Patti's Fly Fishing Journal

Walter the Bastard!

2012-02-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

Winter trout fishing always has a way of chasing away the winter blues.....even though the climate has been unusually mild it was still nice to have a change of scenery and fish one of my favorite places for winter trout. Montauk state park in Missouri has special memories for me as I have been fishing there for 10 years. I know every hole and good fishing spot and I even know where Walter lives. Yes, Walter, a resident brown trout that is a pig of a fish and has a bone to pick with me. Every time I fish there I can expect a duel with this bad ass fish with an attitude and in a twisted sort of way I think he is partly the reason I keep going back.
It's a love hate relationship and God knows I am not going to be the one to quit the fight.

I had two days of fishing..Day one the park was open so I dedicated the whole day of fishing in the park..that is until it 4:00 when the park closes. Now my plan was to go back to my cabin, shower, eat, tie flies and watch the NLF playoff, but with daylight still going strong I found myself gravitating toward Walter's apartment. He wasn't expecting me, and it may be rude to drop in unexpectedly but then again I don't much care what he thinks of my manners and there is something to be said for the element of surprise!

I began my walk toward his home and things seemed to be falling nicely into place. No sign of any other angler anywhere in sight. I crossed the river and slowly walked the bank well into the weeds making sure my shadow would never be seen. There is a certain stillness in the air, a deaffening silence where all I can focus on is the rumble of the wind and the deep, echoeing sound of my heartbeat. It is a feeling of everything coming together in harmony and the suspense of what is about to unfold takes over your every thought.
I reached into my fly box and indubitably selected my weapon of choice.
A streamer that has proven to be deadly and is a major player in my arsenal.
I carefully checked the leader, tied on my fly and moved into position.
My presentation was a swung fly, casting it slightly downstream, I chose my target and fired the first cast. Keeping a tight line I allowed the fly to naturally swing down stream, letting it completely straighten out before I picked it up and made another cast. I worked close and slowly made longer casts, combing the water with a fine toothed comb, the idea is to cover every square inch being as thorough as possible.
Everything felt so right, the sound of the birds singing took center stage and the sound of the wind became muted, the moment was dream like and I struggled to maintain focus and not be caught drifting off to another galaxy if and when the fish should strike. I told myself to smoothly move the rod just slightly behind the fly, rod parallel to the water the motion was fluid and calculated. And then it happened...the moment I had been waiting for, except it didn't last a " moment" but instead was a fraction of an instant; The slam of a freight train hit my fly so violently and abruptly knocks my rod into a state of shock...Walter rolls, exposing his girth and leopard like spots, his hook jaw thrashed back and forth and in an instant broke me off and takes tippet and fly leaving me with disbelief and the agony of despair. I stood there and stared at the exact point of impact...I analyzed the leader and tried to make sense of what just happened and after careful calculation I came to the conclusion: I just got my ass kicked by Walter again.
I wanted to let out a big scream, after all no one was there to hear me....but I thought that would be undignified, so instead I turned and kicked a badly placed tree and taught it a few Italian words.
After regaining composure I tied on another fly and finished fishing the run. And yes, I went back upstream and ran through it again in the off chance that Walter is stupid or maybe has Alzheimers. Not the case.
I had a great trip... I caught fish and on day two I caught a nice 20 inch rainbow on a dry fly which made me happy of course, but after Walter, merely a consolation prize.
I'm coming back Walter, you just wait and see!

When Sport and Passion Meet!

2012-01-16T07:20:00.000-08:00

I have received requests to write about Indiana On The Fly Show and why and how it all began so I guess this it:
Six years ago I had an idea that it might be " FUN" to have a local show featuring my two passions: Fly fishing and wing shooting. There seems to be a huge crossover in these two sports not to mention the fly tying connection. So the name Indiana On The Fly would cover flies as well as anything that flies. I bounced the idea off of three friends and I will protect their identity by referring to them as Friend 1, Friend 2 and Friend 3.
Friend one invited me over and we sat on the deck looking out at the river, I presented my idea and with little hesitation he said" I think you should do it...it's a great idea!" I expressed my reservations about not having any experience as a show producer but that didn't seem to be a stumbling block; How difficult can it be? I asked myself...this would reveal itself in due time.
I then contacted Friend 2 who's only comment was" many have considered it, but no one has done it. Do it Patti!"
Friend number 3 was a bit more philosophical" Build it and they shall come!" he said.
So, being a little stupid and a lot impulsive I said " What the heck!"
My friends were encouraging but none of us, especially me, knew what I was taking on.
I struggled through the logistics of planning a show, stumbled, tripped, fell, got up and continued until the show was a reality.
Wonderful friends and club members stepped up to help especially during the physical work necessary to put the show together.
The idealistic vision of promoting the sports we love ultimately became a success. Indiana On The Fly is about passion, it is about boosting sportsmen participation in the sport of fly fishing and shooting. It is about providing assistance, education and just a fun day under the circus tent as they say.
Five years later I have learned a lot. Eventually muck settles to the bottom and filtered, clear water runs smoothly. Indiana On The Fly has been fun and fulfilling and I believe it accomplished what it set out to do.
Many avid anglers attended the show as well as newbies who are just getting started. I think fly fishing is difficult to get into without a reliable mentor and a specialty show provides a less intimidating approach to learning more about the sport.
Reel Women-Reel Men has paved the avenue so many Hoosier men and women can learn to enjoy the outdoors and Indiana On The Fly reflects that!
Thanks to everyone who contributed, encouraged and helped out.
Your support is very much appreciated.
And as for my 3 wise friends: Next time CURB your enthusiasm! ;)

Sticking your neck out!

2011-12-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here we are with another Christmas hunt with my son Michael. It doesn't seem possible that the years are flying by so quickly but I guess when you get to be a certain age time goes by more rapidly than ever.
We took my dog Stetson on his first hunt of the year and of course we tried not to have too high expectations since he is still new at this and not exactly seasoned.
As usual when we began the hunt Stetson was in rare form, hunting like lightning and naturally making us walk faster than we wanted to. He was quick to lock up on point and being that I wanted to treat Michael to a really fun hunt I quickly said I would go in and flush the bird so Michael could take the shot. I stated that I was not going to shoot, but simply get the bird to fly . Michael was ready for the shot...I creeped in and flushed out our first chukar and I don't know what came over me but I found myself without control and instinctively mounted the gun and shot the flying bird. It sounded like one shot, and I couldn't believe that I shot when seconds earlier I said I was not going to shoot. Apparently Michael shot exactly at the same time as I did, so needless to say this bird was more than dead. This broke the silence as we both burst out in laughter and Michael had a bewildered look on his face followed by a " Mom....what the heck!"
This was just the beginning of many funny things that happened that day and of course it is what makes a hunt most memorable.
Stetson found bird after bird and other than the fact that he hunts a little too far than what I want him to, he did a fine job. He found many birds and was pretty solid and accurate with all of his points but the moment came that swelled my heart with joy and pride.

The moment of truth; a solid point, a bird flushes toward water and I take and make the shot, The bird drops in reeds with over a foot of standing water, Stetson goes after it and then slowly begins to creep through the water and weeds, we were unsure he would be able to reach the bird, he slows down even more, the only sound is that of his paws as he draws them up out of the water. This sound reminded me of the sound of a moose in the water while I was fishing in Maine. For a moment it crossed my mind to call Stetson off and abandon the retrieve, but he had already worked so hard that I decided to trust the dog and give him more time.
He came to a total stop and all we could see is his body but his neck and head stretched out so far it was blocked by the reeds and totally out of sight..... and then it happened:
He reached in and turned toward us revealing a bird in his mouth, his head held high, his chest puffed out, I called out to him once again "fetch it up boy"
" bring it here" he marched like a mighty soldier and within seconds stood right before me and gently placed the bird in my hand. This was the moment that I realized: Yes indeed...Stetson is a bird dog!

It was a great day in the field with my dog and my son Michael. I treasure these hunts so much and aside from all the fun and laughs I usually come away with a profound thought after some of my adventures. I couldn't help think about the kind of loyalty and commitment Stetson displayed that day, and how too often we as people don't go the extra mile, don't bother sticking out our necks to help someone else.
Perhaps hunting teaches us more about humanity than we believe and a Christmas hunt is just what our hearts need.
Merry Christmas and may you find renewed commitment.

The Thrill of the Hunt!

2011-12-04T14:58:00.000-08:00

An annual hunt put on by Ray Sheppard of IN DNR at Atterbury is such an
outstanding event. It is for Ladies who want to give pheasant hunting a try.
They provide this organized event with the help of great sponsors such as Pheasants Forever as well as many other wonderful local merchants. Guides with bird dogs volunteer their time to accompany women on this hunt and do everything possible to make it a success.
It's very interesting to me to see how women react to this hunt as well as other organized hunts. What is the difference between men and women hunters? ( aside from the obvious of course)
This fascinates me because I can't speak for all women, I can only speak for myself: First of all I enjoy the fact of being free in the field enjoying nature, and of course watching a dog work is a treat in itself but there is more. There is this great desire that comes over me to hunt and actually find birds.
To think about where a bird might be hiding, and to plot a strategy to find him or cut him off if he is on the run, to outsmart him, to dominate, to be at the top of the food chain and ultimately.. to win.It is so rewarding on so many levels. Finding the bird is the first victory, but it's followed by the next challenge which is of course to execute the shot, properly mounting the gun, establishing lead and successfully hitting the moving target. Okay maybe this is beginning to sound like a power play but at least I'm being honest about what I find so thrilling about bird hunting. I love what seems like deaffening sound of the flush it seems to echoe with my pounding heart beat, the feeling of only having a split second to make the shot before the bird flies out of range is sooooo exciting.

I absolutely love the thrill of the hunt and the reward in my game bag always brings great joy and pride. I enjoy sharing my catch with family and friends and feasting on a game bird or two with a nice bottle of wine is a great way to celebrate life and most of all the heritage that I grew up with...a heritage of honor, respect and a love of hunting.

Love Happens!

2011-11-29T17:41:00.000-08:00

Once in awhile, when you least expect it...IT HAPPENS!
Yes, I'm talking about love...a steelhead slams your fly and
the thrill is just beginning. The tug is there, you instinctively
set the hook, he realizes he is hooked and goes Mad! He peels off
90 mph, zig zagging, jumping out of the water,doing his damndest to
get you to mismanage your line so he can bust you offffffffffffffff!

Stay calm Patti, hold your ground, get rid of that extra line, pray he's dumb enough to run away from you and not toward you...breathe...he's on the reel and now we have him where we want him, under control...that's right, I said cotrol, only one of you can have control and if you want to land this beast it better be you!

He attempts an escape down stream, side pressure to turn him, as he begins to tire out I reel in, fast but steady turns, no jerking or tugging, just nice steady turns.....ahhh haaa..I feel like I'm gaining ground here! I push the rod butt deeper into my belly for better leverage and I now notice this is a NICE fish..bigger, stronger, more determined..this only makes me want to land this fish more! He takes a few runs and begins to tire out, I bring him back in, this time with more rod bend and he begins to succumb, belly sways to the side is indicative of the game coming to an end...I apply more pressure and lift the head as I guide him into the net. My personal best Lake Erie Steelhead.
It's a beautiful fish.......It's a girl!
Sweet Victory.......Sweet Release........Sweet Memories!

Justice Prevails!

2011-11-03T06:42:00.000-07:00

My shooting buddies all know that I was a victim of theft a few months ago...My Beretta silver hawk 20 g. sxs was stolen out of my car and it was devastating to me. This event saddened me deeply and I couldn't stop thinking about what makes a person take what doesn't belong to them. Why have we become a society full of theft and disrespect? This isn't the first time my family has been victimized and violated, it is sad to be able to count the many times in the past 5 years that have resulted in theft. I know we are not alone.....it seems to be the trend and one that eats away at my heart and soul. I wonder if these individuals who feel they have the right to take what doesn't belong to them have a conscience....The entitlement mentality which results in crime or malicious acts.Imagine how it must feel to have this buried deep inside of them and in a twisted way I feel sorry for them. To not care about anything except their personal gain or satisfaction.
In any case....I finally have replaced the shotgun that I loved so much and am so happy to report that I love it just as much as my last one, as a matter of fact. I love it more!
I can't wait for hunting season to begin!
As my wise father always said...what goes around comes around.

Fall Break Adventure with Thomas!

2011-10-29T07:49:00.000-07:00

Lucky me...I had the opportunity to spend two days with Thomas for his Fall Break. I was happy to fulfill his request to go on a fishing trip with Mamma Neemo! So...I made arrangements to fish a beautiful, natural spring fed lake in Michigan stocked with brook trout and grayling. I can't begin to explain how special this day on the water with my grandson was. Sometimes seeing things through the eyes of a child has a way of rejuvinating your spirit. We laughed, talked, learned and shared in what turned out to be a most glorious day...Sometimes thigs in life don't go according to plan, like accidentally hooking a duck, but the lesson for both Thomas and I is that when things go wrong, what really matters is that we stand up for what we believe and we do the right thing. At the end of the day, I knew that we had made the right decision.

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Redfish...The Thrill Only Intensifies!

2011-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Six years of fishing for Redfish in Louisiana and the thrill only intensifies!
I just returned from my annual October Redfish trip and this year I had the pleasure of sharing it with my long time friend Kory. We set out for Kory's first redfish adventure and of course our first stop was the Roadside Daiquiris that makes me chuckle everytime I see them!

Banana Daiquiri for me and Victoria Secret for Kory! Look at the size of those cups!!!!!!!!
The weather was gorgeous, the sky was clear and the tide was in our favor...things were looking pretty good I thought, I just had no idea how good they were about to get.
Off we went searching for reds...and the early morning light (when seeing fish is most difficult) seemed to not be an issue since we caught our first fish 10 minutes into the game.
The fish came hot and heavy pretty much all morning....by lunch time we had more fish in the boat that is usually normal for the entire day!

As always the thrill of watching a friend catch their first redfish is something I have grown to love and enjoy.
It's one thing to read about redfish or to watch a video and a totally different thing when you first make a cast and watch that red gobble up your fly!
Kory had no problem figuring it out and within minutes he was spotting and catching fish like a pro.

We saw more fish on this trip than I had previously experienced....and enjoying the

scenery is always so rewarding and relaxing.

oyster beds, dolphins, stingrays, a variety of exotic and beautiful birds is a constant reminder of natural
beauty of the Louisiana marsh.

I find it soothing to my soul to listen to the silence, the sound of the grasses swaying in the breeze and to just rest from our daily stress and routine. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share this time with

my friends.And I hope the Good Lord will grant me more days on the water like this!

A True Keeper!

2011-10-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

Introducing my bellissima bambina GIULIA. My granddaughter was born on July 11, 2011 and I was present to see her come into this world as I was with my grandson Thomas.
Words cannot explain the joy in my heart as I held this beautiful baby in my arms. Carla, who was once my little baby girl is now experiencing the joy of being a mom herself. I am so grateful for my children and now my grandchildren and I hope to somehow pass on a little of my heritage to each of them.

