FLY FISHING SHOW ATL, Part 2 - ALLEN RUPP

    If you have never been to a fly fishing show, imagine a large auditorium room filled with tables, displays, booths, and retired, gray-beard geezers. Mixed in are casual-dress executive types, hot-to-trot Fly Bro's ready to lay claim to The Next Big Thing, and a few long-suffering wives and girlfriends.

    Every kind of fly fishing gadget is there, too, from fly rods and reels, to boats, accessories, tying materials, clothing...with someone eager to sell you all of it!
Seriously, if you can think of it - and even if you've NEVER thought of it - you will find it there for a price.

    There's all the usual attractions, too: bright lights and a carnival midway atmosphere, tables groaning with free stickers and pens, and pretty show-babes to make you feel young again... and loosen your wallet.

    But my favorite part of the whole shindig is, "Fly Tyers Row."
This is a line of tables that stretches 50 yards along one wall. There you'll find numerous celebrity fly tyers - some quite famous in fly-tying circles, some up and coming - and all busy promoting their craft.

    Each one is a skilled master, true to the arcane fly-tying arts, and they are all there waiting to meet you.
You can chat with them, observe them as they work, gush adoringly over their handicrafts and just generally hobnob with people at the top of their game.

Allen Rupp 

    I normally set as my goal to learn one new fly pattern or tying technique from these Viziers of the Vise... while acting like I understand what they're doing.
    To this end, I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Allen Rupp, the man behind Fly On The Water/Bespoke Flies. I've been friends with Allen on Facebook for awhile, so it was nice to meet him in the flesh. His slogan is, “Quality Hand Tied Flies For The Discerning Angler.”
    And indeed, he puts great effort into crafting the finest flies money can buy.
    The pattern he was gracious enough to tutor me on is Dave Whitlock's, “Near Nuff Crayfish.”

"Near Nuff Crayfish"

photo credit © Richard Allen Rupp

    We'd be remiss here if we didn't mention Dave Whitlock. I've met and talked with him at length, and there was no more kind and affable man on this earth. Mr. Whitlock was also a fly fishing guru, to say the least – if there was a Mount Rushmore of Fly Fishing, he would be on it.
    But as he got older, he wanted someone to carry on his patterns, and Allen Rupp got the nod. Mr. Whitlock is passed on now, I'm sorry to say, but Allen was the right choice for the job.

    He is very meticulous, he is extremely dedicated, he spares no expense in materials and craftsmanship, and the end result is proof of the pudding. If I got nothing else from him this day, I was firmly re-invigorated with the sense of craftsmanship one must bring to fly tying.

    This experience with the 'Near Nuff Crayfish' comes at a timely moment, too, as there are a lot of these crusty crustaceans in my local waters. So, I am putting into practice what Allen taught me, and tying a few for the upcoming season. As is my usual habit, I'll share the results here, with a few tidbits about its construction.
    But Allen also offers specific classes to teach this pattern, along with another Whitlock creation, “The Near Nuff Sculpin,” so don't expect me to give away all his secrets!

    Now, you may be tempted to find information about tying Whitlock's, ''Near Nuff Crayfish" on the Internet.
I can't lie - I did.
    But from what I've seen, much of the detail and nuance Allen offers is not found elsewhere. Really, the 45 minutes Allen generously devoted to teaching a hack like me is time I will treasure, and I thank him sincerely for the lessons learned.

    He also sells these things if you want one from the maestro himself; his website and Etsy page are seen below in the foto.
Check in on his blog, and be in awe of the many fine patterns he ties - and the sheer professionalism of his efforts.

    Again, thanks so much, Allen. Keep up the great work!

===== <> =====

Writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

David Hutton

© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2024 

Atlanta Fly Fishing Show Part 1 - EDUARDO CRESPO

I went with Don Schmotzer to the Atlanta stop of the Fly Fishing Show last week. I always enjoy this outing and we make the day of it. 
One of my favorite parts of this excursion is meeting a lot of the people that I either talk with, or correspond with, through Facebook. Its also nice to just get together with people that I've known over the years.
Now, I'm sorry to say there were some faces I missed seeing this time around...
Jonathan Kylie
Tim Cammisa
Son Tao
Bart Lombardo
Dave Whitlock (RIP)
Peggy Brenner...okay, Peggy did come up from Florida, but she was never in her seat when I came around LOL

So while I missed some great folks, I was fortunate to meet other great people for the first time. That's one of the nice things about this show - you never know WHO you're going to run into.

