“nothing gets a fly out there like a Barbie high modulus graphite rod! These are not only fine performing rods capable of lifting heavy fish, but you look really cool on the water”.

Nicely worded, you forgot to add…catches fish greater than 1/2 her size.

After a humbling first year as a Trout Lout, Rich Thomas decides to upgrade his rod and reel and get some casting lessons.  Faced with the daunting task of presenting a size 14 Hendrickson dry fly to those finicky West Branch browns this May, Rich was overheard at Ramsey Outdoors while ordering his new gear as saying “nothing gets a fly out there like a Barbie high modulus graphite rod!  These are not only fine performing rods capable of lifting heavy fish, but you look really cool on the water”.

It’s President’s Day and the family is all stuck inside with all the rain and generally crappy weather holding us hostage.  The air here is palpable - you could almost cut it with a knife.  Everyone is walking on egg shells and attempting in vain to stay out of each other’s space.  I need to fish!!!  I also need the rivers to recede down to something approaching  flood stage and seeing the sunshine again would be nice…

I hope some of you are getting outside in your various pursuits instead of watching reruns of The Shining.  Remember, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Okay, you all have had enough time to post bail and clear your head of single malt and lungs of cigar smoke. Not one Lout has made a report on the good time they had at the annual poetry slam. Anybody?
Dick Roytos

It’s time to dust off your 5 weights and tie up some Hendricksons because the Louts are going a fishin’.  May 7 - 10 at the West Branch Angler where we’ll whip the water into a fine froth while cursing loudly and dreaming of the easy fish in Cairn’s Pool.  Pony up men, and confirm to Float King to reserve your space now.  Deposit requests will be forthcoming once I have a head count.  What to tie, you ask?  Hendricksons and more Hendricksons.  Sizes 14 and 16 mainly and in both light and dark (female and male) in CDC and parachute styles.  For nymphs (listen up Reverend), I like Pheasant Tails and Hare’s Ears with a dark turkey wingcase.  Same sizes as above.  There are also good caddis hatches, but you can buy them at the shop if you’d like.  We should be smack in the middle of the hatch and can expect some decent action in the afternoons.  Please also have Rusty Spinners in 12, 14 and 16 for evening and possibly morning action.

Here’s a big hint I’ve learned from my many trips to the D during this hatch.  Once you see duns on the water, tie one on and add a dropper like an unweighted pheasant tail nymph dangling off the back of the dun’s hook about a foot or so.  Deadly when fished just under or in the surface film!!!

“Louts, wha hae wi Wallace bled,
take winter breaks for verse instead…”

It’s that time again when Trout Louts everywhere raise their beakers and cheer the poet’s Immortal Memr’y and all that rot. Our 2008 Burnsnicht gathering has some serious work to do to improve upon last year’s event. But if you weren’t there, you’ll never know what you missed. Suffice it to say, no fish were harmed in the making of this party. True, some English was mangled and a few too many bottles of the noble Lagavulin drained quickly and without proper genuflection. But hell, there was a bagpiper and cigars! Louts who attended will tell you it was exactly our kind of evening.

Click the screenshot below for details you’ll need to participate in this year’s happy mayhem!

Where are the Louts? The last post was in September. We can’t be all tying flies or hiding bottles of single malt. I’ll raise a glass to all the Louts this season-here’s to peace, goodwill and happiness.
Slainte. Oh, and lot’s of fish in 2008.

 I’ll circle back in a day or two and tell the unembellished tale, but Brian’s photos were ready so I thought you Louts should see what you missed.

That disturbing “rip” in the ocean is one small pod of bluefish decimating a shoal of rainfish. This attack happened simultaneously along a mile-long section of beach for better than three hours Friday. At the peak, there were maybe ten rods working the blitz and Louts accounted for most of them.

Virtually every cast resulted in a bend like this one seen in my ten-weight XP. We found ourselves covering a lot of sand as a constant battery of killers moved into the shallows and then offshore again. I broke off more than I landed as fish fought each other for flies and literally severed our leaders in their confusion. Several spinner fishermen among us were crying foul as the fish quickly depleted their tackle boxes, but everybody was grinning. Eventually, I learned to fish the edges of the blitz and steer hooked fish away from the tumult. Since the whole thing was becoming a track meet, it seemed only appropriate to fire up a cigar.

We only brought one cooler, but could have easily filled a dozen or more with fish like this one. At one point, Brian counted nine bent rods in a hundred-foot section of beach. A spectator asked “Does this happen very often here?” and I couldn’t think of anything worthier than a Loutish reply: “You shoulda been here yesterday!” (He should have asked what kind of fool goes barefooting among all those teeth?)

Fellow Lout Brian Cowden has recieved the TU National Youth award  at the national meeting last week in Boise ID. I know he is the first one to give credit to all the volunteers at the chapter levels helping him with TIC but he has done a great job and deserves the recognition. I personally thank him for encouraging me to be more involved and I have enjoyed learning and being involved in the TIC program. (Trout In the Classroom)

Way to go Brian keep up the great work!!! Great things will follow!

I will be heading back to the Caymans the beginning of August and was wondering if I should procure and stash an other bottle or two of the Glenfarclas 25yr. Scotch for the West Branch trip next year!! I have not been able to find it around here but know I can get it on the Island. My only concern is that it might not be safe in my house for another 9mos but I’ll try to forget it’s there!

Your suggestions are welcome