The Prez Sez

Return to ToC

by Mark Van Patten, President

Southern Council Conclave attendance continues to grow at an astounding rate. Because of the growth of the last conclave, your executive committee is looking into ways to make the event easier to enjoy, with less crowding. There will be some changes in the way we do business. Hint: It will pay to pre-register.

The council continues to be financially sound. We are in the enviable position of having funds available to help on council projects. One project the executive committee is discussing, will consider the issue of a paid staff employee of the Southern Council. This position is a low salaried, heavy work load, Office Director position. It was suggested the Committee consider the need for the position at the December Executive session. The results of that meeting will appear in a subsequent issue of Long Casts. If any member in good standing of the Southern Council has comments or suggestions on this issue, please forward them to George Hobson, Executive Secretary-Senior Vice President, 202 Bobby Dale Drive, Waynesville, MO 65583.

Your Council continues to grow, not only in financial success, but in numbers of members as well. The monthly updated Membership Roster from national, shows and upward trend in new and renewed members. This growth is not unexpected. The enthusiasm our members have for their sport is unequaled. Fly fishers as a group seem to love to preach the gospel of fly fishing. Like religious zealots, they bring their converts to the conclave as an initiation right. We all know that you can't attend a Southern Council Conclave and walk away feeling unfulfilled.

However, It can't stop there. It is one thing to be a council member through an affiliation with a club. It is something much better to go that one stop further and pay your dues to the National Federation of Fly Fishers organization. Be a part of the whole picture. Your dues contribution funds educational programs our fisheries need. If we hope to see our rivers and streams protected from degradation and destruction, then we need to all be a part of the holistic effort. Join the Federation of Fly Fishers. (This is an unpaid public service announcement.)

George Hobson's overview of the October board meeting is in this issue. As a member of this council you have a voice in the running of council business. Through your club representative to the board, you can comment on any issue the board discuses. Make sure to review the minutes and let us know what you think about the way we are handling your organization. If you think things are going well, please let us know. If you see a need for some changes, we welcome that information as well.

I would like to take a moment to thank a group of people for their support in the past year. The Southern Council is fortunate to have dedicated volunteers accepting positions on the Executive committee. These are the people that make all the hard decisions and work diligently to ensure your council is run the way your bylaws and mission statement prescribes. Members of the Executive Committee, Thank you. We have had some interesting times, some pleasant, some not so pleasant. You have always supported me as I have supported you. We have accomplished many good things for the council. My hat is off to all of you.

We have lost a few people from the executive committee to the National FFF organization. Tracie Maler accepted a position as National VP for Fundraising. Dave Barron, our Last years Conclave Chair, accepted the position of VP for Youth and Education. I was just informed that Verne Lehmberg, one of the council International Directors, accepted a national position as well.

Some new people have agreed to assume the vacancies on the executive committee. You will read about them in this and future issues of Long Casts. Though the shoes they are filling are large, I know they are able to fill them. I'll look forward to working with each of you.

Mark Van Patten

Please send only editorial comments and material (including submissions for possible printing) to Long Casts editor Steve Fritz, 2100 S. Grant Ave., Springfield, MO 65807 (please note: this is a new address)

Changes of address should be mailed to the Southern Council's VP for Membership, Tracie Maler, 299 S. Walnut Bend, Suite 101, Cordove, Tn. 38018

Advertising inquiries and correspondence should be directed to the Southern Council's Treasurer, Pat Smith, Rt. 2, Box 352B, Mt. Home, Ar. 72653

Long Casts is printed and mailed by ED REED, Reed Printing and Supply Company, Inc. PO Box 605, 619 S. Brindlee Mountain Parkway, Arab, Al. 35016

We flyfishers know we have problems. They vary from place to place, but we have no difficulty recognizing them all. The question we are posing for your consideration and advice is: How do we respond most effectively? All of us have seen some of these situations. All of us have thought, "If I were in charge, we'd do it differently." The question is, what would you do - what do you recommend - how would you go about it - what do you think would be effective?

We, as flyfishers, need to share ideas and work together, because we are outnumbered by those who oppose our positions or are simply indifferent. The more ideas we have, the better our judgments and decisions are likely to be, and we will be more effective, and it will be a better world.