And one such person is a man I have chatted with a little on the Internet named, Eduardo Crespo.

Mr. Brazil, Eduardo Crespo

Eduardo is the man behind Peach Fishing and Adventures, an expedition outfit based in Brazil. In recent times I've had a little personal experience with Brazil, and have even had opportunity to study Portuguese and learn something about the country.

For example, did you know that Portuguese is the official language of Brazil? And no, don't try your Spanish on them....

During all that, I bumped into Eduardo on the Internet. He was very friendly and even complemented me on my terrible Portuguese. And there at the FFS-ATL was none other than the man himself, Senhor Eduardo Crespo.

Eduardo runs what looks like a good outfit for the expedition-minded angler. He has several nice fishing adventures on the go, from Tarpon, to Golden Dorado, to Peacock bass. You can cruise the Amazon rivers in a fully equipped live aboard boat, or stay in some damn nice looking resort-level accommodations. And the food, well, I know a little about Brazilian food and from what I can tell, you gonna eat real good!

Its a long flight to Brazil, but its very easy to enter in-country as a tourist. And once there, Eduardo has everything from ground transportation to all inclusive accommodations ready to go.
I even tested him a little bit and said, "Hey Eduardo, what if I just came down, caught one Golden Dorado... and spent the rest of the vacation drinking beer and eating picanha*
He didn't miss a beat ... "That will just fine with us," he said.
"It's your vacation and we will do the best we can to see that you enjoy it."
*Picanha is the tender rump cap at the tip of the filet mignon.

I'm not getting any kickbacks or freebies from Eduardo, and I've never been on one of his adventures. But he has what feels like a first class operation and he exemplifies typical Brazilian hospitality. You can see in his picture that big smile, a Brazilian trademark.

He also lives in the US and speaks impeccable English, so there's never any issue with translations. He also has expeditions around the US, so he's kind of a one stop shopping experience! 
And you get a good vibe coming off the man - he feels genuine and sincere. When you deal with Eduardo, you are dealing direct with the man behind the operation, not some fast-talking booking agent. 

I don't know if a trip to Brazil is in my future, but if it is... I would not hesitate to hook up with Eduardo and his Peach Fishing and Adventures.

You can find Eduardo and Peach Adventures on Facebook:
Peach Fishing and Adventures - Facebook

And you can visit his webpage for more info and to contact him: Peach Fishing and Adventures On The Web 

Winter Walkabout

In winter, I like to visit the boat launch and fishing sites in my area.
    It gives me a chance to see the water levels, and to take note of any changes since the last time I was there. Over the last two winters, I haven't done my usual reconnaissance, however, thanks to work commitments and my wife's losing battle with cancer.
    Lets just say I was preoccupied and leave it at that...
    But now I'm officially "retired," and I'm reminded of a few words from another "retiree," Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, from his work, 'The Art of Dying Well'...

"Being now free from Public business and enabled to attend to myself, when in my usual retreats I consider that which suits me..."

    As the name implies, Bellarmine's work was about living one's life with the end in sight. See my closing thoughts on that topic.
    And while that IS on my mind, I'm not morbid...because I'm excited about the immediate approach of this seasons fishing!
    And being now, "free from public business and enabled to attend to myself..." I hit the reconnaissance trail once again.

Come along on this montage to see what I found.

===== <> =====

SITE #1 - Cedar Ramp

$3 to launch, but don't park here 😁



Water down - all will be once more under water by March

SITE #2 - A-Park Ramp

Price increase - 10$ to launch, now
You can park here, however, so a kayak or float tube is an option.
But....



Same site - barely improved launch.
Not real excited with this one.

SITE #3 - Striper Ramp

Public ramp, managed by the power company.
FREE.. and worth every penny! 

Foggy Day at Striper Ramp

People always ask, "What color is the water?"
Right now? Coffee Latte 😀

SITE #4 - The Point

Another FREE site, also managed by the power company.
This one is picturesque, has excellent facilities,
and it includes primitive camping.

The results of FREE primitive camping options....
Trash Baboons and the garbage they leave behind.



2nd load of Trash Baboon garbage



3rd load of garbage... or was it 4th?
I lost track.



