Salvaged, or, Dear Joe IV: Free-Range Balogna

9:12 PM, Tuesday November 16, 2010

Dear Joe,

"Down at Oak Orchard Fly Shop, we don't F* around!"

Hahaha. I'll never forget those words (though that's only my best effort to reconstruct from memory what was actually said).

We stopped by the shop last night. Managed to bash my brains in on the car and prompt a laugh-fest doing so, but that's another story. Anyway, we were regaled with tips, tactics and theory in bombastic fashion and no uncertain terms. Seriously, the man was cool, helpful, and entertaining. Hooked us up with some stickers too. I grabbed some sweet speys (Gold Heron, Lady C...no, not that C).

Anyway, the place we ended up today, he had "joked" about a placemarker-shop that sold "free-range bologne." Weren't sure we were on the right track this morning until we actually saw a sign for "All Natural Free Range Bologna." Ain't that some shi.

Long story short, we got into some decent fish. Had at least 6 grabs, landed 1 swinging and 1 nymphing. Baulsir lost a couple and Gordy landed a jack. Pretty fish. Ran into a few other guys, including some poker/bald-face lying lowholing pinners, most were OK though. Bout the only interesting thing Bmar did was walk a half mile onto the reservation before we were able to get ahold of him and turn him around.

Back at the car packing up, the guy from the shop drops by to "check up" on us. A proud papa he was too when we informed him we got into some...hence the exclamation above. Anyway, feeling much better about the trip now. Almost wish we weren't headed east tomorrow, but you know what I say...there's always money in the banana stand.

Pics:

From across the river. Yup...that's an indicator. Swung up the one before it though, I swear.


Gordy's flawless skipper.


P.S. Took the hosts out for dinner tonight. Nothin special but it was fun. They sure seemed to enjoy it but in no way have we repaid their graciousness. Also...we are some ugly fools:


Not hard to define the center of hair-gravity in this photo.
Side note (12/13/2010); I'm 100% sure at least 75% of us did not shower between Tuesday night and returning home the following Sunday. Eat your heart out.

Comments

Unknown said…
dude, you hit your head so hard. That was a neat trick. Do it again!
1/26/11, 3:08 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Beast

Image
I called out for a killer I looked for a knife I drank from this river It ruined my life I saw him comin' at me Empty and so cold I never knew emotion Till he caught me in his fold Part III; Last Days It doesn't take much to change the entire mood, outlook, perception of a trip. We've all been on either side of the tracks at one time or another, the beneficiary or victim to a minor shift in events that starts gaining momentum, for better or worse. Averaging less than one fish per four angler-days, our once bright armor was starting to show the wear and tear of frustration. Sure, we were having fun. To this point, it was a very successful vacation. It's hard to complain whenever you can do what you love for an extended period. In terms of an overall angling experience however, we were rapidly approaching failure mode. Hitting morning thruway-rush-hour at Rochester, approaching Syracuse, and then turning north, I wondered how much gas I had left. By the time the first Exi
Read more

The Day the Music Died...

I'm depressed. I've spent the past six and a half months living in a fantasy dream world. Last night, it all came crashing down. For the first time since I broke out the gear this spring, I actually put all the fishing crap away...because for once, I honestly don't know when I'll make it out again. It's not away for the year. I hope to make a few trips a month still. But everything just got more complicated. Daylight hours are still waning, Default is closed for the season, and the chill will be turning the bass off if it hasn't already. Putting the gear away is like sifting through the leftovers of a failed relationship. It just doesn't seem right. This has easily been the best fishing year I've ever experienced. Diverse and successful. Fly fishing trips have seen Adirondack ponds and local lakes, trickle streams and Ontario tribs , and have brought to hand all manner of trout, bass and panfish . Trolling Ontario has brought salmon, steelhead
Read more

The American Consumer...

...is an idiot. No offense intended, all consumers worldwide are idiots. We are all idiots. OK, maybe not idiots, but irrational decision makers. We make short term decisions based on current needs, wants, and especially, on personal hardships, often without (or with much less than prudent) concern for future repercussions. This is bad for long term stability, both economic and ecologic. Kate Wing over at Blogfish puts it quite plainly, and quite well, why US oil exploration expansions won't help us fuel our SUVs . Not to get political, but it's getting quite irritating hearing people repeatedly clamor for loosening the strings to allow more drilling in the US, as if it will solve all our problems and help us pay for our children's' college. It isn't regulation that's hurting your purse, "it's the economy, stupid." And while we're at it, stop pushing for tax breaks and pricing subsidies on gasoline...that only exacerbates the situation.
Read more