Among the many pressures on our resources that degrade and reduce them are:

Uncaring and unresponsive politicians -

the governors and legislatures, who sometimes have the fish and game departments under their thumbs

The court systems -

Excessive logging -

Too many - fish on too many miles of stream or too few acres of lake

Poor methods of construction - residential, commercial, malls, driveways, roads, streets, and parking lots

Poor agricultural practices - overgrazing, livestock allowed in stream and lake

Gravel extraction and sand dredging -

Siltation from the above -

Pollution from many sources - insecticides, herbicides, mine drainage, manufacturing waste, and sewage

All of the above degrade and reduce habitat we can't afford to lose. In addition, slob fishers hurt us all by trespassing, damaging private property and littering, resulting in landowners fencing us out, posting their lands and cutting off access for us all.

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have additions, tell us about them and recommend remedies. Write - Let us hear from you. Let us have your ideas. Send them to:

Duane Kelly - VP Conservation
10311 E. 42nd St.
Kansas City, MO 64133

Man of the Year..................Bob Miller

Woman of the Year.............Pat Smith

Federator of the Year..........Steve Fritz

Club of the Year..................Mid-South Fly Fishers

Fly Tyer of the Year............Michael Verduin

Junior Fly Tyer....................Madison Nobles

Teacher of the Year.............David Adkins

Conservation Award............Bill Pickens

Friends of the SC.................Dave & Emily Whitlock

Tall Tale Teller....................John Visor

Memorials may be sent to the Mid-South Fly Fishers in care of Roger J. Maler, 299 S. Walnut Bend, Suite 101, Cordova, TN 38018 (901) 757-2383. .All memorials will be used to further the goals of the FFF.

The Southern Council is big business, and the current Executive Board is taking specific steps to improve the operation of the Council to that end. Since the seating of the Officers at the October 1996 business meeting, the following major actions have been completed:

1. New bylaws have been adopted to bring the Council's operations into line with those of the Federation, Inc. This was done in response to the Federation, Inc. adopting new bylaws in 1995.

2. The Officers of the Council have committed themselves to operating to a standard which clearly sets forth levels of responsibility and accountability. The new bylaws have a much clearer and a more easily accomplished action to replace officers who are not performing to those standards.

3. The Council Officers are in the process of developing a policy and procedure guide for all operations of the Council. When completed, this guide will establish the minimal levels of performance and expected results for each of the Council's Officers and National Directors. Treasurer Pat Smith has already begun to implement many of the changes for her office, and the results are shown in your Council being in the best financial condition in its history.

4. General Membership meetings are now required to be conducted at the annual Conclave. In the future, and for the first time ever, the general membership of the Council will have a report on the past year's operations and status of the Council, presented in an open meeting. While the business of the Council will continue to be conducted at the Directors' Meeting and two Executive Board Meetings, members now have an opportunity to become better informed on how their elected officers are performing.

5. Every club has been given a copy of the new bylaws. Members should read their club's copy, understand how the Council is required to operate, and become involved through their representative. While club presidents are ex officio Directors, club members have the option to elect another individual to be their representative.

6. Copies of the approved minutes for all meetings of the Council's Directors will be published in the Long Casts. The Council is also exploring the possibility of putting the minutes on our web page as well. This is another first toward the goal of improved communications with the members.

7. All clubs which are represented at the Councils' Meetings, are receiving a copy of the draft minutes within 30 days of the meeting.

Steve Jensen
International Director
4514 Coach Drive
Battlefield, MO 65619
417-836-5302

Duane Kelly
VP of Conservation
10311 E. 42nd Street
Kansas City, MO 64133
816-358-1897

John Stanford
VP Mmebership
2610 Shagbark Circle
Jefferson City, MO 65109
573-636-8344
e-mail jstanford@aol.com

The largest Conclave in the history of the Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers was held Oct. 3-4, at the Ramada Inn, in Mountain Home, AR. Around 650 registered for the event (we still have a ways to go, since this issue of the newsletter will go out to the current list of about 3,900 Southern Council members). Over 400 attended the banquet Saturday, causing a plan to use an overflow room next year for those that won't fit into the main Conclave room.

The youth events, women's outreach programs, seminars on casting and tying, commercial booths, fly tyers, day and evening programs, raffles and auctions were a great success! Throughout the entire Conclave, the high standard set by previous Conclaves was continued or exceeded.

Keynote speakers Gary Borger and Dave Whitlock, as well as all of the other program presenters, did an outstanding job, and those doing the seminars requiring paid registration made their classes more than worth the money.