PS Wear gloves when picking up after the Trash Baboons...
You never know if they'll leave a knife in their garbage.
Yes - I cut myself.

Will fish live in these branches and roots
when the water comes back up?
Leave your comments below



New fish habitat falling in all the time.

Lots of these guys in the water...I'm thinking shrimp for bait.

SITE #5 - Clouds Landing

One of my favorite sites, also FREE.
The development around the lake, however, is a curse
on all of us anglers.

Water, 3 feet down.
This is an excellent shore fishing
site when the water rises.

SITE #6 - Hares Creek 

Looking up the creek at a popular, "unmanaged site."
A favorite location of mine for years,



Down the creek at the same site
Development is encroaching on all sides, however.
I give it 5 years before it is off-limits.

Trash Baboon Power Cell - dumped at the bridge.
Taking it to Walmart for recycling.

A little bit of useful "trash."
I find so many floats, I'll never have to buy another.

    I like fishing of course. And I like catching just as much.
But a good walkabout paves the way for those two activities to come.
    Thanks for coming along.

===== <> =====

Writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

Dave Hutton

CLOSING THOUGHTS
    I do not use this medium as my personal spiritual pulpit - for that you can go to my OTHER blog page, linked here: "Catholicity"

    But with both my wife's final two years, and now Bellarmine's, "Art of Dying Well ...," fresh in my mind , I will beg your tolerance just this once.
Thank you.

To Beat Death
        As much as we may try to avoid or “cheat” death, it will come knocking at our door soon enough. It is inescapable in this world and so the question is not IF we will die, but HOW we choose to meet death. 
    To respond to this question, St. Robert Bellarmine wrote a small book in 1619, called, "The Art of Dying Well." 
    In it, he details the key to preparing for death - not when death is imminent, but most importantly, when we are in good health. That is the only tool we have in our bag to beat death.

    He explains, “...It is a most dangerous thing to defer till death's door our conversion from sin to virtue: far more happy are they who begin to carry the yoke of the Lord ‘from their youth,’ as Jeremiah said.
    We can not put off turning our lives around until we are old, but must begin doing so today."
    Bellarmine reiterates this fact by saying, “This first great truth now remains established: a good death depends upon a good life."

    To read Bellarmines book, "The Art of Dying Well," you can download it in about any format possible, at this link: 

https://archive.org/details/TheArtOfDyingWell 

© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2024

ZEBCO REELS for an EXPERT

ZEBCO and the EXPERT

Those of you familiar with Elwood, “Buck” Perry, and his fishing technique known as, “Spoonplugging,” or as it has been sometimes called, “speed trolling,” or “search trolling,” you will know it is made up of two phases.

    If you've never heard of Perry, and DON'T know this technique, well, it has two main phases. 😁

    They are...

    Phase 1 – Trolling

    In this phase, you troll lures that run at specific depths to “sift” the water, vertically, for schooling fish.     - This is not riding all over the lake looking for, “fishy spots,” or watching a screen and hoping to see fish.

    - Also, it's rarely a shallow water activity; the best results are most often found away from shore in deeper water.

    - Nor is it haphazardly dragging any old lure around the water, hoping to hook up.

    It is quite the opposite – it is deliberate, defined, and more than a little work. It is also knowing where fish should be, through education, and trolling methodically up and down across the depths to find them. Which is probably why 95% of the anglers out there don't do it.

    Phase 2 – Casting

    Once a school is located by trolling, you stop the boat.

    You immediately throw a floating visual marker behind you, over the contact point, and begin casting specific lures to work fish out of the school you found. It all comes together because, contrary to popular thinking, large and active gamefish are schooling fish - not grouchy, old loners sitting by a shallow log the whole season.

    They may eventually end up there, which is when we say we had good luck, or the bite is “Hot!” 🔥     Actually, we are right about the luck - lucky to be there at the right place and time.

    But to get there, the shallow water fish will have followed distinct, almost linear, patterns of movement out of deeper water. With knowledge, we can determine the likeliest routes the fish might follow, and troll across them to intercept the fish as they migrate to and fro.

    With that brief summary in mind – I hope you're still with me - a guy named Edward Best wrote a small booklet on this topic (32 pgs.) that distills this technique down as well as any other that I've seen.

    And in it, he un-apologetically explains exactly which lures and gear he has proven to be the most effective, and why.

