Fay Clave Wrap Up

Fay Clave 2010, put it the books. 

Lots of work and planning went into this event.  The weather held, people came from across the west and the fish were willing participants.  In short, it was a hell of a weekend

Driving out of Spokane on Thursday, I couldnt get to the Clearwater fast enough.  Calls were coming in from people who were already on the water like Steelie Mike with quotes like this..

"I just rose 4 fish in a single run with a skater"

Really, a freaking skater....oh hell

Finally we made it to the base camp that was McKay's Bend campground at the tiny town of Myrtle, 15 miles upriver of Lewiston on Highway 12.

We had just enough time to fish one run that night, and both of us got really nice pulls, foreshadowing of our time ahead.

People began joining us from everywhere.  Zen Piscator from Missoula,, Taylor and Bo from Spokane, Panhandle from well, the Idaho Panhandle, Steelie Mike and Keith from Portland.  Uncles came from Portland to join the crew and we commenced telling tall tales that grew taller with the consumption of whatever we chose to consume

Friday through Sunday worked itself into a rhythm.  Early morning sessions were productive, followed by big breakfasts back at camp and then back at it all day

I had a great time


Friday morning OMR picked up a great little hatchery player on a comeback fly that Steelie Mike had given me almost a year and half earlier.  Dad was working a run when he kept having small plucks on the end of the line...obviously a fish was interested, just not committing.  Out came the fly box, and that little size 8 Spade came in handy as the second cast back into the run the loop was pulled out of his hand and the best present for my dad came to hand

We took a small road trip to the Ronde to show my uncles our favorite steelhead river . M uncle, after an hour total on the spey rod proceeds to raise a fish 4 times, the last two of which was on a skated Muddler.  Each time this fish hit the flush on the toilet bowl rise, only be part in either missing the fly or my uncle pulling it right out of its mouth.  We all sat mouth agape as the scene played out those 4 times.  Freaking unreal.

Friday night, Mike, Zen, Keith, Eric Speer and I were all part of one of the greatest evenings I have ever seen on the Clearwater.  I took my first ever dryline fish in fast water and then proceeded to watch as our crew hooked up 6 times and landed 4.  Right to the closing bell the fish kept taking

The weather held, the fish kept taking and about everyone over the course of those 4 days hooked up.  I had the line ripped out of my hand more than once only to lift to set and find nothing coming back on the end of the line.  It's mystifying how they can take hold with such savageness and then be gone in the blink of an eye. 

Hats off to Bo for the best gift at the birthday party  for OMR.

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Custom OMR Whiskey

The party for dad was great.  My mom and sister came down from Spokane with custom Fay Clave cupcakes and great banter kept the party going late into the night.  I, on the other hand, passed out from fishing exhaustion way, way too early.  It guess that's what happens when you fish for 14 straight hours

The river went off color and the weather soured on Sunday just in time to have one more big camp meal and break the big tent town.  It was time to put a finishing stamp on the Fay Clave

When I look back at all that went into, and all that came out of this weekend...it all comes down to this. 

It was all worth it.

New friends, fish caught, stories told, beer and whiskey consumed, 1000's of casts made, and one happy as hell father on his 70th birthday

 Mark your calendars, we'll be back at it again for the 2nd Edition of the OMR Fay Clave in 2011.