Crazy Cletus

Day 2 and a trip down Memory Lane......

This day also started with the dripper and whipping cream in the coffee. However, there was a sense of adventure in the wind and I opted to do a little scouting. Remember there was only one pass left for the flies only stretch on day one ... Well day two was not available i.e. no float passes were available to purchase at the ranger station. So I decided to hit most if not all of the launches along the storied stretch of river between 37 and Gleason’s. This scouting trip started at 7:30 a.m. and lasted till 11:00 p.m. and I never saw a boat take out at Gleason’s because I was camped there. I did see one boat trailer at Green Cottage at around 7:30p.m.

My theory... and IT IS PURE SPECULATION ON MY PART but I think these large private holdings and or clubs are buying the passes on a monthly basis and only leaving those that have the lifetime pass or Canoe liveries able to float this prime piece of water... My theory is based on two separate trips within three weeks of each other. I did however notice that one must leave a name and a zip code.... so a FOIA request may reveal the total number of passes issued per name and zip code. Enough on the conspiracy theory...

Day two found me wade fishing the the upper stretch of the Green cottage access. This has been my favorite and thousands of others favorite wade in spot since I discovered the first Michigan Trout Streams Book (The one with the Blue cover). On this stretch I used a Hopper dry with a Green rock worm dropper and again hooked many smaller trout and Salmon and Steelies on the dropper. Near dusk I switched to to a rainbow streamer followed by a white BBT cone head zuggler (SP?) This was my attempt to go trophy hunting in the dark and spooky holes searching for the BFBT.

This was Walter’s favorite saying... to do it you put both hands in the air, and open and close your hands real fast and say "Big Phucking Brown Trout". I also switched from the 3 to a 7-weight Scott S3 four piece that I normally use for Snook when I visit the Drinking Island with a Fishing problem...

I originally came up to the man cave to get some time in at the vise for a Salmon trip with PK and Lulu, while searching for lost tying material I stumbled on a book of photos from my last season on Yellowstone the year of the Wolf, 1995. Forgive my nostalgia but the Park was my first real taste of fly porn for trout. I was stationed at Old Faithful and met Walter, Blue, Daniel and Ray these four people have had a huge impact on my fishing and I will never forget them! The shot of me on the trib of the "Hole" shows the predecessor of the STS 3-weight. It is a 7 foot, 4-weight Los penos From Arrick's Fishing Flies out of West. This rod is perfect for the park and most of the back country...
Stacey's intro
to the SBW of the back country