Pliny the Elder is the damn Holy Grail of IPA!!!! Where the hell did you get that???
Friends in low places, that go down to CA and bring me a few back every once in a while! Actually Russian River Brewing has increased production so maybe sometime in the future we'll see it up here. I will head down to Russian River and try some of the other beers, maybe plan a trip when Pliny the Younger comes out!
Ouch… At least you got to enjoy the canyon! Most fisherman won’t post days of getting skunked ( I tend to be one of them
) I dig your style. Thanks for sharing!
I wouldn't normally, but I really haven't done much fishing in the past 5 years, not like I used to. Plus it really was a fantastic trip! The couple I fished with day 1, she was a friend from my Total Wine days, and I got to meet her boyfriend who was into flyfishing and a very nice guy! I have offered to take many of my coworkers and non fishing friends fishing and few commit to it.. it's either too early, to far or they're too busy! So this was fun for me and I spent my time making sure they were learning and having fun! I did fish a bit, but not hard.
Day 2 I floated with 4 new guys, I joined a Facebook group "PNW Spey Finatics" and fishing with new guys can always be interesting.. these guys are cool and they know how to fish! They're were I was when I really got hooked on fishing and fly fishing. Or fly fishing at least, most were steelhead guys that have caught a ton on gear, but got into fly fishing for the same reasons most of us are here!
One guy, Dustin, sounded and looked a little like Matthew McConaughey and laughed like him too. "All right, all right!" . He rowed us in his boat!
Nate PK the founder of the group and organizer of the FB was awesome and had the other boat a beautiful raft with a fishing frame. It was an Aire, I don't recall the model. He is passionate about fly fishing and more so on conservation. We have a lot in common and I don't believe anyone is/was on WFF.com or here. They may join as I mentioned this site to all of them. I will fish with these guys again, they were just fun and knew their shit, but not about the Yakima. They loved the fact that I've been fishing so long on the Yak and picked my brain (what's left of it! HA!)..
We fished hard and between the 5 of us, Nate got two fish. I was skunked,, but it didn't matter as it was a great day on the river with great new friends! Plus I always catch a release a few cigars and recycle the beer and whisk(e)y!! All right, all right! Camping was fun and simple and I needed the peace and quiet!
Day 3 almost didn't happen, My friend Tim mentioned in a FB post that he was coming over to pick up a new rod at Red's Monday morning. When I sent him a note and asked what time he was coming over, he said at 8am when they opened. I suggested we meet at Reds then and fish a bit depending on how much time he had, so ended up staying over Sunday night. He fished hard, and I watched him work the first section we fished with his new setup! Got some cool shots and thought he was going to slay them! Nothing came out to play! We stopped a few place on out way out of the canyon, finishing at Ringer and nothing there either, for him or I!
While the catching sucked, the fishing and company was awesome! I met new people who were like long lost brothers to me on Sunday and will fish with them in the future! Saw old friends and met some great people on the river and in the campground! Shared wine and beer with strangers.. and got to watch some crazy ultra marathoners both Saturday and Sunday! That doesn't suck!
Cheers!
Bill