You could say they're the, “Best.” Pun intended.

    On the subject of which reel he selects for the casting phase, he surprises us all:

    “CASTING REELS:

    We use closed face spin-casting reels exclusively.

    For years, we used Zebco's Model 33, which to my mind is the finest reel on the market. I love its velvet smooth operation.

Now, today, in keeping with our mindset of heavier tackle, I use a Zebco 808, a sort-of lightweight, saltwater, closed faced spinning real.

    While on this subject, I would like to say a word, in general, about reels.

    Some of the nice, expensive bait casting reels with free spools, star drags, and all the other refinements are a joy to use... for the man who fishes everyday and can learn to use one well.

    But for the average man, it is much too fast and will only give him continual headaches. Rare is the man that can cast a light plastic worm into a strong headwind with such a reel...*”

* (((here, I suspect Mr. Best is referring to the Swedish Abu “Ambassadeur” series of reels, given the time period of this book. See end note)))

Mr. Best goes on to say...

    “...I can - and have - limited out over an active school with my Zebco's, while my fishing partner was still trying to get his lure out to the spot with equipment that costs 9 times more than my outfit (and which caused 9 times the trouble).

Me, I'll stick to the good old closed face reels.

    One thing I do every time I go out is take the real apart enough to grease the breaking mechanism.

    That's right, grease.

    I then tighten it up as far as is practical.

    That way, I have an absolutely smooth running brake.... not one that jerks and works in spasms.

    This is not just for the Zebco reels, either. I have yet to find a brake that works smoothly after it has been wet a time or two.”

END NOTE

    The one problem with all this is that the booklet I refer to, “Lunkers and Limits,” was printed in limited number in 1971. You'll catch hell trying to find one, nowadays, and they'll cost a bit of green when you do.

    Originally, this little gem cost $1.35. Last week, I paid $15.92 to get one...over ten times the cover price.

    Of course you know what I'm going to say – that's not much in today's fishing world, and it was worth it.

    If you read nothing else this year, and follow what Mr. Best says as closely as possible, well... he and many others have proven this method works.

    You just have to be willing to join the 5% that sticks with it.

I hope you liked this little piece. If you did, a comment, like, share, or care package of your choosing is welcome. Thanks, and TIGHT LINES David Hutton Palmetto Fly n Fish © all rights reserved (such as they are), David Hutton/2024

CLEAN UP WITH HANNAH

School Is Out For A Day
January 15, 2023

The kids in our area got off school for Martin Luther King Day this week, and I got the babysitting job. 

===== <> =====

So, lets be clear when I say, "babysitting" - That's two grandkids, for the whole day, ages 7 and 13. This is not as dire as it sounds - I pick them up after school and look after them for a few hours most afternoon's anyway. So I'm used to it.
It's part of my retirement plan, you might say.

But the question always arises with kids: "What are we gonna do?"

My grandson (age 13), he's a quiet guy who is happy to play video games all day.
But my granddaughter, Hannah (age 7) - she's the polar opposite and ready for action, all the time!  
And today this meant a trip to the lake, to see what's doing.   

Hannah, Seven and Sassy

Every trip to the lake involves picking up other people's trash, because, well, the general public are slobs. Yes, I said it.
"Trash Babboons," I call 'em.
We might be picnicking, fishing, or swimming at the lake, but we make it a point to pick up some of the garbage others carelessly toss down. Its a habit of mine, and it's one I've instilled in these kids:
 

"Others are trashy slobs, but we set a better example"

But in winter, the water is down and the shoreline is exposed - and that means scavenging for Loot, as well as cleaning up.
Today we got a few gleanings from the lakeside Treasure Chest.

The Loot, dumped out

That's a small barbeque grill on top.

"Dang," says Hannah, "...people are slobs leaving this in the bushes."

I was proud of her.

The Loot, part 2

The grill is gone and the Loot is sorted.

The gnarly feminine hygiene products on the right were the first to go in the trash.

The Loot, part 3

After the clean up, from left, clockwise:

1 - bank stick rod holder

1 - wad of poly bailing twine (I'm a cordage geek)

1- flattened bobber, still functions

1- wire leader with weedless hook attached

1- Flat steel clamp

1- S hook

(I'm also a hardware geek)

1- Teensy Torpedo prop bait

1 - #6 Aberdeen hook

1- Soft plastic worm, well soaked

(The worm was threaded on a large baitholder hook with massive swivel, as if it was a nightcrawler)

NOTE: No tackle was harmed in the making of this blog post. All of it can be re-used.