Aside from my Italian heritage, I feel a certain responsibility to give them opportunity to enjoy our natural world and to appreciate and respect it. How fun it is to share my passion with each of them...perhaps it will be my legacy.

Thank-you God for the Blessings you have bestowed on me.

Dove Season-Let the games begin!

2011-09-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

Opening Day of Dove Season is a like a bell ringing saying: " Let the games begin!"
Dove is an green light indicator that bird hunting season is about to start. With cooler nights
and a slight indication that Fall is just around the corner, you will find Stetson taking note of more birds.
Instinctively he has an acute awareness that hunting season is getting closer and he is much more alert and enthusiastic about going outside and checking it out.
Unfortunately dove hunting is not for him at the moment...therefore I had to prepare my hunting gear and sneak it out to my car without him noticing. Hopefully someday he will be better trained and well behaved enough to attend a dove hunt and do all the retrieving.
I set off at 4:00 a.m. to meet a few friends for breakfast and then head North to Winemac for our dove hunt. I chose my Benelli Montefeltro for this hunt. The advantage of loading three shells at a time made this an easy decision over the Beretta Silver Pigeon. Unfortunately....my Beretta sxs, my all time favorite gun, is no longer a part of my arsenal. My Beretta Silver Hawk sxs was stolen out of my car, and of course I am sick about it. It hurts so bad we will not even discuss it further.
We arrived at our hunting field and Mary was assigned as my hunting partner. We took our position in the field and set up our shooting station nestled in the corn field. A nice mowed strip was right in front of us but immediately beyond that it was thick cover over a ravine. Clearly the idea is to shoot the birds while they are over the mowed strip so they can easily be retrieved, but of course every now and then I am tempted to take a longer shot and wrestle my way through the briers in search of that one little dove.
All in position we are ready for the hunt to begin.....the air is crisp, the sun is just beginning to rise, the only sound is my heart beating with excitement.

As the birds begin to fly over the shooting begins.They fly from every direction and at times
it seemed they would appear out of no where catching me off guard and testing my reflexes to
mount the gun and make the shot. As I dropped my first bird in the grass a burst of energy sent me
out running after my prize. Adrenalin takes over and run I must!
I pick up my bird and sprint back to my station and resume shooting. Those little boogers dart left and right and are not that easy to hit! It's thrilling to see so many birds coming in at once and our hunters are all focusing on their respectful targets.
Within the hour I have my limit of 15 birds. We won't discuss the number of spent shells, no one is counting. ( except for Randy)
As the sun climbs higher into the sky, I have learned the gun needs to be lowered into cover. Reflection becomes my enemy, and every little movement of the gun barrel transmits a "WARNING....DANGER" signal to the flying dove. They will veer so drastically you won't have a prayer at reaching them.
This is the hunt I love! To hide in camo and be a stealthy huntress is what makes dove hunting so much fun for me. Sharing a day in the field with a friend and having this exciting experience is something I look forward to each year.
As always after the hunt I like to clean my own birds and of course prepare them for family and friends.

Dove breasts wrapped in prosciutto di Parma, served over toasted ciabbatta bread

drizzled in olive oil is magnificent!

I served it with a pinot grigio and celebrated the goodness of life.

Kick back relax with Mary Jane!

2011-09-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

There is not enough time for us to dwell on why we meet certain people and why they instantly become friends. The important thing is to embrace it and appreciate the friendship.
Such is the case with my friend Kory who I have known for nearly 10 years.
We live one state apart but over the years we make time to stay in touch and occasionally fish together.
Since I have known Kory I have seen him go from a good fisherman to an outstanding angler. He is as crazy about fishing as I am and it is classified as " True Passion"
Recently Kory got his new boat and I just had to go check it out for myself. Seeing pictures of it is one thing but actually fishing out of it is another. What a fantastic boat! The Mary Jane is one of the best if not the most comfortable boat I have ever been in.

Even though we fought unbearable heat, we were able to find nice fish and have an

outstanding day on the water. Not to mention we figured out how to have ice cream on the boat too!

Fishing the St. Joe in low water conditions can be a bit challenging but concentrating on holes and structure proved to be a success!

Thanks Kory for a great day on the water but most of all for your friendship and
thanks for the memories.

A Sweet Opportunity to Fish with a Legend

2011-09-08T19:29:00.000-07:00

I've had the pleasure of meeting and fishing with many wonderful people on my adventures but this opportunity was a once in a lifetime opportunity to fish with a most distinguished and highly respected
angler. During a phone conversation I received an invitation by Mr. Joe Humphreys to come out and fish his home waters in State College, Pennsylvania. At first I thought it was just a polite offer and I didn't want to jump all over it so I refrained and simply expressed my appreciation for the very kind offer, it was at that moment when the offer resurfaced I felt this overwhelming desire and jumped on the opportunity to fish with such a legend as Joe.
Very few plans were made other than the date and approximate time I was to arrive in State College. As my Subaru neared the infamous college town I made the call. " Hello Joe...it's Patti and I'm here!"
His cheerful voice welcomed me and we quickly made plans to meet for breakfast at his favorite place.

You know you are with a "V.I.P." when you are with someone who has his own booth in a restaurant!
There is a photograph of Joe and his buddies who sit at the same booth nearly every day for breakfast. I was in awe to think of the closeness these gentlemen must share and how meaningful their friendship is to want to begin each day in each other's company.
After breakfast we headed to his house where we would gather our stuff and eventually hit the stream.
We arrived at the house which was once an old mill. It was incredibly charming and filled with memorabilia from his many years. Most of it from his fishing career that clearly dated him back to a different time. A nostalgic time where rods, reels and gear seemed to have a soul. I walked around looking at everything as if I was mesmerized and transformed to a different time. I realized at that moment that very few people have the knowledge and experience that Joe Humphreys has and I wondered why I was so fortunate to be given this incredible privilege.

His fly tying desk, jam packed with stuff, but impeccable at the same time. His tools neatly stored in a caddy. I can only imagine how many flies were made at this vice. Even the chair seemed to have a story to tell, a story with many chapters.
After a captivating tour of the inside of the house we walked around the outside. Fish art on the inside...Real fish on the outside. Spring Creek runs through his backyard....I remember walking to the shed for a can of fish food, at first I thought maybe he was about to show me a goldfish pond, somehow I knew that was not going to be the case. As we walked around the property what became obvious to me was that before me was a man whose entire life has revolved around fishing. His love for his home and his life was so evident that I found myself admiring him even more than I had before. Joe is a man with great work ethic and integrity. He has paved the way for many fly fishermen, he did the work, put in the time, figured it out and passed it on. My admiration grew stronger as I got to know him more, as I discovered who Joe Humphreys really is and what a contributor he has been and continues to be.
Soon we were off fishing....we arrived at a favorite stretch of the river. Joe led the way with authority. I don't think he realizes how fast he walks. Each step is strong and precise, unlike what one would expect from an elderly man. Without a doubt he is the most fit and strongest man over 60 I have ever met. He appears to be 25 years younger than he really is..it is truly remarkable.
The first thing Joe did was to turn over a few rocks and show me the primary food source for these fish.

He than compared the real with the artificial...nearly a perfect match. Cress Bugs.
Next was watching him rig his classic nymph rig. I learned that my little split shot dispenser
( the one that annoys me every time I try to align the hole to the right size bb) is a waste of time and
energy and that it is much more efficient to dump various sizes of split shot in your wader pocket, reach in and grab a handful and select the size you want. Now why didn't I think of that!
He then transformed into a leopard...I'm not kidding he might as well have had spots all over him. He moved into position: confident but stealthy and began with an unusual type cast; he quickly explained this strong shock and tuck he does drives the fly quickly into deeper water..and the rod then leads the fly with tension ready to strike! Strike indicators are not even considered...it is nymphing with great sensitivity and a certain knowledge that cannot be taught in just a matter of a few days.

I stood closely over his right shoulder, watching and observing his every move. Both of us left handed made it easier for me to watch his technique. It was like a magician with his magic wand. and the magic was incredible.

I watched him catch fish after fish..his casts were
short and deliberate and I learned that when the rig is properly gaged and everything is as it should be, blind strike nymphing is deadly. he moved slowly downstream and I followed step by step, never more than just inches away from him. I wanted to hear every word, catch every move, learn from a master.

It was the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed. Joe Humphreys..a hunter..a stalker...an exceptional fisherman.

He looked at me and said" Are you having fun yet kid?" Was I ever!
I was perfectly content just watching him fish...now for those of you who know me, You know that
sounds nothing like me. But for once in my life....I was so taken with watching Joe fish that I wanted to be able to grasp every second...this was my lucky day! Finally Joe insisted I get up there and cast like he showed me, I tried but old habits are hard to break. High sticking is not what Joe wanted me to do...so I did as I was told. My nymph was down and my rod tight lined, Joe counted to three and then yelled "now." At that I blindly set the hook and to my amazement-FISH ON! I did it a second time just to make sure it wasn't a fluke and about the third cast I had another fish on. This is what you can expect when you are dialed in..when the rig is nearly perfect and the angler is doing her job. It sounds easy enough until you take a few steps downstream and things change..water depth. Constant adjustments are necessary; more or less split shot, position of split shot, casting technique, line management...it is never ending.
As we walked along a path back to our car we chatted about the day... as I reflect on it now, the time on the water was serious business. We both took it very seriously and Joe wanted to be certain he taught me well.
Day two Joe said he had a special surprise for me. He and his wife Gloria had arranged a very special day for me to visit and fish at the Spruce Creek Rod and Gun Club. I was in awe, I could not believe I was going to such a prestige club with so much history and heritage.

We fished a lovely stretch of Spruce Creek...Joe and I catching many fish. Laughing and joking and having a wonderful time- we selectively caught fish for our lunch and I even showed Joe how proficient I am at cleaning fish. (stockers of course)

It is a day that will always be etched in my mind. Catching fish with Joe, drinking champagne and eating brie, strawberries and whip cream. Not to mention the delicious fish with butter sauce.

Sometimes life brings us unexpected surprises...some are bitter and some are unmistakably sweet.
Thanks Joe for the sweetness.....you will forever be my dear friend.

Smallmouth for the Brave!

2011-08-14T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm a little behind on my blog due to what seems to be a very hectic time in my life. I will be playing "blog catchup" in the next few weeks so here goes!

First of all we had a an amazing time fishing for smallmouth in what is typically steelhead territory.
A few of us headed to Erie for two days of chasing smallmouth in low and clear conditions.
This proved to be a tad more difficult than fishing for smallies in more traditional smallie rivers. Normally stained water is our friend when we cast streamers and poppers tight on the banks, this provides just enough camo for our beloved bronzebacks to slam flies with little clue that we are around.
Not the case on this trip! Merely walking the banks was spooking fish and sending them jetting off to never never land....we quickly learned we had to switch our tactitcs to a stealthier approach, smaller flies, with more importance on presentation then even necessary for even the wisest trout! Actually it reminded me of bonefish behavior where sometimes a slight twitch is what they were waiting for.

As I watched my buddies work for every fish, I realized this was a game for the more serious smallmouth angler and every fish would require work and more skill than normally necessary.

Luckily.....I brought fishermen who could handle the task!
We loved the challenge...we came, caught fish and celebrated with great beer and fried Bavarian Pretzels! Smallmouth fishing has never been so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Essence of a Brown Trout

2011-06-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Malleo Trout

caught in Argentina- inspiration for Malleo Trout

Every now and then I come across a work of art that instantly grabs me....I am not a serious art collector by any means but over the years I have picked up a few pieces that I am very proud of. A dear friend of mine gifted me two originals by artist Jon Van Zyle's; one is called " study of a perfect fisherwoman" and " Magic Times." Both are displayed in my den and are a constant reminder of my time spent in Alaska.
While visiting Roscoe, NY I came across artist Jack Yelle; even though our meeting was brief, I was captured by his painting called " My Secret Place" and so I brought that home with me and have enjoyed it's beauty daily.
At this year's Indiana On The Fly Show I met a young artist by the name of Becca Schlaff....
http://www.becca-schlaff.com/ her work is outstanding. It is bold and exciting and perfectly captures the essence of fish. The minute I laid eyes on this piece I knew I had to have it! And so it is my newest addition....I look at it several times a day and am always amazed at how realistic it is. The proportions are precise and the spots on the trout are so life like. This incredible rendition of a brown trout is outstanding....and every time I study it I can almost feel the brown trout in my hand.
This is what art is suppose to do.....excite you!

Greenbrier Sporting Clays....More Please!

2011-06-07T14:14:00.000-07:00

Shooting sporting clays is something I absolutely am crazy about....I can't really explain it, but I recently discovered that shooting various courses brings so much challenge and excitement! While traveling, I try to seek out new courses and see what they have to offer.
While visiting the Greenbrier I made certain to take the opportunity to shoot this exceptionally challenging and scenic course.
I was cheerfully greeted by the range master who did an awesome job driving the golf cart to each station, carefully showing me the various targets and discussing proper strategy. This is by far one of the fanciest sporting clays courses I have ever been to but I managed to keep my cool and give it my all.
My reliable Beretta side by side just has a way of gaining respect well before it is even fired and so it was, we spent a good amount of time chatting about shotguns and how every old timer shot a side by side at one time or another. ( I tried not to take offense to that comment)

Each station had 4 or 5 different presentations and my competitive spirit tempted me to select some of the toughest combinations possible. I wasn't shooting for high score, I was shooting for pure enjoyment and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that enjoyment for me is sometimes pushing myself to the limit.
It was a good day for me...I was shooting well and feeling comfortable but with enough adrenalin to keep me fired up about the next station.

I remained focused on the shooting but took every opportunity along the way to feast my eyes on the natural beauty. The surrounding mountains, lovely wild flowers, beautifully designed shooting stations adorned with stone walls and impeccably built decks, winding cart paths that lead you to the next station. It was over way too quickly....I was disappointed the experience came to an end and for a moment it entered my mind to go another round but due to witnesses I decided to not even mention it.
I settled for a Greenbrier Gun Club hat instead.

Rainbows at the Greenbrier!

2011-05-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Terry and I visited the Greenbrier and while we were there we decided to fish the local stream.
We were told there were some nice bows in there but we really had no idea what to expect. Unfortunately the morning brought rain and the forecast was not favorable so we decided to not even wade ip but rather do some bank fishing just to wet a line and see if we could find a fish or two.
Water was high and dirty but certainly not what I call unfishable especially since we were not even in the stream.
I chose a chartruse and white clouser thinking I needed to get the fly down a bit and began making casts across this stream that hugged the first hole of the golf course. After about 5 casts I hooked up and I knew immediately this was no 10 inch stocker that I was anticipating!
Holy cow my 6 wt rod had a pretty nice bend in it and with only knee high wellies I managed to chase down this amazing fish:

I couldn't believe my eyes! This gorgeous rainbow was a sweet surprise and the surprises didn't end there. I continued fishing the same fly slowly moving upstream and I managed to catch 5 more fish of equal size. All fish were between 20 and 26 inches....my pants didn't stay dry for long!

