Beaverkill Trip

Well, the chapter headed north last weekend...without me.  I was supposed to go, but my daughter had a dance recital and I had to back out.  Believe me, on Saturday night at 8:30pm while I was watching TV, I thought of a spinner fall, my chapter casting gracefully, and had to bite my knuckle to keep from screaming in anguish.  Thats life in the fast lane though.

Here are some pictures.  I had to think hard about posting the one of Mike with his bow, as I didnt want to inflate his ego, but said hey, I need to give credit where it is due.

Click your pointer on the side of the pictures to have them move.

Also, I heard reports of some of our members running into Aphrodite or members of the Swedish Bikini Team or the cast of Baywatch in their prime or something like that.  It depends on who was telling the story.  All I know, is this is the impression I got from the stories...

Sulphers on the Musky

I drove to the Musky on Saturday evening and got to the lower section about 5pm.  I nymphed for a bit in a spot I have had success at in the past, and quickly drummed up 5 slot rainbows on #18 BHPTs.  I saw sulphers coming off in the riffle and when they started to come off with regularity, about an hour later, I moved off the riffles into the flats.

As I re-approached the river, I saw one, then two then close to 10 fish feeding on top.  I slowly made my way in and threw a Rabbits foot sulpher #14.  Ignored.  I did it again.  Ignored.  4 more times.  Nothing.  I then cut it off and switched to a loop wing emerger, fished in the film. That was the ticket.  I started catching right and left.

After about 4 fish, it started to drizzle and then the wind picked up.  The bugs stopped and so did the fish.  for that hour though, all the pieces fell together and magic happened.

Alex Rundella

Just for the heck of it, from now on, Im going to profile a Hacklebarney member a month.

Alex working it while on a trip to the Beaverkill with oher Team USA members and Matt Grobert.

This month Alex Rundella, one of the youngest members of our chapter, is the guy to be honored first.  Alex is a member of the USA Youth Fly Fishing Team and a master nympher. Alex and his buddies get out there on the river, start czech nymphing and catching fish after fish.  It can depress the crap out of some of us older guys who arent bringing in the numbers.

Alex on his Hacklebarney sponsored trip to the youth conference in Wyoming.

This guy is lucky enough to fish all over the East coast, and will be taking his talents to Montana this fall, when he attends school there.

So watch out all you sexy University of Montana at Missoula co-eds, Alex Rundella is soon to be on the prowl, and with his good looks and Jersey attitude, watch out for this Don Juan.

The Pres and Vice Pres head north

Last Friday the 24th, I headed north and met up with our President, Mike Sankowich, at East Branch Outfitters in Hancock.  We met up with Ben Turpin there, as we had plans to float the West Branch.  As I was driving up 17, I saw the snow blowing and the temps continue to drop the closer I got to my destination.  

It was cold.  It was windy.  It was snowing.  To sum it up, this was no spring day.  

We got on the river about 11am, as we weren't in a rush.  We put in a Hale Eddy and started chucking streamers.

I got this guy almost immediately.

So then we continued down river and switched out tactics from the white streamers we were throwing to chucking nymph set-ups.  I had a #14 BHFBHE and a #18 BHFBPT.  Mike had a #14 Copper John and a #18 BHPT.  We found success all day long. Mike had one sweet brown of about 20" and I put another 5 into the net.  Here are some other pics...

We called it a day about 6pm, because we were freezing our asses off, and headed to the Riverside Inn to eat an warm up.  We met up with Mike Russo and his lovely wife Bethany, had some drinks, laughs and talked some smack.  It ended up that Mike had some luck with a nice 19"er and so did Bethany.  Interestingly, their guide for some reason convinced them not to nymph, but to chuck streamers all day.  I think nymphing might have paid off for them.  Their arms must have been throbbing by the end.  Heck, at least the movement might have kept them warm...

The next day, Saturday, was warmer, so we thought we were a shoe-in to kill it.  It didnt work out that way.  We started in Deposit and nymphed for a few hours and then tried our luck on the East Branch below Shinhopple, before Mike called it a day. I tried some more at the jaws, but couldn't put anything together no matter how hard I tried.

Kind of a let down day, but overall a great few days away from life.

I got home and immediately pulled out the Weamer book to think of my next trip up that way.