The Teensy Torpedo 

It's a dinky little thing - The Heddon Torpedo is one of my favorite topwater lures, and this one is micro-size!

Worm Revival

This soft plastic worm (green pumpkinseed) was all curled up on the hook, but I boiled it in hot water for a few minutes and it straightened right out. Another Frankenworm, resurrected!

They say this sort of day is, "making memories" - that the kids will always remember such times, long after we are gone. And I reckon they are right; I know I enjoy them and will remember it fondly.

There are many kinds of treasures to be found, I guess.
And, no, that's not a tear in my eye....

===== <> ===== 

Thanks for reading. It is said that writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Again, thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

David Hutton

© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2024 

 

$5 To Great Pictures... The Light Box

Light Box? What's that?

In the world of photography, a light box — also known as a 'white box' or 'light tent' — is an enclosure that provides a solid, well-lit environment for something being photographed.

- It diffuses and reduces bright incoming light
- It helps control and minimize shadows
- It concentrates light where you want it.

In other words, the reason for the light box is to take better pictures of static objects.
Have you seen those professional product pictures on Amazon? A lot of them are made using a light box.

For fly tyers, this same technology makes a simple picture of a fly into something that really pops!

On our 'Palmetto Fly N Fish' Facebook page, I added a mini-tutorial to help with taking pics....

Making Memorable Outdoors Photos

But for the up-close fly foto, I have been using a $5 light box I found at Five Below
It included a white and black back drop  and a built-in, super bright LED strip. 

If you don't know what Five Below is, well, it's kinda like a Dollar Store, but for the, 'teen trendy', under-25 shopper. The name means that merchandise is mostly $5, $10, etc.

They have a lot of inexpensive techie stuff, too, much of it geared towards vlogging and cell-phone photography/video... thus, the $5 light box. 

I tinkered with DIY versions, and they do work. So, I quickly saw the benefits of a light box... and then I ran across this thing for a Lincoln.

The $5 Light Box

In the following pictures, you can see $5 light box and some details about it.

inkered with DIY inkered with some homemade jobs, then found this one

• 
  

1 cubic foot in volume; just right for small items like flies. 

It folds up if you want to store it flat, and inside, you can see the black backdrop that comes with it. 

The black cord leads to a common 5v power adapter, with micro-SD connector. You connect this to the light box to power the LED strip.

Here's a view "down the throat" of the light box

The LED lights - they really brighten up the interior.

Here's a fly in the light box, posed on some wood 

for that, "natural" look.

The same fly after editing with my Android phone's simple editing suite. What a difference!

After seeing this light box in action, I'm sure you'll agree that this light box is really a step above cluttered, bench-top fly pics.

Most fly tyers are not professional photographers - I know that. However, a few simple tips like those linked above, and a $5 light box, well... it makes a big difference.

And really, you can't go wrong at that price!

------ <~~> ------

Writers should strive for a job well done... even cranks like me. So, if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

David Hutton
© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023 

The Man Thought I was Nuts!

I met a man today and proved to him I am crazy!

------ <~~> ------

“Excuse me. What's that sticker in the window of your truck?”

    I turned and saw a middle aged man in the parking spot next to me, sitting in his car. He had the look of a man waiting for his wife.
    “What is 'Palmetto Fly N Fish'? You into airplanes? Aquariums?”

    “Fly fishing, in fact,” I replied. “See the Facebook symbol? It's a Facebook group. You should check us out.”

    “Well, okay, really?... fly fishing, huh? There isn't much of that around here, is there?”

    “Plenty! There is water everywhere.
But if you mean are there many people doing it - no, not really. A few, but just a few.
South Carolina isn't exactly a hot bed of fly fishing action. I get a lot of odd looks and comments about it. Stuff like...

'Fly Fishing? Can you do that here?'
'Why? There aint no trout around here...'
'Is that even legal?'

I've heard all these and more. If isn't a Beetle Spin, Zebco reel, or bass lure, well....it throws people off balance.”

    “But you go for bass and striper, right? That's something worthwhile.”

    BOOM! There it was. *Something worthwhile.* 
I could see his judgment looming, so I decided to play him for awhile.