Absolutely amazing and certainly not what we expected. Terry caught his first trout on this trip and it was awesome to see his excitement. This little gem of a stream is loaded with gorgeous fish!

The eyes of a Hawk!

2011-05-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

While visiting The Greenbrier I had a fantastic opportunity to take a course in falconry.
This has always fascinated me so much but I never took the time to learn anything about this sport.
Our instructor was excellent and so knowledgeble, I wish the class would have been several days long.
I did however get to fly a Harris Hawk named " Jack" and it is something I will never forget. While these birds do learn that the leather glove always produces food, it is interesting that they never become domesticated, and for me that was the beauty and the attraction. The bird is wild and he reacts instictively regardless of the fact that he is being handled by humans. I did not get a chance to hunt him which is something I hope to do someday. Watching a bird of prey stalk and attack would be quite an experience.
For now I will enjoy the memories of my time handling my first hawk and watching him respond to the slightest movement of my leather glove. He flew from above and gently glided, lowering himself to my leather glove. The landing was smooth and precise and he was certain his reward awaited.

I must be old!

2011-05-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

I always used to say that I would take up golf when I got old....well, it must be here because this week
I took up the game of golf. I now own golf clubs, a couple of cute outfits and a little white hat.
I found a nice 9 hole golf couse close to my house and I plan on making it a weekly activity.
My first nine holes didn't go too well.....I hit my driver fairly decent but when it came time for my short game, well, let's just say it was not short enough!

Next week will be my first formal lesson, so I am looking forward to getting started on the right foot.
Hopefully the geese will not be there again because it was very distracting for me. I kept thinking about lead. :)

Mayflies

2011-05-05T12:40:00.000-07:00

The Pendulum Swings

2011-05-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Each year I volunteer my time as an instructor working at BOW (Becoming Outdoor Woman) in West Lafayette, Indiana.
With the help of my club members we manage to introduce fly tying and fly fishing to many participants.
This is a DNR event where women from all over the state attend this fun filled event. It is a great opportunity for women to try different outdoor sports and activities and each year I am amazed at how many women are actually interested in what is commonly male dominant activities.
I am not surprised they want to try things like shooting a shotgun or pistol, archery, canoeing, fishing, camping, ride ATV's, among many other activities. The truth of the matter is these are all super fun things and of course they are not limited to boys only.
While all the ladies seem to enjoy the fly fishing venue, it has become obvious to me that each year there seems to be one or two participants who are especially taken by their fly fishing experience.
I think there is a special appeal to fly fishing and sometimes it is love at first sight. Learning to cast, finding patience to continue fishing even when fish are not home seems to be the key to what makes an angler stick to fly fishing. Perhaps some people are not so hung up on instant gratification and are not afraid of doing an activity just to win a prize or a trophy. Amazingly, it seems as though those people with such karma end up with rewards they never imagined.
So was the case with this wonderful woman who tried her hand at fly fishing this weekend, working hard to do her best in 20mph wind. She always seemed to have a smile on her face even when a bad cast resulted in a tangled mess. About an hour after casting to various parts of the pond, her cast resulted in this:

She informed me that this was the first fish she had ever caught in her entire life!
As you can imagine, I was more than thrilled for her. This was the only fish caught
that afternoon, and she was the chosen one.
In the morning session, Jennifer, for some reason had the hot rod. She caught numerous
fish while others struggled and could not manage to hook up.

As an instructor, I want to believe that good coaching, a good cast, the right fly, are responsible
for success but I wonder how much of it is just luck. Karma. Being at the right place at the right time.
I believe this is true in life in general. The pendulum swings and good fortune sometimes swings and
luck runs out. The trick is to recognize the upswing and revel in it and maybe, just maybe, the pendulum
doesn't miss a beat.

Sit Back and Laugh! ( double click on it and watch it in full view)

2011-04-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

My Secret Garden

2011-04-17T19:56:00.000-07:00

Spring is the beginning or the rebirth. This time of year is so fresh and clean and often indicative of

new beginnings. My garden is a constant reminder of beauty that unfolds itself each year. As I grow older I notice I pay extra attention to the details of my garden. I 'm not sure if it is actually getting prettier or if my perception allows me to see it in a kinder, gentler fashion.

Nonetheless it is a part of me, much like fly fishing and shooting. The garden is where my

fondest memories dwell and shall forever remain.

Patti Shoots a Double!

2011-04-09T19:07:00.001-07:00

This video is from the quail hunt. I am between hunters: Thomas and Mary

Wading Through a Golden Field

2011-04-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the pleasure of quail hunting with a few of my friends and was reminded of how wonderful it is to be in the field. A rather cold wind for this time of year combined with
a bright sun made the golden field sway in harmony.
I just love being outdoors on such a magnificent day. Somehow I am reminded of my past and
I begin to think of the present and wonder about the future.

So much is unknown but one thing that is certain is that nothing ever remains the same. Change is inevitable. How we deal with our changing surroundings is up to us. I'm just happy to have a loving family, good friends and the ability to grasp every moment of happiness I possibly can. A day like this reassures me of the goodness in life and the tranquility nature offers.

If you get the chance....wade through a golden field.

RW-RM Club Spring Steelhead Trip!

2011-04-05T08:41:00.001-07:00

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Steelhead Love!

2011-04-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Interesting how each trip I make to fish Erie steelhead seems to be unique! Weather, temperature,
water flows really affect these Erie tribs and I have come to understand the unknown is part of the experience. This trip was a bit more challenging...with temps in the teens and water surrounded by ice, we were forced to fight the bitter cold and seek deeper holes where fish were holding.
We arrived at our first fishing hole and already my feet and hands were so cold I wondered how I was going to handle the fly line with numb fingers! My toes smashed into my boots while toe warmers were sandwiched between two pairs of socks. I could not feel any heat coming off the foot warmers so I can only imagine how much colder they would have felt without them. My chin began to quiver, teeth rattled and a look of pain came over my face when my guide suggested I walk the banks awhile.
This time...I listened to my guide.
About an hour later the sun rose above my head and it felt like an electric heater had just been turned on.
Slowly the pained look was replaced by a smile:

While fighting a fish on the end of my line all coldness disappeared. Adrenalin kicks in and the joy of
steelheading has a way of making you forget any discomfort. These amazing fish will light you up and keep you begging for more!

The smile grows bigger, the day ends and I can't wait to do it again tomorrow!
Day two is a bit warmer but brings a little tougher fishing....we hike along the river in search of fish and drift our flies over fish looking for a player. The take is my favorite part..setting the hook and playing each fish until it surrenders and is brought to the net. Each fish has a different reaction to being hooked and watching that unfold is what makes steelheading so addicting. See you in the fall!

Steelhead Phenomena!

2011-03-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

It's always intriguing to me to watch migratory fish endure and persevere as they return
to their place of origin.
This is just a small window of their incredible journey.
I found this video by Herb Imondi beautifully captures the essence of Ohio Steelhead.
Thanks Herb..Nicely done!
Sit back and enjoy!

Bobble Heads!

2011-03-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with fly fishing or wing shooting....
however it should motivate you! If these young children
can learn to do this....than YOU can learn to Fly Fish!
Don't be a couch potato Bobble Head.....Bobble your head
to something new and exciting!
Call me!

" HOW LONG?" before spring steelhead!

2011-03-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Patti's Bleeder!

2011-03-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Fishing season in Indiana usually begins with the White Bass Run! These great little fish make their way out of the lake and into the streams to do their thing and it is always so much fun to go out and fish for them. Over the years I came up with a fly that works really well for me and named it " Patti's Bleeder"
Tie some up, make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and go out and fish for White Bass!

Here it is:
Attach a medium dumbell eye to a size 4 streamer hook using red thread.
I like to use a drop of zapagap to secure the eyes.
Tie on a clump of white calftail directly behind the eyes and wrap thread
to the point of the hook, return thread back to behind the lead eyes.
Tie in about 15 strands of red flashabou and 7 of pearl crystal flash.
Secure down and add another bunch of silver flashabou.
Cut to desired length....I like approx 2 inches.
Move thread to front of eyes. V-notch a short strip of crosscut white rabbit strip
and tie in just behind the eye of the hook, then move thread behind the lead eyes.
With fingers part and separate a small tuft of bangs and spit stroke them back.
Wrap a nice tight band to secure and throw in a half hitch,
return to the head to whip finish. Head cement and go!

Simms and Buff!

2011-03-05T10:10:00.000-08:00

Simms flats neakers and my buff were the two "must haves" on my bonefish trip. The sneakers are comfortable yet strong and durable to protect your feet when wading in the flats. They were especially nice to have for some of the hiking we did on the island....five stars for the Simms sneakers...try a pair on next time you are at your fly shop and grab a pair before you sign up for our next trip!
Buff= Sun Sense! I'll be honest I never really liked the idea of a buff...quite frankly it always seemed like a super hero mask to me! But over the years I have grown to love them. On this last trip my buff saved me! The sun was so intense that the only relief was pulling my buff over my ears and face for protection. It also comes in very handy to keep my ball cap on when cruising in the jet boat....otherwise the choices are remove your hat...or hold it on your head the whole way there! By pulling the buff completely over my ball cap I had no more worries about my hat blowing off my head!
Buffs come in different weight fabric for different applications...I strongly suggest you get a few....some for steelheading and cold water fishing and some for Hot Sizzling Sun!
Don't leave home without your bufffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff!

Hey....Who turned off the lights????

2011-03-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

Bonefishing is very different than the fishing I typically do. I enjoyed it so much and learned alot in a week's time. I loved fishing with different guides because each of them had their own input and drawing from their experience made it easier to gain as much knowledge and information as possible.
I learned that sunlight is critical in bonefishing.....a few times I had my eye on a fish that my guide had called out to me and I was able to clearly see the fish, watching him cruise within casting range, and in the middle of my false casting a cloud would come over the sun. This was like someone turning off the lights...the bottom went dark emerald and I quickly lost sight of the fish. Now you see him, now you don't! How frustrating!!!!!!!!!
Luckily this was not the case everytime.....when the lights stayed on, and the fish cruised within casting range, preferably a cast between 12:00 and 3:00, it usually resulted in a hook-up, and often times a fish in the boat!
Another lesson I learned was that bonefish are typically always moving...therefore the take can be subtle. Long strips are best as they help you feel the line tighten and allow time for a hook-set. A strip set is necessary to properly penetrate the fishes mouth. Too violent of a hook set results in pulling the fly out of the fish's mouth while too soft of a set doesn't get the job done.
Size 2's and 4's gotchas and crazy charleys are the flies of choice...and honestly....I went down there with way too many flies. They didn't seem too particular, as a matter of fact I don't recall a single refusal.
I plan to go back to the Bahamas and explore more water, catch more bonefish, meet more of the wonderful local people. God willing I will get the opportunity once again.....but if for some reason I don't...the memories are forever etched in my mind.

South Andros, Bahamas

2011-02-24T09:20:00.000-08:00

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The SKUNK is OUT!

2011-02-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

The next morning couldn't come fast enough! I had only fished for bones one other time in Mexico but everything I had heard about was that the Bahamas Bonefish rock! My saltwater fishing experience is limited to Louisiana Redfish so the excitement of casting to bonefish robbed my sleep and I was more than ready by sunrise. We arrived at the dock to meet up with our guide, Patterson, and quickly climbed on board. The ride was a bit cold, windy and the flats seemed to be endless. My buff pulled up clear over my head exposing only my sunglasses, I looked down into the water and it was hard to imagine that we would actually find bonefish in such a vast area....my only thought of the moment was: I sure hope Patterson knows what he's doing!

My fishing partner, Duane, and I agreed to 30 minutes intervals, or fish on, whichever came first. He was new to bonefish and had never fished from a flats boat before, so I extended first up to Duane.
He took position up on deck, stripped some line off his reel as Patterson poled around in search of bonefish. Winds were up and the sky was not optimal. Dark clouds dominated the sky with occasional sunlight peeking through, making seeing fish extremely difficult. One rotation for each of us resulted in not even a glimpse at a bonefish, no worries I said to myself..the day is long.
Patterson motored up, looked up to the sky and went chasing after the sun...light is critical, as is fish.
My thoughts ran wild as they often do when I am sitting in a boat running at fast speed. The anticipation is more than I can stand...questions and doubt fill my head, I want the motor off, I want silence, I want all the lights on, I want a school of fish crusing at us at about 100 feet away and heading into the wind, I wanna feel the speed of a bonefish on the end of my line and feel the transition of fly line to backing between my fingers, I want it now! Suddenly..the motor shuts down and I snap out of my whirlwind thoughts and re-enter reality. I get up on deck, strip line, take a few warm up casts, coil the line in my hand and take in the sights around me. The faint sound of a bird in the distance grabs my attention, it is so quiet that the wind and the distant song appear deaffening and finally... it happened...the call came in from Patterson; a strong voice with a Bahamian accent: " 1:00 o'clock-40 feet" there is no time to speak or think and you better know how to frikin tell time...........I make one false cast and at two fish coming my way, Patterson softly says" Let it sit" and then says" strip, strip....long strips, long strips...fish on!" The game is on....I set the hook and let the fish take the rest of my line, he now knows he is hooked and runs like hell. Ahhhhhhh the sound of my trustworthy Abel reel is so sweet. The fish makes several runs before I bring him to the boat and nothing can wipe the smile off my face, the skunk is out of the boat!

Kalik Please!

2011-02-24T04:26:00.000-08:00

We finally arrived in Congo Town in the Bahamas and my first impression was "quiet"
I have traveled to several Caribbean destinations but this was by far the smallest and underdeveloped

place I have ever been. Shirley, the local taxi cab driver, picked us up at the airport. I quickly noticed her green cotton bonefish stamped shirt and her very layed back atittude. A short ride to the airport and we arrived at our hotel. A charming hotel right on the beach, casual but stylish....the adventure was about to begin. Bring on the beach and the Kalik!

Hello Sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

Woooooh-hoooooooo.....everything is packed for my trip tomorrow!
A few people tried to guess where I am going but no one got it right....I'm so excited to be going to
the Bahamas for bonefish......After the harsh winter we have had, I can honestly say that I am so
looking forward to sunshine and warmer climate.

This will be my first time fishing the Bahamas but everything I have read and heard leads me to think
I am in for a real treat.
Good Bye snow and ice....hello sunshine!

Fish On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will post more when I get there!

Houston-We Have A Problem!

