Literary accounts of fishouts in the recent past,
to make you sorry you didn't go.
Quail Hollow Ranch, March 12th
Coordinator: Kathy Powers - by Tom Hogye
Quail Hollow Ranch, March 12th
Coordinator: Kathy Powers - by Tom Hogye
When I pulled on my gray long sleeve polo the morning of March 12th as I was getting ready for the Club's public education event at Quail Hollow Ranch, I realized I had worn the same shirt to the event another time before. I remembered that it was during our first Club gathering there on a May 19th, also rainy and a bit cold - and it was also because I have a picture of me in the same shirt, holding my daughter Emily in one hand. That was 10 years ago! She's half grown now (and yes, the shirt still fits)! How time flies when you're tying flies! And, once again, we had a great turnout, despite the rain, snow and cold outside. About 13 new people came to the event, and some of them really caught on right away. Walt is either getting better with age, or these folks really had a knack for casting. A few really young casters in the mix keep our hopes alive for future generations of fly fishers and conservationists.
I saw another caster - whose name escapes me now - who also came to Quail Hollow a few years ago. And you should have seen him throw the long line with a two-hander - beautiful!
What a blessing it was to see Kathy, Elaine, Richard, Cecilia, Doug, Tom, Tim, Sam, and Marla. Marla first came to know our Club at the Quail Hollow Ranch event a few years ago. She had a graphite rod and an old bamboo one, not knowing at all what to do with them or what to make of fly fishing. Yet, on this Sunday, she was tyin' flies with the rest, takin' pictures like a pro-club photographer and rattling off fly fishing lingo right along with the most experienced Club Members.
Cecilia, Kathy and Elaine's skills at the vise easily match or even exceed those I've seen from Master Fly Tiers. I was blown away with the quality, precision and proportional accuracy, from size 22 whatchamacallits for the Green River, to the size 2-aught poppers for the upcoming Rooster Comb Ranch fishout. Wow! You too Doug! Especially that R2D2, C3PO, or what ever it was you called that little thing you were tying up!
So, another notch in our wading belts, another 10 dozen flies in the box and we are ready for the upcoming season. Huzzah to the sport and to the new members who will come again and again because we cared enough to show them what we love to do most.
Thank you again for keeping me a part of this great Club, and the great times - even if the rest of life's increasing demands keep me away too much of the time.
Now I have to go home and clean my line. Thanks, Walt, for reminding me!
Lake Amador, March 16th - 17th
Fishmasters: Don Wilcox and Pete Purtscher - By Don Wilcox
It sprinkled on us a couple of times as we headed to Lake Amador Thursday morning. It sprinkled lightly again as we inflated our float tubes but then stopped for most of the day. Pete and I stayed close to the boat ramp keeping a look out for Club Members, but never saw any. There were only about a dozen trucks in the big parking lot, most fishermen choosing to stay home. Even though the weather looked ominous the fishing was great, benefiting from the heavy cloud cover. The large cuttbows were right up on the surface. I usually feel a two fish day at Lake Amador is a good day. Pete and I caught close to ten fish each, making it a great day.
We woke up to heavy rain Friday morning and rather than climb back into wet leaky waders we decided to go wine tasting instead. By 8:30 the rain had stopped and I'm hoping anyone who showed up at the lake on Friday had a great day fishing too. Please let me know how you did!