succession.

Chad with a beaut:


Larry and Sara Klaustermeier both enjoyed a good day. First timer Sara got a bunch of quick hits and finished with a 6 fish landed day. Larry stopped counting at 10, at which point he ran out of toes so we will likely never know. They did enjoy a double hookup, with larry landing an 18" rainbow and Sara landing a 17 1/2" rainbow.

Sara and her fish:


Larry:


Scott McAdams and Ron Beeler were all smiles as they delivered their report. The fish were fat! The guys were landing well fed fish all day long, with 28 fish in the boat! Scott just had to one up my by 1/32 of an inch by reporting a 19 31/32" rainbow, but the real story was Ron's 20" rainbow, garnering him entry to The Club.

Dave Studeman and Lynn Turnbull, who together own 5 Yellow Hats and 3 Yellow Shirts followed their normal custom of getting out on the river an hour before everyone else so they could enjoy a competitive advantage. But it was not to be! Despite a terrific fishing day that included Lynn's Grand Slam and numerous 18" fish caught both on dry flies and nymphs for a total of 26 in the boat, the two didn't land any over 20.

Dave with a fantastic brown:


Which means a co-Yellow Hat Award to both Alex and Ron!