2011-02-03T11:41:00.000-08:00

Cabin Fever has struck and aside from fly tying there is very little to do to occupy my time and so I have turned to my new hobby of Heli Flying!
Oh my gosh...what fun it is to fly around your house trying to maintain control of this light yet durable RC helicopter!
When I first started flying I would crash every 5-10 seconds....it has something to do with brain sending ( or in this case NOT sending) clear, precise and timely messages to the hands. In my case there seemed to be a problem with the messenger not delivering the message before the Heli smashed into a wall.
Houston....We have a problem!!!!!!
Thank goodness for the durability of this little Heli. One good thing about Heli flying is that I think it makes me a better housekeeper....."HOW?" you ask? Well...since I began this hobby I have managed to shake the dust off my ceiling fan, prune my house plants and find dust balls hidden behind unmoved furniture! So you see.....Heli flying contributes to house cleaning.....(well...maybe it just points out places that need cleaning.)
This is my second Heli..the first one "Blade" is in need of some maintanance but this new Heli made by "Force" seems to be superior in performance...or maybe I'm just getting a heck of alot better!
I am in serious training and my new addition will be a stationary target to help me achieve greater control and accuracy...Eventually I will engage in air to air combat!

Pizza and Bugs!

2011-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Last night was a fun night with Dan Bloodgood and our club members who enjoy fly tying. The fly tying session was special because of a visit from
exceptional fly tyer Dan Bloodgood! Dan always amazes everyone with his knowledge and fly tying expertise and this session was about weaving and crocheting flies. Helgramites in particular.Our session was limited to simple patterns of weaving two or three colors of vermille in either the Helgramite weave or the bumblebee weave.
While this takes some practice we were able to produce some nice looking bugs and as my old friend Jack always said" It'll catch fish!"

Where's Patti Going?

2011-01-25T12:00:00.000-08:00

Alrighty...in the last post I mentioned the need and possibility of a fishing adventure, well it looks like once again the fish Gods are calling and guiding me to a new destination.
Some place warm....sunny, with lots of really cool fish. Oh yeaaaa, I think I will make this a game!
How about I give you one more hint and see if anyone can figure out
where I'm going and what I will be fishing for???????
:)
Fly Box Hint:

Yukon Here I come!

2011-01-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

The show is over, the bills are paid, my feet are rested, and you can actually begin to see the top of my desk!...this is usually a sign that a new adventure is just around the corner ( or I need to stir something up) Such is the case when shortly after the show I decided to visit the All Canada Show in town just to see what it is like.
Jennifer Young is the president/owner and producer of the show and so my curiosity got the best of me. I listened to her give a presentation on Canadian lodges and when she was finished, I approached her and introduced myself. She was very friendly and after chatting just a few minutes I realized she is alot like me...a woman who loves to fish and be outdoors so it was no surprise when we hit off right from the get go.
Her show travels across the country and Canada, so we keep in touch through e-mail and facebook.
After thinking about it a few days I had an idea about fishing with Jennifer, she using conventional gear and I would be using a fly rod of course. I say a fly rod of course because I have never caught a fish with a spinning rod. The more I thought about this, the more intriguing it became, so I phoned Jennifer and discussed the idea. She was very receptive to the idea and even took it a step further and suggested a lodge in the Yukon.
We plan on fishing the Yukon this summer and will be filming some of the trip and Jennifer will write an article in the All Canada Show magazine about our expedition.
Amazing.........
I wonder what this adventure will be like....Yukon here I come!

Touched by the Love of Fly Fishing

2011-01-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

Our fourth annual Indiana On The Fly show was a huge success! Over 1,100 people attended this year's event and the day was packed with so much to see and do. Great speakers like Joe Humphreys, Tim Holschlag and Kevin Feenstra all presented terrific seminars to a standing room seminar room.
These professionals bring years of experience and offer so much knowledge and information that is invaluable!
I was very impressed by Joe Humphreys seminar, of course I expected an outstanding presentation but I was not expecting to see so much passion and such love come through after so many years. Joe clearly has a love affair with trout fishing and when he spoke of his many fishing experiences I could not help notice the twinkle in his eye as he retold his fishing stories.
This level of passion is not something you can rehearse prior to a presentation, it is either present or it isn't and I felt his passion and was touched by it. Joe Humphreys has never lost the "fun" of fishing.
It is not a business it is a passion and it is something I can relate to.
We spent the weekend sharing and talking about our own experiences and I am so grateful to have met Joe and to be called his friend, it was truly inspirational.

April Vokey was also one of our presenters and she is a delightful young woman with a true love for fly fishing and a great passion for mentoring young people. She is especially drawn to teaching and working with young ladies who are just getting started in the sport.
April is a steelhead guide in British Columbia, so don't let her youth and pretty face distract you from the fact that she is a very dedicated and accomplished angler and fly tyer.
The show consisted of so many wonderful exhibitors and each one of them contributed in making this such a great day.
Thanks to every one who participated and attended the show.....It is a pleasure for me to be in your company.

Show Week creates a Buzz!

2011-01-03T13:35:00.000-08:00

Indiana On The Fly is just 5 days away!
This is our fourth show and every year the excitement has been
overwhelming. This one day event was a dream that combined the
two sports I love so much...Fly Fishing and Wing Shooting...the preparation reminds me alot of planning a wedding. It takes a whole year to plan and then it's over in one day!
Bringing together fellow anglers and hunters under one roof is like an
outdoor party only indoors. Like minded folks, visiting, chatting, testing
a rod or learning about a new fly is like a shot in the arm that gets our blood moving in preparation of spring fishing.
People gather in our seminar room as great presenters reveal their tips, tactics and strategies about their expertise. Fishermen, seasoned or novice
are always eager to learn how someone else catches fish. What flies, what gear, what method, we want to know and hear all the details.
This is what makes a specialty fly show "Special"
Fly Tyers demonstrate their great skill and tricks that is only obtained after
thousands of flies have been tied .At the show, it is shared and spread
to anyone who is interested in learning.
This year we have an awesome display for our hunters to enjoy...Thanks to Randy and his team, there will be an Indiana Bird Habitat exhibit that will
thrill everyone.
As I sit here and type this I realize I can go on and on about what makes
fly fishing such a great sport, but the truth lies within the angler and
those who bring their passion to the show know exactly what I am referring to.
The Buzz...Hope to see you there!

The Essence

2010-12-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Childhood memories are flooding my thoughts 5 days before Christmas.
It seems like only a few years ago my father took my brother and I bird hunting. The reality is it was more like 40 years ago but nevertheless they are memories so deeply carved in my heart and soul that time cannot erase.
I took an opportunity to spend a day hunting with my own son, Michael and so I arranged a hunt as part of his Christmas present.
Michael is 18 years old,with a carefree spirit,sweet smile and very strong will. Today I looked into his eyes and realized he has grown into a young man. He always brings laughter and fun to any situation, including bird hunting. Behind those playful eyes there is a great deal of goodness, a heart of gold and an awareness of family honor.
Bird hunting brings you back to the basics and sometimes helps you rediscover something that has always been there...the core.
My father's legacy is exactly that: 1.the core is the center of The central or innermost part :2.The basic or most important part; the essence.
The early morning layed down a carpet of fresh snow and somehow I knew this
was going to be a special day.
Merry Christmas to my son Michael and to his great Father Terry... and thanks Dad for always guiding me.

Growing old has it's advantages!

2010-12-19T10:48:00.000-08:00

Upon returning home Stetson gets a warm wash cloth rub down, and a hearty meal followed by a nap near his favorite register vent~ oh..I forgot to mention he received a corn dog for his special treat! atta boy Stetson!

December 18, a week before Christmas...this could possibly be the last time I get a chance to hunt before the Holidays...Let's hope that is not the case.
I can always use Stetson as my excuse as to why I must go hunting, to give him proper exercise of course!
The early morning drive began with dense fog and temps in the low 20's-It's going to be a brisk morning but no one is complaining. The hunt consists of chukar and quail and young Stetson is in rare form. Could this be a day of great progress for Stetson? Up until now he has been doing just fine but the points have been very close to the birds and still not as steady as I want to see him..."Let's just enjoy the day" is the attitude of the day.
The hunt begins and Stetson is working the field nicely, traversing and getting that nose into the wind quickly brings him to his first point..a solid point, followed by my whispering "whoa" Stetson locks up with nose pointing straight ahead, I begin to approach the pointed area and even with fresh snow on the ground I cannot locate the bird, Stetson holds his ground and shows confidence, I continue the search, this time my eyes scanning an eight foot radius when all of the sudden I spot him... a gorgeous chuckar roosted down in a bed of snow. Stetson knows I have spotted the bird and holds tight as I move in, reposition and flush. The bird flies and only one shot is necessary to bring him down..Stetson marks it and goes for the retrieve. At this moment I realize my dog really does know how to hunt and I am in awe of his performance.So proud of him, I stop for a moment and try to imagine what he will be like in 3 years...when he is seasoned and a more mature dog. You seee.....getting old has its advantages... I can't wait to grow old with Stetson!

Merry Christmas to you!

2010-12-14T08:03:00.001-08:00

This free digital greeting card created with Smilebox

Are you a hunter or a gatherer?

2010-12-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

" You don't look like a person who hunts and fishes!"
is probably the most irritating statement I hear and beleive me I have heard it numerous times.
I'm not really sure if it is intended to be a compliment or an insult, I do however find it puzzling.
Perhaps if I wore a Daniel Boone hat or strapped a knife in a leather sheath to my hip or maybe chewed tobacco and spat in a spitoon... then would it be clearly obvious that I hunt and fish?
I do love to hunt and fish and I suppose I was born with this unexplainable passion for the outdoors. I don't think of it as a manly thing but rather as the most fun a person can have....being outdoors brings me great joy and nature is gender neutral, you either love being there or you don't. It is neither masculine nor feminine, it is simply pure and natural.

A hunter: a person who hunts game or other wild animals for food or in sport.
A gatherer: to pick or harvest (any crop or natural yield) from its place of growth or formation: to gather fruit; to gather flowers.

Both: Patti Beasley

I hunted, I gathered and I cooked! Life is Good!

Pheasant and noodles.............yummy!

Filson For Women!

2010-12-11T09:51:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite hunting clothes I own is the Filson Brush Pant for Women!
These pants are so comfortable they actually allow you to move easily and even kneel down to
tend to my dog or tie my boots! I know that sounds silly, but other pants I have worn were so uncomfortably stiff I could barely bend. I once thought Brush Pants needed to feel like a coat of armor in order to protect my legs but that simply is not so.
The Filson Brush Pant is a must have if you want great protection, good fit and style.
How refreshing that they are made especially for women and I dont have to wear pants that are designed for a man's body! They are slender in the legs and fit perfectly for a woman's figure.
Thank-you Filson for making this outstanding garment.....I will never hunt without them again!

Bigger and Meaner!

2010-12-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

With Indiana temperatures finally rebounding in the 30's, I took advantage of this gorgeous day and got Stetson back out on birds. Pheasant and Chukar this time...up until now he has only been on quail but maybe it's time to get him on other birds and see what happens.
First point...didn't take very long...nice solid point for his first chukar! Boom..nice shot and Stetson instinctively retrieved it.
Next point is a little more unsure.....Rooster pheasant; Stetson points, I can see the tail feathers sticking out, Stetson begins to creep as I pull back on the check cord and remind him of where he should be. He inches up again with less confidence, I woah him again and try to move him back in position, then I go in for the flush and the bird takes a low flight out of dodge...I shoot and the bird falls on the first shot, Stetson moves in for the fetch but seems to be taking longer than necessary.....I go in and find Stetson with bird pinned up against the ground...Stetson won't let go of him but is not picking the bird up...maybe he is a bit uncertain about this bird....bigger and meaner for sure! I didn't want Stetson to have a bad experience but at the same time I wanted him to build confidence with pheasant...I instructed him to fetch up the bird, but instead he dragged it over to me. I guess that is a step in the right direction.
Watching Stetson hunt is like watching a child play on the playground...he bounces all over and is full of excitement. Sure he made mistakes....plenty of them, but he is a young dog out for his first season, I think the most important thing for him is to enjoy himself....track scent, find birds, try to maintain control and hold a point as long as possible. It is obvious he is working hard to please me, not totally sure of what I want him to do but knows the bird is the trophy...We got 4 trophies today, but the best part of the day was being outside with my best friend.

A Bird is a Bird!

2010-12-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

Crazy hectic with Christmas and show plans but Stetson has a way of making me smile!
Right after I finished trimming the tree I realized this was the first time Stetson has seen
the Christmas tree.
Over the years I have collected old world glass bird ornaments and of course I think this was
a bit confusing for Stetson.
I looked at him and he was on point directly facing a little red bird! That's my boy...a bird is a bird!

Stetson delivers a solid point!

2010-12-02T18:58:00.000-08:00

Another day in the field with Stetson only this time with better results! With much cooler temps than the last time, Stetson delivers a solid point.What a great day to go out and work with my dog..a dusting of snow, nice crisp air and beautifully scented QUAIL!
Stetson was a happy dog today, looking for birds and doing a descent job finding them. I am so thrilled
to see him working the field and doing his best to please me.
The check cord worked remarkably well...allowing me to correct his creeping and readjust his stance.
He looks mighty handsome and I know he will only get better as he matures.
Fishing is on hold for the moment....but thankfully I have Stetson!

if you are a steelheader...you can't watch this without laughing!

2010-11-29T15:12:00.000-08:00

Shoot Like A Girl...if you can!

2010-11-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

That's right folks...women can and do hunt! What a great event I participated in thanks to INDNR,
Pheasants Forever, Tractor Supply Company in Franklin, Mutual Savings Bank in Trafalgar and White Lick Archery Club! As a woman who loves to fish and hunt I am always excited to see events that promote women in the outdoors and give ladies an opportunity to try a sport that often times is overlooked by women. The truth is pheasant hunting is tons of fun....the opportunity to walk in the field and enjoy the sights of the outdoors and also enjoy watching great bird dogs do their thing is incredibly rewarding not to mention having a chance to shoot a flying target that will then go home with you for you to share with family and friends.
Today I had the opportunity to share the experience with my dear friend Mary who is relatively new to shooting. With the help of three great Pheasants Forever members and their awesome dogs we were able to enjoy a wonderful morning hunt. Thanks to Jack , Joe and Woodie who's expertise led us to a safe and fun hunt.

The hunt began with heavy fog making it difficult for us to even find our way to Atterbury but eventually we made it and after a delicious breakfast we headed for the field.

Bird hunting reminds me of the days I spent in the field with my Father and my Brother, days filled with laughter, joy and alot of teasing. Today was very much like that and I know it will be a hunt I never forget. Thanks again to everyone who made it possible...and Mary, I will be your hunting partner anytime!

In Search of The Perfect Loop!

2010-11-15T05:36:00.000-08:00

This video reminds us of the fact that casting can be a concerto in perfect harmony.
Watch and feel the beauty....

