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

I thought that this should be preserved for future reference. We can have it notarized at a later date…

Being of ample body and questionable mind, I, Doc Hatton, do hereby bequeath my Dalmore Cigar Single Malt (oloroso cherry wood aged) Scotch to the surviving Louts provided same is consumed around the annual fire pit whilst enjoying cheroots and regaling the group with fond memories of me. In the absence of fond memories, embarrassing stories or sincere regrets suffice.

I believe this was written in response to learning that the dessert items to be served at the 8th annual Louts trip were to be baked by Rich Thomas’ ex-wife and terms of their divorce were not clear to all affected parties…

 This beauty came to the boat, alas, by the lazy imprecations of a nymph. It broke a long unlucky spell for me, fought truly and well for its 17.5 inches, and, for those reasons (and Brian’s taunting that I would probably post it anyway) I take a measure of relief showing it here now.

A few moments later, I picked up a larger fish that I posted yesterday.