The Southern Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers ought to be proud of this event, and, we, as members, ought to support it with all the enthusiasm we can muster. Busy as you are, please consider personally thanking those who gave their time to make the '97 Conclave the huge success it was, and, consider being one of 'those' who do the work (fight the good fight) next year.

If you haven't been part of anything like the Conclave described above, you owe it to yourself to get involved. The end result justifies the time spent in planning and preparing.

One of the really enjoyable duties of the VP Education for the Southern Council is helping to select the winner of the Southern Council Scholarship. This scholarship has been awarded for the last three years, and, as most of you know, in order to qualify, the candidate must: be in the second or later year of college; be pursuing a degree in an area consistent with the objectives of the FFF; live within the geographic boundaries of the Southern Council; and either be a member of the FFF, or be sponsored by a member.

The recipient of this year's scholarship is Michelle Johnson, of Baytown, Texas. Michelle is pursuing a degree in Marine Biology at Texas A&M, and was recently published in the Spring issue of Flyfisher magazine, her article concerning environmental damage being done by the grass carp, in Galveston Bay. Michelle was sponsored by a former instructor and long time member of the FFF, Verne Lehmberg.

Congratulations Michelle, and keep up the good work!

If you know of a deserving student who meets the above qualifications, and who is interested in the scholarship for next year, give me a call or drop me a line at:

Chuck Easterling
P.O. Box 10010
Jonesboro, AR 72401

870-932-4355 Office
870-578-5334 Home

Editor's note: Please remember, in planning your projects and outings for 1998, that the VP Education has rods and reels to lend out for casting classes, and is the person to contact for Wayne and Catherinie Moore Youth Day Funds. To apply for the funds, which may be used to purchase food and drink for club-sponsored youth activities, contact Chuck Easterling, at the above address or phone#.

A recent job change has caused a change of address, to Springfield, MO. After taking over the newsletter editorship in July of 1995, it took two years to get most of the clubs to send their newsletters to me, instead of former editor Chuck Tryon (my personal all-time favorite writer).

Through my efforts in the last two newsletters, and the efforts of VP Communications Hod McIntosh, - who sent two or more change of address notification letters to each club, some of the clubs are sending their newsletter to my new address. Soon my mail forwarding will stop, and newsletters sent to my former address in Kansas City will be returned to sender (reminds you of a song, doesn't it?). Would you please remind your newsletter editor to change my address to the following, if it has not already been done:

Steve Fritz
2100 S. Grant Ave.
Springfield, MO 65807

Please note, also: It is not always possible to use articles from newsletters. Many extremely short articles have possibilities, but need to be longer, and the story developed further. Please consider submitting original articles of one half to one newsletter page (600 to 1200 words, or even longer, - if you don't mind editing) directly to me, at the above address, and don't be surprised if they are printed, nor offended if they are not.

Another way you, as a Council member, could help, would be for you to use your influence to get any member of your club who is a Council Officer, to submit their quarterly column to me, on time, so that you will get your newsletter at the time you are supposed to receive it. Recently, it has become difficult to come anywhere near deadline to printer, since most of the copy for the newsletter hasn't been coming in from the Council Officers until weeks after the deadline set by the printer, and over a month after the deadline I set, for each issue, a year ago, with these Officers.

Artwork, pictures, stories, suggestions and comment are all welcome, along with the aforementioned stories, and every effort will be made to utilize all appropriate material in the newsletter. I'm a volunteer, too, so how about some help?

Steve Fritz

I was listening to a report on the deteriorating state of the world's fisheries when a particular sentence jumped out to grab my attention:

Scientists and managers are rethinking the concept of the sea as an unlimited resource.

Rethinking?

I can only hope the reporter misstated the issue. That the people with whom we entrust our resources are too experienced to believe in unlimited resources and that any rethinking occurred long before now. Our history is simply filled with too many examples of species obliterated through mankind's abuse to accept such fantasy.

But I'm left with the uncomfortable feeling that there are those in the scientific community and among our fisheries managers who still believe in oceans so vast that they can never be overfished.

After all, it wasn't so long ago that the experts allowed the destruction of king mackerel stocks in the Gulf of Mexico in the belief that the fishery was self-regulating. Self-regulating meant that commercial fishing would stop on its own when the schools became too thin for netting to be economically viable. And once the netting stopped, the fishery would replenish itself.

Or such was the theory.