IN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT LOOP from Marcus Sies on Vimeo.

A Woman's Best Friend!

2010-11-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love Stetson any more " IT HAPPENED!"
Today I took Stetson on his first bird hunt...Quail..I asked my friend Duane to go along since he
is Stetson's doggie Sitter whenever I am off on a fishing trip. For those of you who know me and
Stetson you know that he is 18 months old and has had a little bit of training last Fall, but this
would be his real bird hunt. I had no idea what to expect and the unknown made me a little nervous.
As my luck would have it, those nice crisp fall days we have been having was not the case today.....instead we had a super warm day well into the 70's that would only compromise the hunt.
But we kept our booking and made the best of it. We arrived at the preserve as scheduled and I wondered if Stetson remembered having spent time at this facility when he was a youngster...I was quickly reminded of our last visit here when Stetson fled the field he was suppose to be working on
and seemed to be wilder than a Boar's nose hair!
So what might we expect today? Would he be obedient and hunt within shotgun range? would he be able to pick up bird scent in these awful dry and hot conditions? One way to find out!
I geared up and opened the kennel giving him a woah...I gently stroked his head and gave him a vote of confidence ( with my fingers crossed)

Two shells in my Beretta side by side..I released the dog and the hunt was on.....Or was it a Marathon? Stetson took off like a bat out of hell and no whistle on the face of the earth was going to get his attention...he ran and ran circling like a buzzard on speed...WTH is going on here? He blew past the flagged birds and he was hunting so far away I knew we were in trouble....instantly a quail flushed and
neither of us were anywhere close enough to even take a stab at it....we quickly tried to get him back in close range but he would only make one pass near us and then return out of range. FFFFFLLLL another quail flushes and heads for Fort Wayne! It's going to be a not so long " LONG DAY!"
Finally Stetson seems to settle down a bit and begins to respond to our commands to work in a little closer. He acts birdie...I know my dog and could just tell he was on a scent, but where is that solid point I have been dreaming about? He lowers closer to the ground and begins to circle some thick cover, rooting his nose in flattened grass, agrresively wagging his tail, I watch and hold my breath in anticipation of a point: he stops, then repositions and the bird quickly flushes heading out of dodge...I bring the gun up to my shoulder as I release the safety and pull the trigger missing the bird, I continue my swing and take my second shot and the bird tumbles to the ground! Stetson bolts after it, without hesitation mouths the bird and proudly brings it back to me. I hold out my hand and say " drop it" and he released the softly mouthed bird in my hand. Unbelievable!

This moment foever etched in my mind as my heart swells with

love and pride!

"That's My Boy" I say to him and he sits at my side with confidence while we pose

for this photo of a lifetime.

Well it wasn't perfect...the point was nearly non exhistent but it was all heart.

I knew he did his best to please me and I know the best is yet to come.

Stetson is a young dog and he may not be finished, polished, or perfect, but he

is my best friend and together I know we will improve.

The hunt was short due to the hot weather, he drank plenty of water from the nearby

water hole and even took a break to think things over.

We returned to the field for a final pass up on the ridge and picked up another bird. Stetson is
working in closer now and seems to be more confident, he went from totally clueless to clueless but
it is a step in the right direction. This time he acts more birdie than before...he is working the outside cover just right of my hunting partner. My partner yells to me that Stetson in on point...I quickly walk over in that direction and the bird flushes way right, I hold my fire and hope my partner gets a shot off in time, BOOM...a single shot is heard and the bird is down! Stetson is there in a flash, picks up the bird and takes it to the hunter's hand....it was as if he was thanking him for taking care of him all those times.
He gifted my hunting partner his first quail and I was so happy for both of them.

What a day! Sunny, hot Autumn day, perhaps not ideal for a hunt, but certainly ideal for
a day in the field with your best friend. I look forward to many more hunts with Stetson and I
can only hope they will all be as joyous as this day. Three birds bagged:

and Stetson looked back in the field as if he too will never forget this day!

Reel Women- Reel Men on The Alley!

2010-11-05T05:48:00.000-07:00

Free slideshow made with Smilebox

Craaaaazy About Steelhead!

2010-11-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Another great adventure on the Alley!
For the past five years I have been fishing Lake Erie Tribs for Steelhead. I developed such
a passion for steelheading and wanted to share it with my friends in the club, so every year
we take a group up to experience the thrill of steelhead on a fly.
I must say that it is much harder than it looks especially for beginners, but Steelhead Alley
Outfitters are excellent at finding fish and helping newbies get their first taste of chrome.
Sometimes it can be very challenging...depending on conditions, water levels or timing.
But the challenge is what makes it so great! Learning to adapt to whatever condition you are
faced with and overcome the obstacles. Over the years I have seen those challenges in a wide
range, wether it be personal or inexperience or sometimes it is just a case of bad fish mojo!
For me this trip pushed my WTF button...........................
Both days started off with me losing fish after fish,
frustrating me to no end, nothing seemed to be going right and even when I lost a fish that wasn't my fault it only added insult to injury.
Looking back on it, it would have been easy to just chalk it up to a bad day and remain in that
funk that begins to knaw at your insides, meanwhile your teeth are clenched with an occasional
lip chomping fit that nearly draws blood.
This is why I think fishing is so theraputic....I walked on the river with a heavy heart and alot on my mind and somehow (this is the unexplainable part) hiking out in the darkness of the early morning, with temps in the 20's, chilling my body to the bone has a way of restoring balance.
With each step I listened to the crunch of the frost on the ground with only moonlight and a cheap head lamp on my head leading the way to the river.
Of course my guide was there to assist and to push me to grow as an angler. His knowledge and expertise is unmatched but ultimately it was up to me...I could either remain fishless and make a list of excuses or I could hang in there and fight. The fight is not just a battle between you and the fish, but more between you and your inner self. As I relaxed and maybe filed my thoughts in that chaotic internal filing system of mine(with missing alphabet letters and permanent marker notes scratched out several times on the folders) I began to see fish much clearer and my rod became an easy tool to use, much like a spoon.
I fed the fish the flies and amazingly they opened up their mouths.
Two days of steelheading, I landed 7 fish. My body aches from the physical challenge yet it feels so good I can hardly wait to do it again. Craaazzy indeed!

Halloween...DEAD but not GONE!

2010-11-03T07:55:00.000-07:00

What ever happened to Halloween???
My memories of Halloween are some of the best times I had...
I had only a few years to enjoy the fun....We moved to Cleveland from Italy when I was
10 years old so my Halloween days were short lived.
But I remember them like they were yesterday.....We trick or treated until lights were out everywhere
or we had so much candy we could no longer carry it!
Those were fun times.....people seemed friendlier then and kids were happy
being kids. Haunted houses, halloween parties and decorating was all part of it and
families would carve pumpkins together and make it a fun filled event.
Today......faux styrophome pumpkins seem to be the norm and very few people even
participate in the tradition of Halloween.
In my neighborhood this year we had only 4 kids come by for trick or treat....I guess
the mall might have had a better turnout! The Mall....can you imagine?????
My daughter and her family seem to love Halloween and my grandson Thomas has no choice
but to love it! His 5th Birthday party this year was a Halloween costume party!
Happy Birthday little Tomas..I hope you have fond memories of your 5th birthday!
Their home was heavily decorated with a semi scary theme, traditional halloween
spiders and monsters without all the blood and guts!
I added a little blood to the event by using fake blood on my neck and Thomas seemed to love it!
Halloween is a dead and gone but some of us still have a fading candle tucked inside our carved
pumpkin. Hope you had a Spooktacular Holloween!

Redfish or Bust!

2010-10-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

Every year October for me means a trip to southern Louisiana in search of Redfish!
This year I have the pleasure of going down there with long time friend and fishing
partner Joe Z. We set out for what was about to be Joe's first adventure to Lousiana.
While killing time at the Indy airport Joe suggested 96th street burger wraps....I'm telling you
these are killer! If you have never had one....You gotta try em! my suggestion is onions and mustard!
hmmmmmmmmmm..yummmmmm!

While waiting for us to board our first flight, we made an instant friend. His name was
Jean Paul.....an Optometrist who turned out to be as dear to me as a "Nephew."
We took a mid morning flight which made a connection in Atlanta. As luck would have it
we arrived in Atlanta late with very little time to make our connection but we gave it our
best OJ try running through the airport like a bat out of hel..... I had no choice but to
answer mother nature's call and make a pit stop.....a quick pit stop at that, could not have cost
us more than 2 minutes but we later realized it resulted in "sealed cabin doors."
Shit! We missed the flight and the consolation prize was Jean Paul was the bearer of
bad news!

We managed to get rebooked on the only remaining flight of the day with Jean Paul's

quick thinking ;)

Now this sounds like the start of a lousy fishing trip right??????

WRONG...it was actually a stroke of good fortune since the flight we missed

ended up having mechanical problems and was delayed in getting out!

When we finally got to Louisiana we were not certain of what we might find...

but we were pleasantly surprised!!!!!

gorgeous sunrise

Roseate Spoonbills

dolphins

Beautiful marsh grass in fall color

oyster beds

As usual the scenery was breathtaking....I am always amazed

at the wild life and amazing sights on this trip but I must say I was

especially thrilled about seeing it again. The reports of the oil spill

gave illusions that EVERYTHING was destroyed yet we never saw a

trace of oil or damage anywhere.

We had the opportunity to speak to a reliable source who confirmed there is

oil in the water and it has been dealt with to the best of their ability. But the media

naturally reported and focused on the problem areas as they should, but made little

mention to the fact that the majority of Louisiana fishing industry has had no effect.

We were glad to have trusted the information from our guide and made the trip inspite

of the negative and grim media reports.

As usual this is what we found:

Black Drum

Blue and White clouser was my fly of choice this trip!

It was great to watch Joe cast and fish for his first Louisiana redfish...I am always delighted
to share this fishery with friends and people who can appreciate the simplicity of this tranquil
destination.
I have a new appreciation for our guide Lance, who makes poling look so easy....trust me, it's NOT!

Thanks to Joe for taking some great photos!

Thanks to our hosts for continuing the passion and the dream set before you by your
father. I can't help think that he is smiling down on us everytime we land a fish!

Red Thang....You Make My Heart Sing!

See you Next Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

" The River Why" is in Indianapolis!

2010-10-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to show producer Kristi Denton Cohen for inviting me to opening night of this
wonderful film. The River Why is based on the novel by the same name and is a story about
Gus Orvington who leaves his eccentric parents for what he thinks is fly fishing bliss along the
banks of a wild river. It's a wonderful movie about life.
Check it out!

Autumn on the Muskegon...A show you don't want to miss!

2010-10-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

As you can see from this photograph fall on the Muskegon River is spectacular!
I had the privildge of spending two days on the river with professional guide
Kevin Feenstra. Now I know that guides are suppose to know their river and of
course their job is to do their best to put you on fish but Kevin takes it
to a completely different level.

Fishing with Kevin is far more than that...we all know that no guide can guarantee fish but
what is guaranteed with Kevin is that he offers his clients the most enjoyable experience possible.
He knows the Muskegon river like the back of his hand and his experience and knowledge leads him to
guide instinctively.
Our targeted species was salmon and of course we covered water for trout and we were even blessed with a few small, chrome steelhead!
My first salmon came to the net within ten minutes of casting into darkness in the early hours of the morning.

As the fog bellowed in I was in awe of the beauty of the river even

with dark gray skies and a black siloutte of the Michigan forest...

as the sun began to burn off the fog it gave light to the Autumn colors that

made it difficult to focus only on fishing....my eyes were like a fast shutter

of a camera trying to capture all the beauty around me.

At this point the fish became a bonus...it was great just being there and seeing

a river bubbling with life with these great migratory fish. Chinook salmon... in preparation of spawn.

It is truly amazing to witness this renewal of life cycle.

It is like a parade or show coming to town....and I was lucky enough to have a ticket and

even win a prize!

Day two brought more of the same: salmon with trout lurking close behind.

Another amazing day on the river!

I truly lucked out with incredible weather, maybe a little too nice but it's nice

to fish Michigan again and not catch a COLD!

We got off the water and I headed back to Indy....as I made the drive home I relived some
of the great moments of the trip and the bruise on my tummy from the rod butt really doesn't hurt
that bad and it actually reminds me of how strong those salmon really are.
I was really good at ticking them off...the head shakes said it all! See you next year...I'm coming back
to get you!

Murdich Minnow....a must have fly!

2010-09-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

My good friend Bob introduced me to this fly a few weeks ago and if Bob says it's a good
fly, you can pretty much count on it. I quickly learned to tie it and hit the river with it.
It is a very light fly, so it's easy to cast and the flashabou moves so freely in the water that
the action is great! It looks like a little minnow and I think the head and big eye really makes it
pop! Smallies chased this fly all over the place and in two weeks I have caught over 30 smallies
on it. Last night I fished it in a small creek and even though the fish were on the small side, they still
seemed to find this fly irresistible! I also caught a white bass on it so I know this will be a killer fly
next spring when the white bass are running...I'm going to make a few changes to it to make it really
HOT for white bass!
Thanks Bob for sharing this great fly with me...and thanks Mr. Murdich..lol...Do you really exist?
What a great evening of fishing with fellow club members this week:

Visit with the Duneland Fly Fishers!

2010-09-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

This week I had the pleasure of doing a presentation for the Duneland Fly Fishers up
in Portage, IN. It was so great meeting fellow fly fishers and it is always amazing to
me how friendly fly fishermen are. We just seem to all be in a world wide club!
We met at Bass Pro for a nice dinner and then gathered upstairs for an informal
get together. We spoke about our clubs and of course about fishing, flies, and anything
else that came up. I was especially taken with how friendly this club is and being fellow
Hoosiers we were able to connect as we discussed the fishing in Indiana.

Christina is a relatively new angler but it was obvious to me she is passionate about
fishing and learning more about the sport.
Thanks again to Eric and the rest of the gang for having me visit and I hope our paths
will cross again soon. You are always welcome to come down and fish with
Reel Women-Reel Men!

