I’ve been in internet no-man’s land for the past 5 days at the SE FFF Conclave and then a day’s fishing, so no posts were possible.  This is a catch-up.

The Conclave was really fun. As always, there was plenty of talking on my part and on the part of others. I many ways it was like old home week–better than a high school reunion. I presented a casting program for 12 on Saturday morning. It was a great class with good casters and they got a good dose of curve casting, mends galore, distance casting (including the triple shoot), and more. Everyone did very well.

The Casting Class coming together in preparation for some serious grass whipping!

Sunday morning, I gave a class on Stream Lore–well not too much lore, mostly a discussion of reading water, nymphing and fishing the film with a dead drift. The 12 had a fun time on the Nacoochee  Bend section of the Chattahoochee, just behind Jimmy Harris’ fly shop–Uniquoi Outfitters.  Although it was strictly demo, with no real fishing going on, I still caught two smaller rainbows on a Czech nymph that I borrowed from Oscar Feliu see below). Both fish took the fly on the swing as the end of a Leisenring Lift.

Nacoochee Bend, just behind the Unicoi Outfitters shop.

Both Saturday and Sunday afternoons I presented talks on Nynmphing and Presentation, and on Saturday, I also gave a talk on Reading the Water. The projector was not working for that talk, but I was able to use a large flip-chart paper pad and make drawings to carry it off. It worked just fine.

Saturday evening ended with a Bar-B-Q at the lake, and then Oscar and I stayed and entertained a bit with guitar playing and singing. I will not soy how good any of it was, but will say that Oscar has played professionally for many years and has trained as an opera singer. Me? Well I play and sing, too. When we were in touch before going to the Conclave, Oscar asked if I would bring my guitar, but I told him I only have one and can’t chance using it for a travel instrument. To my absolute surprise and delight, Oscar brought me a gift of a Harmony guitar that is most suitable for travel; so were able to play together and sing a few songs. Interestingly, I started playing guitar in 1961–an old Harmony arch top. Sunday evening also found us playing and singing (?), and in general making the ends of our fingers quite numb and sore. We had a great time.

My old pal, Oscar Fileu, was a featured fly tyer at the SE FFF Conclave, and an unofficial, after-hours entertainer with guitar and song.

My new Harmony guitar has already been strung with a set of John Pearse phosphor-bronze, extra-light gauge strings, and it will get a new case next week. It’s first major trip will be to Montana this summer for a fishing excursion, and then on to Vancouver, WA, to spend time with Jason and Kelley. Sorry guys, this time I’ll have a guitar with me.

My "new" Harmony with its John Pearse strings awaiting its new case in preparation for travel.

Of course there were a number of other  long-time friends at the Conclave, too. Here are some photos of them, with notes on their efforts at the conclave.

Jim Casada and I spent a week trout fishing together in South Africa in 1990 at the invitation of the South African Government. There will be a story in volume 4 of the book series “Fly Fishing” by Jason and me. The book will be “The Predatory Angler,” and the story will be entitled, Leopard on the Rocks.

Jimo both spoke at the Conclave and had a booth offering a variety of sporting books for sale, including his new one on fishing in the Smokies. I have a one, and it's filled with great info. If you're headed that way, get a copy; it will be a tremendous help.

This is Tom Travis. He was another featured tyer a the Conclave. We go way back. He’s appeared in my instructional video, “Fishing the Midge,” and there’s a great story about Tom in Chapter 5 of  the forthcoming book, “Reading Waters” (volume 2 in the series “Fly Fishing” by Jason and me.

Tom Travis has spent many hours on the middle seat of a guide boat and tromping the spring creeks just south of Livingston, MT. If you're headed that way and want the best, contact Tom at ttravis@mcn.net or phone 406 222 2273; there's more info at Master Angler.

Dusty Sprague was at the Conclave as part of the FFF Casting Instructor certification that took place over the weekend. I certified Dusty lo these many years (has it really bee, lo these many years, Dusty?) and he’s gone on to become a member of the Board of Governors. Great Caster, Great person, Great friend.

Dusty Sprague, on the BOG of the FFF Casting Certification Program, was there to certify casters.

Mac Brown at the Conclave to help with the certification. I had known of Mac for years, but we had never actually met. He generously look me up so we could meet and get to talk for a few minutes, anyway. His book, “Casting Angles,” is a serious, and goo look at fly casting. Unfortunately, we met at breakfast when my camera was still snoozing back in the room, so I lifted his photo from the back of his book.

Mac Brown was in attendance to help with the FFF casting certification.

Sunday evening was the fund-raiser and awards banquet with none other than my old pal, Johnny Chamnuess. Johnny has been helping the FFF raise money with his auctioneer skills, and story telling craft, for many years. No one was disappointed with an evening with Johnny.

The Awards banquet and auction raised substantial money for the FFF.

Monday was fishing day, and fish I did, with Jonathan “Hamp” Hampton and Jimmy Harris, both of whom were most enjoyable companions. Hamp and I fished the morning at Frog Hollow on the Chestate, using, as Hamp described it, “Bait and Switch”–a pale pink San Juan Worm with a size 20 WD40 dropper. It was great angling, and we each took a good number of really nice rainbows up to about 6 pounds. The morning will serve as a story in “Nymphs and Wets,” volume 11 in the “Fly Fishing” series.

Hamp into a nice one with the "Bait and Switch" at Frog Hollow on the Chestate

Jimmy Harris showed up at lunch time and the two of us spent the afternoon fussing with the fish. At first we explored with a Czech Nymphing rig, and Jimmy found his center with a Stonefly Nymph as the point fly. Three nice bows fell to the rig. I got one on a size 10 bead-head Prince Nymph on the Czech rig before switching to a black beetle and  hammering them on top. The beetle experience was classic–wind blows, a few leaves come down, the fish rise sporadically as few times and them quit. It was so clasic, in fact that it will be a story in “Terrestrials,” book 16 in the “Fly Fishing” series. The title of the story is “Shrimp and Grits,” and you’ll have to read the book to fid out the why of the title.

Jimmy Harris at Frog Hollow on the Chestatte with a nice bow he earned with the Czech Nymphing tactic

And yes. there were a few village idiots around–the fish I mean.

A nice beetle eating rainbow that took the fly under the trees in the flat below the Big Pool at Frog Hollow on the Chestate.