A decade after an outcry from sportsmen halted the destruction, the kings have begun to return in the Gulf. But even now, the fishery is only a shadow of its former self.

Were lessons learned?

Perhaps. But then, I'm left wondering why the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would now offer satellite tracking of fish schools to anyone who wants it. When we already have the ability to track down and wipe out a species, is it really wise to add even more firepower to the arsenal? Isn't that the same kind of thinking that left our New England and salmon fisheries in such a shambles?

I also question the wisdom of managing our fisheries for the Maximum Sustained Yield, known as MSY. MSY is a practice which assumes every potential spawner not needed for replacing the stock at current levels is wasted if it's allowed to die anyplace other than in a commercial net or a sportsman's ice chest.

The appeal of MSY to commercial interests is obvious, with its promise of reliable fish stocks year after year and the largest harvest possible. But those promises assume we're such good managers that we can anticipate the vagueries of nature with some precision, yet another belief which leaves me feeling quite uncomfortable.

I confess that my feelings about such management theories go even deeper, that in my love for the coast I find I resent those who would turn our marine environments into nothing more than a vast food factory. Just as I resent those who would turn all our inland streams into a maze of concrete and culverts.

I love the sea because it is both beautiful and wild, and I have no qualms in sharing it with others, commercial or otherwise, who respect that beauty and wildness.

But we must all get beyond the notion that the sea is something we can manage or control to our own ends. Rather, it is something for which we must care.

As a first step, we must recognize that we can't truly care for the sea while continuing unfettered abuse. Therefore, it is time we allowed the myth of the unlimited resource to die.

As a native flatlander, I will be the first to admit to you that I have a long ways to go before I would ever claim to be any kind of authority on fishing western waters, moving or otherwise. But after taking an adventuresome pack-in trip with two of my sons and a friend into a number of high mountain lakes in Colorado in early August, I can begin to confirm some things that I have read and perhaps pass along some things to think about, as well as share some dos and don'ts that you might want to file in your memory cells should you ever venture into the high country.

First of all, permit me to describe the setting for this trip, which is probably not unlike a lot of similar trips. As the location where I was at is rather special and somewhat unique and isolated, I might accidentally skip over some of the specific details as to where I was at or how to get there. Sorry about that, but wilderness and solitude are high on my list, and it would appear that the outfitter is doing an okay trade without my endorsement. If you should choose to take a high country pack-in trip, expect to see the mountains in a way that you have probably never seen them before, - from horseback! Trust me - the visual sensory experience, in the Rockies, on the back of a horse, has no equal. Considering that my camera failed to capture the exhilaration of crossing the continental divide on horse back at 13,000 feet above sea level, I doubt if my written version will do much better in describing the absolutely breathtaking experience of traversing the top of the world with a 360 degree view of some of Colorado's finest scenery. If you are bothered by heights, or want a risk-free experience, this would be one to avoid, as some of the trails come precariously close to what could result in a very bad day should your horse decide to take a wrong turn. On this note, this would not be a very good choice as a trip for a child, since each rider is responsible for commanding his own mount, and must be able to react to situations should they occur. As a personal opinion, I would suggest that this kind of trip would be most appropriate for folks who are at least 16 years old.

Most pack-in trips involve an outfitter, and you really want to do your homework on the one you select, as their equipment, quality of guides, base camp provisions, and access to quality fishing locations will have a great deal to do with the success of your trip. Ask for references and call them with your specific questions. One of your important questions should be: Are your guides experienced fisherman, or are they more focused on the wrangler and cook duties? While those duties are very important and vital to the success and comfort of your trip, it would be extremely helpful if your guide is familiar with the insect life and other forage in the lakes that you will be fishing, able to share patterns that have historically worked at the time of your trip. While our guide was a great wrangler and a very nice fellow, he was more comfortable with power bait and small spinners than the use of artificial flies.

Your advance questions should, of course include the ones that we all ask: On what patterns should we expect to have the most success? Once this question has been answered, get busy and start tying or beat a path to the fishing toy store and stock up, since many of the outfitters are isolated, and only carry a limited number of fly patterns. On our particular trip, weather and our inexperience contributed to our marginal success which was primarily on yellow stimulators in size 8, and gray elk-hair caddis in size 12.