What happened to " HELLO"

2010-09-17T14:12:00.000-07:00

Indiana DNR is hosting it's 2nd annual Outdoor expo this weekend. It is a wonderful event FREE to all
who attend. They have fly fishing, spin fishing, kayaking, shotgun shooting, archery, just to name a few.
I think it's imperative that we povide an avenue for our children and families to find their way back to nature. Fewer and fewer kids enjoy the outdoors as we did when growing up. The reality is more of them are spending time on the computer or playing video games and I am afraid we will see even more of a decline in outdoor sports in the future.
Along with all the activities this weekend, this expo also held a student day this week where hundreds of third graders from Indiana got to participate in many events. Our club of course participated and as I was doing our fly fishing presentation to a group of kids, it became evident that these kids view the world much differently than I did as a kid.
The message DNR would like us to help deliveris: "Being a good citizen by caring about our Natural Resources. Now this seemed easy enough to me as I prepared my little speech and the three things I chose to stress upon them were: Practice Catch and Release, Don't litter and help pick up trash, and be friendly and curteous to other people on the river.
I began with my friendly little greeting and a welcome to fly fishing and began to speak to them about Catch and Release....I asked how many of them have ever caught fish and eaten them for dinner. Quite a few raised their hand, I added that I too have eaten a fish or two that I caught. But then I posed the question: "What would happen if everyone kept every single fish we ever caught? The children were quick to respond that " we would no longer have any fish." Pleased with the response, I moved to point number two. Trash. I asked about what we should do with our candy wrapper when we are down by the river and the children replied we should stuff the wrapper in our pockets.
Now I'm feeling proud and am anticipating smooth sailing for this next question: " What should we do if we see a plastic bag along the bank of a river?" and an adorable young boy quickly raised his hand, waving it back and forth to get my attention, of course I called on him to reply; his eyes big as half dollars, he took a deep breath and said" DON'T PICK IT UP.........IT COULD HAVE A BOMB IN IT!"
Shocked at his response I mumbled something about clearly seeing the bag was empty....and moved on to the my last point.
Then I said...."What should we do when we are fishing or playing down by the river and we see other people?" Now I thought this was a simple question but a little girl blurted out the answer as a warning to all her peers...." DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS!"
Wow....I was really taken back by this answer since of course I was trying to teach children to greet other fishermen on the water, exchange a few words and just be courteous.
Amazing how our children are thinking these days...it makes me a little sad to think that safety comes with a price of disconnecting from humanity and limiting our interaction with others.
Perhaps my lesson failed.

Up and Go! and maybe Boom!

2010-09-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

When teaching my 4 year old grandson I have learned that fewer words work best.
A four year old is not interested in listening to a bunch of words about the mechanics
of casting! Instead Thomas relates to words like 'Up and Go" and "BOOM" in place of
more power. The important thing is establishing confidence and making him feel like he
is doing great. Actually I think he is doing fabulous!
He still needs help with setting the hook but once hooked he is reeling in the fish by himself
and today he handled the fish and removed the hook by himself. He seems to really love
releasing the fish even though some of the bluegill flew a greater distance than I would like to see.

Smallies in Indiana!

2010-09-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Finally our White River is fishing well! We have low and clear conditions but if you
look for deeper holes, oxygenated areas, or shady areas, you will likely find a bass or two.
I found a nice stretch of water on the White River this week that held more fish than I could imagine.
Using a favorite streamer pattern of mine, I discovered feeding some line during my
upstream mend really improved my catch rate. In deeper water I used as many as 3 or 4 exaggerated
mends to really get that fly down to where the fish were.
Stripping did not seem to work....but rather a dead drift approach was more effective.
I love fishing for smallmouth...the take is strong and deliberate.
Get out and fish....soon the river will be covered in autumn leaves.

Practicing for bird season!

2010-09-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Fly Fishers Wade in for Relaxing Lull- Daily Journal Newspaper

2010-09-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

Fly fishers wade in for relaxing lull

By Ryan Trares

Source:
Daily Journal Daily Journal

September 3, 2010

Section: Features, Page A6

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jesse Lockhart scanned the riverside, looking for the best place to cast.

Standing knee-deep in Sugar Creek, he flung his fishing line across the water. The line unfurled in a whip-like motion, with the tiny feathered fly landing farther and farther away.
Several times the line came back empty of a fish. Lockhart didn’t seem too concerned
“This is my serenity. This is where I get away,” he said. “I don’t care if I catch a fish or not. I just like the idea of not seeing anybody, not hearing anything, just being with the river.”
Though Indiana’s streams and rivers aren’t swarming with steelhead or teeming with trout, they offer quality fly-fishing for those willing to search it out. Enthusiasts pull up bass, bluegill and crappie, all while enjoying the outdoors.
“A lot of people think that fishing is sitting on a bucket and watching a bobber. That doesn’t appeal to everyone, people who want to walk along the river, feel the rushing water and be outside,” said Patti Beasley, an Indianapolis fly-casting instructor. “Catching a fish can be a bonus.”
Beasley first cast a fly line as a 5-year-old in the streams of Italy, where she grew up. She’s been a fly-fishing instructor since 2000 and founded Reel Women Reel Men of Indianapolis, a fishing club.
The group meets weekly at area streams, including White River, Sugar Creek and Driftwood River.

Lockhart figures he’s been meeting with the club for the past couple of years. He’s found that Indiana waterways are ideal for fly-fishing in summer. The water is
lower, making it easy to wade in, but it still has deep pockets where fish like to hide.
Bass love the protection of log jams, rocks and downed trees. Crappie take refuge in the shady areas around docks or trees.
Knowing these tricks can pay off with a big bite.
Simple equipment
After just a few minutes of casting, Lockhart felt a tug on his line. Pulling it in rapidly, he found a bass, about 10 inches long, thrashing on the other end.
Grasping the twitching fish in his hand, he unhooked the lure from its lower lip, held it in the flowing water and let it swim away.
After the initial excitement of the catch, Lockhart went back to casting and soaking up the outdoors.
“Indiana has some really gorgeous, beautiful, breathtaking places that the public never sees,” he said. “This is my chance to enjoy it.”
Fly-fishing is a sport with an elitist reputation; it can involve pricey equipment and trips to exotic locales to catch salmon or trout. But part of its appeal is its simplicity.
At its base, fly-fishing requires only a few pieces of basic equipment — rod, reel, line and flies.
Rods are made of graphite, bamboo or fiberglass and weigh about 5 ounces. The line is lightweight silk covered in plastic that floats on the water.
Flies are what will eventually attract a fish. Fly fishers don’t use bait such as worms, minnows or crickets. Their lures are completely artificial, made of wood, feathers and other lightweight material.
The lure is painted to mimic insects, depending on what’s being fished.
John Groves, a southside resident, prefers to start with a chartreuse popper, a yellowish combination of rubber streamers and feathers hiding the hook in a circular body.
The lure resembles a bug skipping across calm water, getting the fish’s attention.
“It really makes the water bubble as you pull it back. They seem to love that,” Groves said.
Matching fish, lures
Choosing the right lure depends on where you’re fishing and what you’re trying to catch, Beasley said.
Bluegill love poppers and other flies that float on the water. Trout will attack ones that sink toward the bottom of the river.
None of that matters if you don’t have the cast down, Beasley said.
Fly-fishing success revolves around the cast. The repetitive back-and-forth motion is a necessity, as anglers need to keep their lures moving.
In traditional fishing, a line is set with an easy, forward cast. But fly-fishing requires the participant to whip the line behind the angler in order to cast forward.
“We don’t have heavy weights at the end of our lines, just a light lure made out of feathers. You can’t just throw it forward,” Beasley said. “So the cast is thrown back first, then forward. The motion and the weight of the fly is what keeps it going.”
The best way to perfect the motion is by practice. When Groves started fly-fishing a few years ago, he learned the mechanics of casting by playing around in his back yard, he said. He’d practice throwing his line four times a week.
“It was very awkward at first, but the more I did it, the more fluid it became,” he said.
Once fly fishers have the cast down, they have all of the requisite skills to hit the river, Beasley said. The next trick to learn is how to figure out where the fish are hiding and what to do to make them bite.
Meredith Wilson of Indianapolis has been fly-fishing for almost 60 years. The sport appeals with its cerebral qualities, the opportunity to try and outsmart nature, he said.
Wilson compared it to hunting.
“You’re competing with the fish. It’s not about taking them home or seeing how many you can catch. It’s about trying to figure out where they’re at and what you’ll use to catch them,” he said.
Where to learn
Reel Women Reel Men of Indianapolis: 627-1164, reelwomen-reelmen.com, Trouthuntress@aol.com

The Solution To Any Problem!

2010-08-29T19:38:00.000-07:00

"The solution to any problem -- work, love, money, whatever -- is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be." --John Gierach

I woke up Saturday morning and decided that a trout trip was in order. Life's problems can sometimes
seem overwhelming and for me, getting away for a few days of trout fishing can be soooo theraputic. Sure it's nice to get away with a friend or fishing buddy but sometimes going alone has a way of
restoring balance. Being alone allows you to see things that often times are missed. It may be as simple as seeing a beautiful bird or flower or as complex as recognizing our short comings or giving us the opportunity to reflect on faded memories.
Some people pay a therapist for this kind of self help healing....I pay the Department of Natural Resources in many states!
Let's hit the road....Montauk State Park in Missouri!

Driving down the road.....tunes, water, pretzels, trail mix. Check out this HUGE cross! Cool
I'm in Effingham, IL............ now I'm sorry man, but who would want to live in a town called
EFFINGHAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very Cool....St Louis and there's the arch all lit up! Next stop Montauk!

I love fishing in Montauk....plenty of fish, no snobbery, friendly people, ice cream, and

alot of different kind of water to fish. Now I normally fish here in the winter but remember

you must fish whenever it is necessary.

I hit the stream a little later than I wanted to but found it to be what I expected:

LOW and CLEAR.

The only thing in my favor was slight over cast skies and enthusiasm.

I tied on a small caddis with a trailing shuck and before long I had two nice fish come up and I am still in view of my parked car! It's going to be a kick ass day!

I began to wade upstream making casts to the far banks and extending my arm to get the longest possible

drifts. It was clear to me these fish were holding out and taking the fly only when certain a sharp hook wasn't going to be in the picture. Good mends and long drifts required!

The rewards came only then...fish slowly opening their mouths and sipping in the fly.

No sound...No splash...No swirl....the only visible thing was a wide open mouth and a disappearing fly.

very sexy!

It was an amazing day....soon I found myself relaxing and enjoying everything around me.Wildflowers,

birds and butterflies caught my attention and I realized I had already slipped into that unhurried mode I was desperately seeking.

As the day went on and the temperature maxed out at 90 degrees, fewer fish seemed eager to play. I sat along the bank and snacked on an apple, watching ......and thinking.

I caught a few more fish on streamers and called it a day. Later I sat in the diner and had a BLT, fries and of course ice cream. If you catch fish....you get ice cream!

Day two: I roll outta bed, skip breakfast and hit the river. I'm on the water by 7:30 a.m. and the fog is hovering over my favorite stretch of the river. There is a light mist in the air, not enough to wet your clothes but enough to cool your skin. I forego the rain jacket and start fishing. Before I make my first cast I look and see fish stacked right behind this pile of debris....I can see at least 8 or 9 fish...lined up like they are at a buffet. Holy Cow! I try not to get too excited.....breathe Patti breathe and for God's sake think before you cast! Of course Patti ignores the cautious voices in my head that are just trying to overthink fly fishing and take the fun out of it.

Shut up and get out of my way I say...make the cast and expect a fish!

It's breakfast time and the fish are feeding...sure wish I had a cup of coffee!

The feeding frenzie continues and as I move further upstream the fish seem to be getting bigger.

The mist turns to drizzle and the drizzle turns into a down pour...of course my rain jacket is back in my car. so I make a few more casts and wait for the rain to turn to torrential downpour before heading back to the car. I get my jacket, cut off my dry fly rig and rerig for streamers.

I tie on my newest favorite classic streamer pattern and go back where I left off. A few casts diagonally upstream, swinging my fly into the swelling river. Make the cast, hold your ground, let it straighten out:

BAM....................................

Pretty nice fish and I'm getting pretty good at holding the camera and taking a self portait! The rain put an end to the hot dry fly fishing but the streamer fishing game is on! It's now noon and I have had no breakfast or lunch. I reach in my jacket pocket and realize I forgot to close the pocket flap and my pretzel nuggets are soaked. I pretend it's a soft pretzel and eat them anyway.

For a change of pace I decide to try the hopper game...afterall it is August and when I was sitting on the bank eating my apple I noticed grasshoppers hopping around. I tie on one of Dave's hopper patterns and look for ideal places to cast them. Tight to the bank casts, under brush and in little eddies where water seems to have no place to go....these places hold insects in a whirlpool and I always think of them as a blender full of insects....sort of like a buggy smoothie!

This fish ordered a hopper smoothie!!!!!!!!!

Well my trip is coming to an end and I am heading for home in the morning. I feel refreshed and am really happy I came on this trip. Each time I go on a fishing trip I seem to learn and experience something new....I have posted about my successful tactics here but the truth is there are alot of things I tried that simply did not work. Nobody ever talks about the failure that comes with fly fishing, but I think without failure we never figure out the things that work!

Don't swallow!

2010-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

Wine making is so much fun especially since I consider it part of my heritage. Well, I don't exactly do it like Old World Italy, but with the help of modern ways, I make wine using a kit including juice concentrate. Amazingly, the end result is still a pretty good wine that is fun to make.
A friend of mine talked me into entering my wine in Indy International Wine Competition sponsored by Purdue University, and so I thought what the heck, I might as well do it since every entry receives a score sheet by the three judges who are assigned to your wine. I wanted the feedback so I could learn more about home wine making and never did I expect to win!
Last year my wine won a silver medal and this year a bronze....here comes the funny part, apparently one of my judges was swallowing his samples as he was judging because from an entire page of comments I can't make out a single word! His penmanship is so bad ( or he is writing in Arabic) because not a single letter is legible.
So, I am going to assume that my wine was kick ass and it really deserved a gold medal but he was too inebriated to properly judge! :) Just kidding of course....please no hate mail from the judges!

The Simms MIdwest Tour: Trailer

2010-08-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

Biker Chic!

2010-08-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

Ok...so maybe I am a bit of a child! lol...I love this mini motorcycle! Honda X-50...it's cute as
can be and I love zippin around the yard on it!
What do you think of my motorcycle? Nice huh :)

Working at the Indiana State Fair!

2010-08-07T12:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our club did a presentation at the Indiana State Fair on the DNR's
fishing pond. It was awesome to meet so many nice people as we worked with
folks on introducing them to fly fishing. The name of our program was called
"Anyone can Learn to Fly Fish."
and as you can see from the photos we really mean anyone! This little guy was
four years old and his name was Luke....he wanted to catch a fish so badly that
I made sure he got his wish! We made a cast together and with slight help
from me we managed to set the hook on this nice fish!
Thanks to Sheri Harris who delighted many people with her fly tying
demonstration, and Forrest Carpenter and Duane Riddle who did a great job
helping people catch fish!
Bob Smith and Chuck Padgett are at the Fair today helping even more people fly fish!
It's wonderful to share our love for the sport with so many folks!!!!!!!!!

Way to go Luke!

Dreaming of the Potential of the White!

2010-08-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Two days ago my friend Sesie and I floated the White River with friend and local guide Jeff Conrad.

We began our float on the upper White and inspite of the heat and intense sun we had an amazing day.

Here we are in land locked Indiana and we have a river with tremendous potential and it seems as though no one is paying attention. The neglected fishery is actually better than one might believe...I guess smallmouth don't really complain about the color of the kitchen appliances and so what if periodically their structure consist of Goodyear housing. They still seem to be thriving.....poor water quality, eroding

banks, occasional trash and very little regulation protection.