    “I'll go for bass if I think it's the thing to do; it depends on the conditions. I'm always ready for them, but I'm not always after them. Striper on the other hand, well”... 

He perked up when he heard the name... 

"I consider them a costly nuisance." "

"Huh? A nusiance? What do you mean?"

" Well, they show up when you least expect them and mess with my kind of fishing. Thats the nuisance part.
And by costly, I mean I can't afford all the gear, the time, or even the gas for them. Besides, roaring all over the lake chasing fish is "Class A personality" stuff, which isn't really my bag.”

    Striper not my bag? Distaste clouded his face.
He looked me up and down, now; my tie-dye T-shirt and the bandanna cap on my head cemented his opinion of me as a blaspheming nut.
    “So you mean you just go for brim and PANFISH?? That's it?”

    “Yeah, pretty much. In fact I look forward to this time of year in particular. This is the time of year for wet wading – that's my favorite.

    “Oh, I gotcha... with waders.” He seemed relieved to hear something normal come from my mouth.

    “Well – not exactly. I do have waders, but 'wet wading' is where you get into the water with nothing but a pair of light cotton pants, and wading boots. Anywhere that lets me access waist deep water with weeds, wood, or rocks, I'm wading in.
    Even when the boat ramps are overrun, and the picnic tables jam-packed.... I can wade in and find quiet and solitude away from the crowd.
I use pajama pants and scuba reef boots for that. The pants are super light weight, and the scuba boots beat regular wading boots hands down.... and at 1/3 the cost.”

    “Eh...pajama pants...” he said. He was just short of sneering at this point.
"So you're fishing t-o-p-w-a-t-e-r” – he drew out the word the way you'd mention a redheaded step-child.

    “Oh yes; I always start with the surface. But there's an entire water column, from top to bottom, and I fish it all.
    On top I might use a popper, a foam fly, or even a trout fly."

The word, "popper" got me another forlorn look.

    “But the top water bite soon fades out, especially as the sun climbs high. That's when I switch to subsurface patterns. Nymph mimics or soft hackles are especially good for that. Baitfish flies, and crawfish patterns work well, too, in the right areas.”

    “You've put a lot of thought into this....” he observed. 

He said it the way a psychiatrist talks to a patient in a straightjacket.

    “Well sure - all fish have their ways and their life cycles. It's more than just trout, after all. And we have trout here, too, but have to go out of your way to get into them.
Since I prefer to fish 15 minutes from my house, trout aren't normally in my plans. But there is a Trout Unlimited group over in Columbia*, so there are a few other fly anglers over that way.”
* Columbia, SC

“Oh, Trout Unlimited... yes, yes, okay... then you must know Jim So-and-so. Yes, they're a good outfit and they get into some...”

I stopped him and smiled widely. 

“No, sorry I don't know him. The TU folks are big money people, anyway... I can't afford them!" I chuckled.
"Let's just say they are another sort of Class A personality, folks cut from a different cloth than me. Besides they are way over there, so I have never joined.
I'm not really a joiner, anyway, not in that way.”

Now he was snorting, the way you do when you're sure the other guy is off his rocker. 
“So, do you ever catch anything decent?”  

He wasn't hiding his scorn, now.

I sensed the the time was right, so I went for the throat....

    “Well, today I caught a nice redbreast off the boat ramp. It came on an old-school bucktail fly, and it led me around in circles two or three times. I wasn't quite sure what it was, because it wasn't the rocketing run of a bass, or the throbbing pull of a bluegill. It wanted to run, and I let it.
    It was a nice surprise; they're beautiful fish.”

    He was sure I was sun-baked, then...anyone happy with a redbreast on a fly rod must be.

    Just then, his wife appeared with that, “who are you talking to,” look that wives have. He was clearly glad to see her, to be rescued from this tie-dyed kook.
“Well you take care...” he said, and hastily started the car.

   At last, it was time for the coup de grâce, the final blow, ....”Sorry, friend," I said. "I didn't catch your name. We ought to go fishing sometime...'

"Yeah, sure..." he muttered. "Maybe one of these days...”  he couldn't get away fast enough.

That redbreast really WAS a beautiful fish....

------ <~~> ------

Writers should always strive for a job well done... even half-baked ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Do you have questions, compliments, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at: 

Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

Dave Hutton
© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2023