Regarding equipment, while you don't need a great deal, it is quite important to have the right hardware. My next trip to these high mountain lakes will include my use of a float tube, since the lakes we fished on this trio were difficult to effectively fish without some way of getting off the shoreline. Most of these lakes seem to have a variety of elements present on the shore line to make casting from shore either a real challenge, or even impossible.

Swampy bogs from snow melt made walking difficult, but proved to be a haven for the hungry mosquitoes, who obviously love the high altitudes. Take plenty of repellent. On the subject of walking, take your best Gore-tex or other breathable waterproof boots to keep the moisture to the outside of your boots. Take your warmest neoprene waders, since the high mountain lakes are full of very cold snow-melt water. The rods I took, a 4 piece, nine foot 4 weight for the lakes, and a 3 piece, 7 1/2 foot 3 weight for the small streams that lace the high country, worked great, and should cover most situations. If there is one word that describes the weather in the high altitudes, the word would be "changeable." Your clothing selections should reflect the variety of weather that you can expect to encounter within relatively short period of time. We would begin a 1 1/2 hour ride from camp to a distant lake, clad in rain gear and polar fleece, and arrive at the lake in T shirts, having experienced a 25-30 degree rise in temperature, then be back in the other stuff within the hour.

Bottom line, - be sure to dress in layers, and don't forget to take your rain gear! Regarding rain gear, buy the very best that you can afford. Take plenty of sun screen, since the high altitude alpine sun can barbecue you in no time. Don't rely on your outfitter to have something waterproof in which to pack your gear. We used Water proof bags that we already own and use on canoe trips for our clothing, and garbage bags for our sleeping bags and other big stuff. All our bags and gear were loaded into large open saddle bags that were carried by three pack mules.

We found the altitude to be a real factor, and quite frankly, it took a couple of days at our high mountain camp to really work ourselves into a comfort level. Try to arrange your schedule so that you can allow yourself acclimation time at somewhat lower altitudes, gradually getting used to the thin air, before jumping into the saddle and riding off into the heavens. When you spend your life at 600 feet above sea level, the sudden transition to 11,000 feet and up will quite likely result in labored breathing and altitude headaches until your body adjusts. The bottle of Advil I took was a life saver.

I plan on making an in depth list of things to do for the sequel to this trip, and would be happy to share them with anyone planning a similar adventure. In summary, the trip was challenging and at some times difficult, but the memories of bull elk flushing at close range, bald eagles soaring over high alpine meadows, and rising trout on the mirrored surface of a high mountain lake at dusk, further expands upon why we love to fly fish; - it is all part of the same equation.

Those of you who are aware of the battle over Crooked Creek in Arkansas already know it is a extraordinary smallmouth fishery. The Arkansas Attorney General has filed a lawsuit intended to declare the stream a navigable waterway which will allow state authorities to control gravel mining in the stream.

The opponents are well organized and apparently inundating the Attorney Generals office and others with letters in opposition. If you support saving this unique fishery please send just a short note to the AG indicating you support his action. Send it to:

Winston Bryant,
Attorney General - State of Arkansas
200 Tower Building
323 Center Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-2610

A letter to the Governor and others you may know might help. As usual we are running into a lot of politicians who say they support our position and then vote the opposite. Crooked Creek is truly a special stream and deserves your aid.

---Article by Pat Smith, Treasurer, FFF Southern Council

From ClubWire Editors: Your Letter to the Attorney General might mention the following:

- It is obvious that a majority of Arkansas citizens support saving this special water resource from additional gravel mining

- Anglers all over the state and the U.S. see Crooked Creek as a precious natural resource that will be destroyed if continued special interests are allowed to destroy it.

- If Crooked Creek and its phenomenal fishery potential is destroyed by continued gravel mining. it will be a financial loss to the state; anglers travel long distances and spend considerable sums of money when trophy fishing is available. Once Crooked Creek is destroyed, there will be no going back.

- Let Arkansas' Attorney General know how much water resources and trophy fishing means to you! Also tell them how much money you spend on fishing trips every year.

You've read repeatedly (in RFFA River Rap, newsletter of the Roubidoux Fly Fishers), about Terry Wilson'sNorth Fork Nymph, and all the trout up to almost nine pounds that he and Roxie have taken with it. Too simple and effective not to try yourself, here's how to make your own.