Come on people.....look at these fish! Come out and enjoy a day on the river and see for yourself

wether or not we should be doing more to help this river. It's hard to imagine that we do little or nothing

to protect and preserve, not to mention enhance this river.

As we floated down the river we saw very few fishermen, perhaps the heat kept people off the river, but

we did see families out kayaking, dad and a son in a canoe, and children doing what children should be doing on a hot August day in Indiana...playing in the river.

Preferably a clean river..unfortunately mid day brought on the algae bloom that stems directly from the pollution and chemicals that are dumped in the river daily. Depleting our water of oxygen, causing

stressing fish, unhealthy environment and an overall sad state of affairs.

The day was fun filled....lots of laughter, good fishing, great food and excellent company. The kind of day that made me wonder how much better it could be if only we, the city, the state, the people of Indiana did more.

I can only hope that somehow we find a way to do what is best for our environment and we find a way

to ensure that future generations will have a clean river to fish and enjoy. Hopefully passing on our love

and passion for the outdoors will transcend and not only produce another angler, but one who is

equally as passionate about protecting our environment.

This is REALLY a REELE GOOD LINE WINDER!

2010-07-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

At last...a line winder that works and is affordable! I just love this new line winder called
Reel E Good Spin Fly Winder. It's awesome and easy to use...and no more begging someone
to hold my spool why I change out my fly line. I got the line counter too so I don't have to guess
how much backing I am putting on.
check it out: http://www.reelegood.com/
I am one happy WINDER!

Stetson loves ice cream too!

2010-07-18T19:59:00.000-07:00

Proud to be a part of Casting For Recovery

2010-07-13T09:33:00.001-07:00

CFR Indiana Video- To Fish Is To Hope from Headquake Productions on Vimeo.

For the past 6 years I have been supporting an organization called Casting For Recovery
that provides fly fishing retreats at no cost to the participants who have or have had breast cancer.
When I first began working with CFR I had no idea the impact these retreats would have on the
ladies but I quickly learned that it was more powerful than I imagined.
I became a river helper when asked to take the place of my best friend who had passed away after suffering a stroke. His name was Jack Scifres.

Jack was all about helping others any way possible. He was generous with his time, knowledge,
love and FLIES! He was also one of my greatest supporters. After he died I felt it was my duty as his friend to continue his legacy and so I accepted the offerto be a river helper at the Indiana CFR retreats.
After being at the first retreat I realized this was far more than just teaching someone to cast and fly fish.
This was sharing, giving, understanding and most of all placing someone else first.
Initially that participant is a total stranger but quickly they become a sister. A woman facing
the awful challenges and fears of breast cancer. I saw that the retreats brought smiles, happiness, joy
and delight as they catch their first first fish, and the bonding that occurs is in the form of "healing."
Everyone involved in this organization is a contributing factor and through generosity it becomes a reality.
I also recognized the importance of reaching more women and that this would require more funding, so I organized a fund raiser in the form of a fishing tournament to help raise more money.
Members of Reel Women-Reel Men embraced the idea and gave support in participating in the fishing tournaments. They are fun to fish in and of course all for very good cause.
In four years our club has raised and donated $20,000.00 and I am very proud and grateful for being involved in something so positive.I hope we will continue our efforts for years to come and I thank my friend Jack who did more than just mentor me in fly fishing.
Congratulations to Barb Simpson, Mary Smith and the rest of the CFR team for your hard work and generous heart....your gift to CFR is unmeasurable.

Happy Fourth of July!

2010-07-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

As we observe the birth of our great Nation this weekend...

Don't forget to take a moment to reflect upon what our founders

left to us, thanking them for their courage.

And may we proudly pass along this legacy to our children and

generations yet to come.

May God continue to Bless America

TAKE DOWN-2 POINTS!

2010-06-28T07:10:00.000-07:00

Well the local fishing is pretty much non-existing around here since it appears we are in some
sort of a flooding pattern. You can count on nearly daily thunderstorms here which have our rivers
totally unfishable.
I have been keeping busy with lessons, gardening and of course spending time with my dog Stetson and so this post today is about him. Wether you like bird dogs or not I think you might find this story interesting or at least entertaining.
I took Stetson to the dog park yesterday as I try to do almost daily. He just isn't happy unless he is running off the leash and well..being a bird dog. Smelling all the smells....pointing at birds in trees, on the fence or even on the bird feeder.
We arrived at the park around 6:00p.m. and normally this is a pretty popular time, with lots of dogs socializing together as well as dog owners gathered under a tree, bragging about how gifted their dog is.
It sort of reminds me of when I took my children to the playground, there was always at least one parent who thought their child was " special." ( and I don't mean "special needs")
In any case...we arrived at the park and no other dog was there..Stetson didn't seem terribly disappointed, he did his routine run, stopping at every tree, and making sure there were no birds for him to show me. After about 20 minutes of running the field by himself, a car pulled up and Stetson took note." Could this be that fiesty whippet I ran with last week?...or maybe that lovely black lab that did a few laps with me?" Stetson froze in anticipation. The car door opens and a lovely mature woman gets out of the car. She is perfectly groomed, well made up and dressed like a model from a Miami Beach fashion show. Stetson's curiosity grew with anticipation, as she opened the back door of her vehicle a stunning, snow white standard poodle makes his appearance. He is even more perfectly groomed than his owner! A lovely dog who walked in the front gate with grace and elegance. His white coat could not have been any whiter and the bouffon hairdo on top of his head gently bounced as he moved. I could not help notice the resemblance between dog and dog owner!!!
But I don't want to believe that I look like Stetson, so I'm sure this is not always the case.
The woman opened the gate and Stetson happily greets them both...he sniffs the poodle's smelly parts and basically checks him out by circling him several times. Now I am sure that being a hunter, Stetson probably ripped on him a few times about wearing that sissy pom pom outfit and probably made a joke or two that had something to do with " balls."
All of the sudden Stetson bursts into action and aggressively approaches the poodle for action. I swear it was as if I heard a bell go off indicating " round one." Stetson lowers himself to the poodle, flexing his muscles while raising and wagging his rear end just daring the other dog to make a move....the poodle with his snooty attitude, blinks his eyes several times, does an eyeroll and takes the dare.
Game On....the poodle takes off prancing across the lawn while Stetson gives him a head start. He then charges after him very much like a line backer and slams into him taking him down with one of the best wrestling moves I have ever seen! " That's my boy" I say to myself with a little smirk on my face.
The dust settles and the poodle slowly gets up. I wink at Stetson and look over at the poodle and my mouth drops open. The brilliantly white poodle is now grass stained green and the owner is taking on a similar shade and her mouth is also hanging wide open.
I quickly think a compliment is in order and the only thing I can come up with is" Your dog is really fast! wow.....what do you feed him?" She mumbled something and luckily the sky opened up and it started to rain so hard we made a dash run to the car and left.
I love a good storm!

We sell no wine before its time!

2010-06-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have been missing in action but things are pretty hectic around here lately. Unfortunately daily thunderstorms is keeping me off the water for personal fishing but I have been plenty busy with fly casting lessons between the thunderstorms.
The good news is the wine is ready! I bottled my new wine yesterday and I have to say it came out fantastic!
As you can see from the pic I named it Stetson...of course after my dog!
Chilean Malbec....no the dog is not Chilean, but the wine is!
Hope you like it and Salut to you!

La Dolce Vita!

2010-06-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Today I enjoyed time with my four year old grandson. He is visiting for the evening and spending the night while his parents go out and celebrate their anniversary. I asked Thomas what he would like to do while visiting and without hesitation he responded that he would like to go on a fishing trip with his Mamma Neemo. (not grandma)
He was so serious that I decided to make the trip to our neighborhood pond a "fishing trip"
When he arrived he found this on my kitchen counter:

A little back pack filled with bug dope, hemostats,

nippers, a new fly box, a water bottle, and other treats.

When he walked in his eyes lit up and he was delighted with the surprise. He quickly got out his hat and fishing vest and in a flash was ready to go. For the first time in his life he got to ride in the back of my pick up truck!

When we got to pond I had him take out his new fly box and make his fly selection all by himself.

He chose a blue popper! And we began working on our cast......of course at age four the lesson consisted of three words: Boom.....Stop...go forward! belive it or not, that is all a four year old needs! Amazingly he was casting a 25 foot line with confidence.

As you can see the blue popper was a good choice and fly fishing is not as hard as we make it out to be!

Thomas caught four fish and he insisted on measuring one of them with his new tape measure he found in his backpack. He measured a fish at 5 inches and was extremely proud of it and after that he said he was done......we then sat on a bench and talked about the ducks in the pond and the awesome blue heron that came to visit.

We left the pond and after dinner we adhered to the club rule:

if you catch fish you get ice cream!

Life is good! Thank-you Thomas for bringing me so much sunshine!

Fishing for a purpose!

2010-06-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

Today I had the pleasure of once again fishing in a tournament to raise money for Casting For Recovery right here in Indiana. For the past 4 years our club Reel Women-Reel Men hold a fishing tournament to raise money to provide fly fishing retreats for women who have or have had breast cancer.
In four years we have managed to raise nearly $19.000 thousand dollars.
Today we had a bass tournament where 10 people fished in teams to see who could catch the most number of bass inches.....It was so much fun but was so cool is that I felt like I was fishing for someone else. Someone who does not yet know how enjoyable fly fishing is, but rather has been challenged with far more than figuring out what a fish will eat. Imagine the courage it must take to hear the words " you have cancer" and to find the strength to fight, the will to win and the faith to persevere.
Well I can't imagine what that must be like but I do know that I can help give this gift to a fellow woman and share my love and passion with her in hopes that it brings her hope and something positive to focus on.

With the help of my club members we managed another successful tournament....thanks to everyone for making this possible and to those who have opened up their wallets as well as their hearts.
Today I fished for someone other than myself.

Tar Balls Wash Up in Florida; Obama Heads Back to Gulf

2010-06-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

Watch this video and imagine the suffering of our wildlife all because of negligence.

Another man made disaster!

2010-05-27T11:31:00.001-07:00

photo taken last October

Well I am sure all of you have been hearing about the oil spill in the gulf and have seen all the disasterous images of wildlife that has been affected. It is truly heart breaking for me to watch since this directly effects the Louisiana fishery where I fish for redfish, blackdrum and sea trout.

Many photos of my catches have been posted here as I have been fishing the gulf for the past 5 years and everytime I look at them I think about how fragile our environment really is and how irresponsible man can be.

Not only will this fishery suffer great loss, but the incredible birds that I used to watch as our flats boat was being poled around the marshes will also no longer be the same.

How many times must we witness destruction and devastation before we realize the impact of our mistakes?

I spoke with my Louisiana guide yesterday to see how he is dealing with everything and it was hard for me to come up with a consolation statement when he said" Patti...I don't know what I am going to do the rest of my life! My father was a guide and I took over the business and now it is gone...I don't know what I am going to do!"
I didn't know what to say.....

Somehow " I am sorry" just doesn't cut it.

Fishinmobile!

2010-05-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

I think it's very interesting that most of the time you can easily spot a vehicle that belongs to a fly fishermen. I'll be driving down the highway and there in front of me will be a truck with fish decals, rods and all kinds of gear stacked in the back, and of course the driver will be sportin a simms hat or maybe a sage, winston or better yet a "Reel Women or Reel Men" hat!
That just cracks me up......it's not enough that we are so passionate about our sport but we must flaunt it...tell the whole world we catch fish on a fly!
For the past 4 years I have been driving a Ford Ranger Truck with an extended cab....I love my little truck it was great....big enough to carry my Hobie Float and all my gear but not very practical when it came to fishing trips since most of my gear had to be stored in the bed of the truck making it vulnerable to weather and thieves!
But...with all its faults, I still enjoyed driving it and of course decorated it as a fly fishing truck. It had the coolest antenna that was a fly rod with a tiny reel, it also had a Reel Women decal on the back window with a fish on it and another decal that was an angler casting and it said" dryfly"
The inside was full of crap....flies stuck to the visor, split shot and strike indicators filled my ash tray, a little wooden net hung from the mirror along with a few other nick nacks that has now been transferred to my new vehicle. With only two seats I felt maybe it was time to look at some other options that might suit me a little better...the only car that I even considered is the one I ended up buying: A Subaru Outback! That's right, a nice outback made right here in Indiana, has all the bells and whistles, a V-6 all wheel drive, built to use and abuse.
I chose a pretty green color ( because it reminded me of an olive wooly bugger) with tan leather interior and of course I decorated it!
My cool antenna would no longer work since this car has a built in antenna but I did have a custom made decal for it:

Well if that isn't enough I also have a licence plate holder that screams flyfishing:

And of course there is something hanging from rear view mirror. Now keep in mind that

between fly casting lessons and my personal fishing I am pretty much at the pond or on

the water nearly every single day and if for some reason I am not on the water and I am

driving I can't help but look at my fishing barometer just to see if I am missing a really

good day of fishing:

along with the barometer there is a mini wooden net (even though I need a super sized net for the fish I catch ;) and there is a lucky necklace that Carol Beardshear gave me a long time ago, there is a club pin, and tiny bottle of vanilla air freshner( that helps kill the fishy smell of my stuff along with my wet bird

dog smell)

and of course you can always find some flies laying around (and sometimes stuck to the seat)

This one happens to be one that my friend Jeff Conrad gave me..I'm saving it for a special day on the river.
Now some people think my car is tacky but Stetson seems to really like it and I am liking it more and more each day!
I'm guessing if you are reading my blog you probably have a decal or two and maybe a fishing hat up on your dash right now! Fess up.....you do don't you...and can you find at least one fly in your car?

The Muskegon River

2010-05-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

Fishing the Muskegon River in Michigan this week was an awesome experience!

With good flows, rain and heavy cloud cover we chose the streamer game using

300 grain Rio Dc line combined with some serious streamers!

The river is big and wide and very beautiful and the fish are plentiful!

I am always astounded at the beauty of trout and I guess it is no surprise

why it is my most favorite fish!

The brown trout in particular is a fish that it so fun to fish for...it is aggressive by

nature and every one I have ever caught reacts differently when hooked.

On this trip I caught several nice fish but one brown stands out the most...

unfortunately I did not land him but it is one fish that we all agreed was unforgettable.

I was fishing a white craft fur minnow and I made a cast pretty tight on the bank and began a rather

aggressive strip retrieve when all of the sudden I noticed a flash of gold just as I was stripping the streamer about 20 feet from the boat. This very hefty, assertive brown came up out of the water in attempt to take my fly but missed! With very little life left in my line at this point I manage to tilt the rod and strip enough line to keep the streamer in motion when the fish literally tail walks across the water in a second attempt to grab the minnow but once again misses and at the same time he is staring directly into our boat with 6 human eyes the size of half dollars staring at him! We were in awe at what just went down! How could this fish miss the fly twice!?!