Hook: TMC 200B, or equivalent, sizes 12-18 (16 is Terry's favorite)
Thread: 6/0, brown
Tails: Four pheasant-tail fiber tips, about half a shank length long
Abdomen: Rest of the pheasant-tail fibers twisted on the tying thread, then wrapped around the hook shank, PT Nymph style
Under Thorax: Lead wire to taste
Thorax: Natural fox squirrel fur dubbed plump and scraggly

The Yellowtail Dam was built in 1965 (creating a tail-water), near Fort Smith, Montana, in the southeastern part of the state. This magnificent tail-water fishery has become a classic in its own right. With twice the flows of the Madison, and high reproduction and growth rates, this is one of the most popular and heavily fished rivers in Montana. The landscape of the area reminds you of the western Sandhills region of Nebraska, but with the Bighorns in the background.

It is the third week in September, and Mickie and I arrive to fish with our guide, Bob Krumm, for two days on the Bighorn River. This is the first time for both of us on the Bighorn. With early rising, breakfast out of the way, and geared up and ready to go, our guide picks us up. We are off to launch his drift boat from the afterbay area below the dam. It is a great day, with the air temperatures at 55 degrees, rising to 65 during the day, cloudy overcast and the water temperature at 66 degrees. It is a little on the breezy side, with gusts up to 35 mph, at times. The high flow of 7,400 cfm, and high summer temperatures has created a problem with ALGAE. The flow from Yellowtail Dam was reduced to 4,700 cfm a few days before we arrived, and the banks are lined with massive moss beds in many places. Can you guess where the magnificent rainbows and browns are at? You got it!

Bob has rigged us up for nymphing with a strike indicator (bobber), two split shot, a #14 scud pattern and a #18 fine dressed hare's ear on a dropper. We were casting out about ten feet from the boat, and watching for any movement of the indicator. "Set the hook!" Bob would holler! We did, but no fish, just moss. We floated for about an hour, with no hook-ups, so Bob found a nice side channel for us to wade. With the first cast, I had a hook-up with a nice 16 inch rainbow. Two nice 17 inch browns liked my offerings, and were released to grow some more. Mickie and Bob were upstream trying to meet the challenge. Mickie had a couple of long distance releases, and never really got to see what they looked like.

We were back floating again at around 1pm, and it is breezy. Bob decides to switch over to a #8 elk hair hopper, with a # 18 hare's ear dropper. He thought this would be more productive with the wind blowing hoppers off the bank into the water. Mickie is up front, and I'm picking up the rear. We're casting these dry hoppers right next to the weed-lined bank. With her first cast and drift, BAMM!, ... All hell breaks loose in the front of the boat. My sweetheart has put a 19 1/2 inch rainbow in the net, and on the hopper. Meanwhile, I'm in the back of the boat earning my Master's Degree in wind knots. Real wind knots! Well! This business in front of the boat seems to be getting out of control. Mickie and Bob are having a great time landing two more 17 inch browns.

Our guide was an informative and interesting person to talk to. We got into controversial subjects about the Crow Indians and their Reservation levy of a 4% sales tax for River users, the US National Parks Service and the la di dahs of Billings. Bob has taught classes at he International FFF Conclaves on such diverse subjects as fishing to jelly making. After having a very nice shore lunch and the wind almost blowing our boat away from the bank, we're back on the water with Mickie still casting hoppers and droppers.

It is late afternoon, and Bob rigs up his favorite Sage 8wt streamer rod, with a sink-tip line an a #6 (secret recipe) black matuka for me. Bob said that casting this fly into the banks as we floated by and pulling three short six-inch strips, then recasting as quickly as possible, would produce large fish. It did! As we floated through the only rapid water in the Bighorn, I hooked this matuka streamer into a 20 inch+ fish that broke me off. Expletives were audible in the back of the boat! Still casting this rig into shore, I have another hook-up, this time, with a beautiful 19 1/2 inch brown, which we quickly netted. All I got from those up front was "it's about time, Phil! Were you going to sleep back there?" What an entertaining group! HAAH! It was great! It was the first time I had caught a large trout on a stream from a drift boat.

The sun was setting, giving us a beautiful view of what it was like to be in "Big Sky" country. The caddis hatch began, and we were ready with our 4wt outfits, with #16 elk hair caddis tied on. Both of us were casting to the bank, letting the fly drift and then picking it up and skating it on top of the water at the end of the swing. With less than three miles to go, Mickie and I both landed three nice browns apiece, before we were at the 13 mile take-out. Our guide, Bob Krumm, did a great job as both friend and teacher throughout the day. What a great day on the Bighorn!