He of course quickly disappeared in shame and sank down into the depths of the river probably to commit suicide! Amazing! Just absolutely amazing!

My guide agreed that this was ONE incredible moment......hours later he still brought up the allusive brown trout that avoided getting caught because of his poor performance at nailing his target.

That is the beauty of trout fishing....we never really know what might happen!

Click on this link to see and hear how Harrop feels about

what trout fishing means to him.

If we listen carefully we can not only hear but also see his passion.

http://www.midcurrent.com/video/clips/rise_harrop.aspx

My Secret Garden!

2010-05-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

When I'm not fishing, shooting or hunting I can be found working in my garden!
I have had a life long love affair with flowers, plants and gardening. I remember being a little girl
and spending endless hours working in the garden with my father.
Basically I found every reason and excuse to be outdoors. My garden today has been established
for 20 years and is filled with perennials and mature trees. My favorite tree is a Laburnum tree
aka golden chain tree. It is very popular in Europe but rarely found in American gardens.
Pictured here is a my laburnum tree aside a newly built pergola reflecting my love of
the Old World.

B.O.W. Becoming an Outdoor Woman?

2010-05-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

For the past six years I have been volunteering my services as a fly tying and fly fishing instructor at a DNR event called B.O.W.
What a great concept....it is like our camp experience as children only this time we get to go as adults!
Women sign up for this great weekend and select events they want to participate in such as archery, shooting, fishing, bird watching, kayaking among other things.
I love being a part of BOW because every year there is at least one woman who totally falls in love with fly fishing and I later hear back from them on how they took up the sport and continue to make progress. That is what takes me back to BOW each year...also watching a woman catch a fish for the very first time is just a thrill. Why is it that women think they can't do sports like fishing and shooting?
Is it intimidation? Is it that they don't feel welcome? Or is it simply the way we are programmed to not show interest in these sports because it makes us less feminine? I obviously do not agree with any of these because I only think about how enjoyable these sports are and often times it makes me sad that other women are missing out on so much fun!
In time, more and more women are discovering the same thing and are putting aside these archaic thoughts and jumping right in only to discover they love it and often times will say" Why didn't I take this up sooner!"
So get out there ladies...take up fly fishing or go shooting and discover how much fun playing outdoors really is!!!!!!!

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Bond grows stronger!

2010-05-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

Stetson is getting a little older and wiser! He is just over a year old now and even though there is alot of pup left in him I am beginning to see some signs of maturity. Not long ago I remember taking him out in the woods and after a brief time he would grow tired of listening to me and bolt! It was so frustrating to go chasing after him not knowing if I would be able to find him. My heart would beat so fast as I stomped through the woods on private property hoping that he had not headed toward the busy road in danger of the busy traffic.
Luckily, he was always found safe and a few times he would find his way home long before I got there and be waiting for me on the back step!
He no longer runs away...and for the most part he comes when I call him.
I love my dog...there is something so special about him and we have bonded in such a way that I can't imagine my life without him.
Here is a recent photo of him....I think he looks handsome and a bit wise. Don't you?

PULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-04-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Shooting is another of my favorite things to do....I love the challenge of figuring out lead and strategy of how to succesfully hit a flying target. Luckily I have found friends who share the same passion and through the club we were able to establish a number of people who enjoy shooting as well as fishing.
Yesterday we had a sporting clays shoot at the Indiana Gun Club. Randy is our ringmaster who has been organizing events in both shooting as well as hunting for over a year now.
Shooting my Beretta side by side is so much fun! We shot 150 targets yesterday and I can't wait to get out there and do it again!

A legendary stream!

2010-04-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

After the brook trout retreat I had the pleasure of fishing a legendary stream called "Spring Creek" in Central Pensylvania. This of course is famous for being the stream where George Harvey fished and became an outstanding instructor, writer and conservationist. He was also responsible for making fly fishing available at Penn State University.
This area of PA is full of history and I was excited to finally be able to see it. My time was limited there but we made sure it included visiting a fly shop called Fisherman's Paradise and to fish this famous stretch of water.
We later relocated further downstream where we found easy access. Normally I don't even bother fishing near a road or bridge because of fishing pressure, but this area looked very fishy and it was evident that it had the potential of some productive fishing.
Shortly after we put in there was a certain buzz in the air...the kind of feeling you get right before a hatch begins. Maybe it was my imagination or maybe we could sense fish activity.
All of the sudden we were in the middle of a caddis hatch and I excitedly announced " CADDIS"
I tried to get a closer look so we could identify color and size, I even tried to capture some in flight, which always make me feel so stupid since I have yet to catch a bug with my bare hand.
Well...at this point we opened our fly boxes and grabbed a caddis and quickly tied it on. My fishing partner caught the first fish right under the bridge, and I immediately felt as if I went to large on my fly choice but luckily I decided to fish it a few more casts before downsizing.
Patience, Patti, Patience!
Wham.....fish comes up and smacks my oversized bug like he MEANT it!
Game on.........fish after fish for both of us, the hatch grew stronger as did the strikes.
Eventually everything died down and got quiet again, but both my partner and I had smiles on our faces as we just experienced success on a stream that sometimes can be extremely difficult to crack.

The fish Gods were smiling down on us and I am very grateful for this wonderful experience.

Brook Trout Retreat in PA

2010-04-14T19:07:00.001-07:00

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Adventure!

2010-04-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more exciting to me than preparing for a trout trip! I'm not sure why I am so crazy about trout fishing but I must say that it is my absolute favorite fish to pursue.
Particularly fishing dries....when it's ON... it is absolutely a blast!
Being on the stream when a hatch comes off and you first spot it, identify it and quickly match it makes my heart beat so fast I can hardly contain myself!
This time around I am headed to fish a small private stream in PA which will be so relaxing and enjoyable.
Small creeks and streams are incredibly fun. I love hiking through the woods...quietly sneaking up on trout, stalking fish and often times having to cast from behind a tree or low to the ground just adds to the fun! The thrill is the hunt..and then of course selecting the right fly: and that is only half the battle. Now you have to make the cast with the right presentation, not spook the fish, and get him to eat it.
EAT IT....damn it...take it! And when he does....HOORAY, victory! :)
I'm really looking forward to the weekend get-away to this place I have never been.....let the adventure begin!

Erie Steelhead Trip!

2010-03-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

Finally a moment to recapture the events of this week's steelhead trip!
On the way up I was nervous about what the weather would bring. The forecast was
predicting a significant drop in temps along with two days of rain. This fishery is very tempermental and pretty sensitive to heavy rain so any error in the amount of rain received could blow out the rivers and ruin the trip.
Nevertheless, I was prepared with freshly revived goretex! The exitement was building, I absolutely
love fishing for steelhead and this fishery holds a special place in my heart since I lived in Cleveland for 15 years.
We ended up fishing the Elk...the rain came as predicted but in manageable amount and it was game on!
Day one yielded a couple dozen fish for our group of 8 and day two was much better!
I was absolutely thrilled to see all of our guys hook and land fish.....there is nothing better than the look on an angler's face after catching steelhead for the first time. Priceless!
As for me, once again I had a terrific trip. I love the fish, the intimate water and crisp air of Northeastern Ohio.....it's STEELHEAD and I'm in love!

Spring Steelhead Trip!

2010-03-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

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Finally...going fishing!

2010-03-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a long winter and here we are ready for our spring steelhead trip! Cabin Fever has been worse than ever this year so I am really looking forward to the trip.
Erie Steelhead here we come!

Of course I love the thought of a big steelhead ripping line off my reel but I also get just as excited about someone else from our gang experiencing the same. I love watching a friend hook up epsecially for the first time. This is the part that makes fishing so great......it is awesome on so many levels and I am so happy to be a part of it. Good luck to my buddies on this trip, I am cheering for you and hope to be by your side when steelhead knock on your fly!

working with Stetson!

2010-03-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

I have been spending alot of time with my wonderful bird dog Stetson, mostly playing and excercising him. He is soooooooooo energetic that most days I know he feels like he is not running enough.
Last week we introduced him to a "dummy bird" with some pheasant scent on it and played the game hide n seek.....it doesn't take Stetson long to find the bird and quickly retrieve it to show us what he found!
Our next step is using live birds and working with him on getting him to point....it will be interesting to see how he does but I have a feeling he will be busting birds left and right!

Stetson is an incredible dog......I know he will make a good hunter and the best friend I have ever had!

Casting for Recovery....fishing for others!

2010-02-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

Kicking off the year with a fantastic fund raiser for Casting For Recovery-Indiana!
Every year Reel Women-Reel Men of Indianapolis take on a fantastic project of raising money for Casting For Recovery. This non-profit organization provides fly fishing retreats for women who have or have had breast cancer. The retreat bring women together for a weekend of rest and relaxation. The ladies come together and share their stories while bonding and building relationships that help them through such a difficult time. Fly fishing is just an avenue for these women, an opportunity to learn a new and exciting sport that often times stays with them forever. If you fly fish you already know the benefits of being on the river, focusing on catching fish while enjoying the sound and beauty of nature. It is therapeutic and when you combine that with camraderie of ladies who have walked a similar path, it is a sure recipe for renewed spirit.
I feel very strongly and passionate about this retreat because I have witnessed it by volunteering as a river helper every year. I realize that the retreats are only possible with the generousity of many people.
For that reason I have created a fly fishing tournament to raise funds for CFR. With the help of my friends and club members, we dedicate our time and effort for this event.
This year's tournament is a bass tournament......scheduled for June 5. 12 anglers from the club will be chosen from a drawing and paired up in teams to fish for the most number of bass inches caught!
This day will be so much fun as we fish for a purpose....that purpose is to give back to others.

I will fish like a MAD Woman........Will you sponsor me?????????????????? Please! :)

Asian Carp....a true short story

2010-02-18T18:07:00.000-08:00

Recently I began writing some of my most memorable experiences that have happened to me while fly fishing or shooting, and this story is absolutely true and definitely one of my most embarrassing moments.

It took place at a nearby park one afternoon where I would later meet up with club members for our typical Wednesday fishing outing. As usual, I arrived early so I could do some solo fishing where I could just cast and unwind without much thought or conversation.

It was a hot Indiana summer afternoon, muggy and very little air movement. The park seemed deserted. Clearly everyone stayed indoors today to escape the heat and relentless humidity.

I decided to fish the lake and try some of the heavy shaded areas in search for that bass that might be lurking in those dark holes. I opened up my fly box and quickly decided on a size 4 chartreuse and black popper. I wanted to make a bold statement and see if I could piss off the big bad bass. I made a few close casts to warm up and test the water a bit.

This lake is pretty wide open with a row of trees on the left providing some good vegetation and cover. I stopped casting and watched for a sign of a fish. Not much was happening and things were not looking very promising. I decided on a smaller pattern with a quieter presentation and snipped off my popper. Just as I clipped it off I heard the splash of a big fish breaking top water………..SHIT…….I don’t have a fly on! I quickly grabbed a Sneaky Pete and tied it on faster than I have ever tied on a fly. I moved into a better casting position, my back to a bike trail and tons of back cast room. I stripped line from my reel and began a series of false casts slipping line as quickly as possible in order to reach the log jam where the fish was rising. Just as I am completing my third and final false cast, my heart racing with excitement, I am so certain this fish is going to slam my fly, I proceed forward with a beautifully controlled double haul but my line tightens up and comes to a screeching halt! WHAT????????

There are no trees behind me, what in the world has stopped my fly???????????????

I turn to look and there on the bike trail is a man, an Asian man who apparently is out walking for exercise along the path but he is not moving, he is standing there staring at me. My eyes move to my orange fly line from my rod leading all the way to approximately 6 feet from him I began reeling and walking toward him, as I got closer to him I began my sincerest apologies and quickly realized that he does not speak English and since my Chinese sucks I began my apologies much louder in hopes that he would understand. He didn’t…as a matter of fact he didn’t even attempt to speak, as I pulled on my leader I discover I had hooked him right in the crotch….Double Shit…..what the hell is he doing out walking in a park on such a hot summer day! We just don’t do that here in America! He then grabs his crotch, or should I say “grabs his Sneaky Pete” and starts to yank on it driving it deeper into that Chinese polyester!

Clearly he does not know how to remove a hook from fabric. I now have said “So sowwy” at least 49 times and I am breaking into a total sweat as I work on this man’s crotch with no luck.

He is a nice man from what I can tell but I come to the conclusion that I need tools to get this job done. I reach for my Anvil needle nose pliers as I realize in the excitement of tying on my fly so quickly I forgot to debarb my hook. I hold my pliers in my left hand and smile at him as I lower myself to my knees. His eyes become wide open, no longer Asian looking he takes on a more concerned look, I reassured him that I have done this many times before, of course he has no idea what the heck I am talking about but it felt better than the cold silence he was offering.

I firmly gripped the pliers and with extreme precision I squeezed and pinched the barb that had penetrated his pants and compromised the Oriental jewels. With one backward sweep I removed the hook from his crotch and he smiled so big as his eyes returned to their natural shape. I extended a handshake followed by a high five and sent him on his way.

Why do things like this happen to me?

Where's Walt!

2010-02-10T13:57:00.000-08:00

I remember buying little poppers in various sizes and shapes and fishing them in local ponds, lakes, or rivers and having a blast! I never paid much attention to them I just knew they were inexpensive and very effective! The bass and bluegill loved them! Casting them up into log jams would almost always bring out a fish, or casting up on the rocky banks sometimes stripping them hard to move alot of water and make as much noise as possible was the ticket, other times I would cast them and watch the water rings fade before ever so slightly twitching it to provoke a huge grab! Whatever the method, fishing poppers is still one of my favorite ways to catch fish today and I can't beleive that there is a real man behind the name "Walt's Poppers" of so many years ago.

I haven't actually met Walt, but through a mutual friend we have gotten to know one another via telephone and internet. Walt is as real as you can possible be and his poppers are without doubt still the best made popper in the world.

I am so certain of it that I now sell a good selection of Walt's poppers on my web-site. These poppers are all hand made by Walt and painted to perfection. They not only catch fish they last and Walt is quite proud of the fact that many of his customers keep record of how many fish they have caught on a single popper!

I can't wait to be fishing topwater here on my local streams and rivers~and I 'm excited to make these poppers available to my friends and club members.

My relationship with Walt continues to grow, his passion and expertise is unbelievable and the stories he tells me will be forever cherished. Somethings just can't be learned from a book and when you have 50 years experience willing to share and tell his stories, it is a real Blessing.

I hope to meet Walt in person someday so I can shake his hand for bringing us the world's best poppers and to give him a huge hug for being Walt!

until then....I will smile and think of Walt everytime I catch a fish on one of his poppers!

GO COLTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-07T17:16:00.000-08:00