[Speybro]

I have to thank everyone for making the spey clave such a great weekend to be at. I have done demonstrations all over the world and have to say that this was the friendliest and most enjoyable group I have had the pleasure to demonstrate to.

I can't thank Steve and Doug enough for the beer supply and, next year, Steve you and I will go and see the wet t shirts in bar 71! Way and Steve's new line is wikid and gives me a challenge to work on bringing out as good a line for [email protected]@!!

It was awesome to see so many good casters around and to see how healthy spey casting is in the US.

Most thanks go to Mark and Patty for their great work in organizing this event and to Bob and Laura - great folks, superb hospitality and endless amount of tequilla (still a shame I had to drive back to the hotel, but thanks for the offer of a bed!)

For those that missed this year apart from great casting and entertainment and hospitality you missed these awesome new casts - Dek's 360, boulder avoiding, willow branch chewing single spey, Doug's back flip into forehand snake with triple Salko, Steve's reverse snake flea flicker, sonic boom breaker, "no river big enough" cast and finally a humble greek mythological twirly, what the bloody hell use is that, oozlum spey. If that isn't enough to entice more casters next year what can we do?!!!

Finally it was great to see the names behind the handles. To one and all who attended - thank you for coming.

Simon G.

 

[spey_bubba]

thanks everyone

I would like to add my thanks to Simon's: to everyone (especially Mark, Patti, Bob and Laurie's hospitality) for the most enjoyable weekend I could possibly imagine! [Mark: how's the elbow?] It was a great pleasure to meet so many wonderful people and to put faces and names to flytalk "handles"!

Thanks to Simon G, Andy M, Dec, Brian Silvey, and Mark B (and my best fishing buddy and #1 line tester, Steve) for great casting demonstrations, Billy Williams and Doug Osbourne for showing me some gnarly new casts, Brian O'Keefe for consistent comic relief (especially the half twisting double flip), John Kovitch for the awesome steaks, and everyone for being so simply nice and STOKED!

thanks for the kind words from those that cast and liked the line. it has ben a fun project, and wouldn't have been without all of you!

[Simon: glad you liked my line, but I'll buy you a case of alaskan amber and let you dance with Steve next year if you stick with short belly lines!!! You'd look good in a SA hat, by the way.....]

[Juro: nice meeting you, with i had had more time to chat with you; i didn't realize you were blasting off on sunday! sorry]

can't wait to see all of you next year, and thanks in absentia, fred evans!

BTW: if whomever has the opportunity to return a Teton size 12 reel containing my 9/10 weight proto line, i'd be much obliged... perhaps you could send it to Mark B.'s shop? gracias

Way
aka Spey_Bubba

 

[juro]

Simon -

It was a great pleasure to meet you. Your casting presentation was primo and I really appreciate the casting corrections. The T&T / Rio setup you were using was so perfectly balanced it felt great to cast it. Just effortless. It won't be the last I see of that setup, I'll be getting that configuration for myself.

Mark and Patty without a doubt are clave-meisters extraordinaire! I am duly impressed, what a stellar event. Glad to have you as our sponsor, Mark! FlyBob and Laura are great hosts, not to mention the excellent cuisine. I can't wait until next year!

When you factor in the casting gymnastics of the Northwest's own Dec Hogan, the wisdom of Andy Murray's words from the "old country" (House of Hardy), the the deep insights of the consumate steelhead bum Ed Ward and the excitement of the new SA line with the likes of "Longcast" Steve Choate and Way, what a truly spectacular event it was. I've had entire fishing trips I didn't enjoy as much as my one day in Spey paradise.

Thanks to all the manufacturer reps as well, it was really something having a mini-fly show right there at Speyclave HQ. I wanted to talk to all but got too carried away with other things and ended up missing my chance to talk to Tim Rajeff except for a quick business card. All the big brands made a showing under the covered area.

It was great to see so many faces to associate with the names that Dana has brought together in the Spey Clave. We mustn't forget the virtual place where the event came together! Although you were unable to attend, Dana - you would have been proud of the gang you helped put together, friend!

I am glad to be able to say that I attended, it was truly a privilege to be there.

I am most indebted to Doublespey and Andre; Brian driving to the great destinations of the pacific northwest with you has become somewhat of a habit! I hope the trend continues with no end in sight Andre - your hospitality was a Godsend to a weary traveler. My best to your family for letting me intrude in your handsome home for the weekend.

To all - I hope we can meet on steelhead water again someday soon!

Juro

 

[fredaevans]

At the total risk of sounding like a 'twit,' it's

cool to see 'the baby' Bob Larsell, Mark and I dreamed up growing up. The first, you think "maybe 30-40 guys," and you get over a hundred. The second you think "mabe 100'ish," and you get 200+.

I think Mark and Bob/Laura proved the movie addage: "if you build it, they will come."
fe

 

[lastcaststeve]

As always, Simon...you are one very difficult act to follow! Your casting expertise coupled with your gracious help to anyone needing a few pointers was exceptional. The event would not have been the same without yours' and Andy Murray's presentations..you can count on me for dancing on the top of club 71 next year...although, we may be the only 2 praying for rain! As you said the event was spectacular...It was definitely a priveledge to have had the opportunity to have casted at this years clave, and introduce the new mastery XLT. The laid back atmosphere and opportunity to meet so many wonderful people and put names to fly fishing forum handles was exceptional. Thanks to Juro, Gordon, Crusty, Doublespey, and many, many others for taking a few minutes to make acquaintances. The chance to spend some time with lots of other local fishing buds was also great fun, as well as fishing with Fishman26, Rick jorgenson from Ca, Billie Williams, and of Course Speybubba...a wonderful time was had by all. Special thanks to Mark and Patty for their organizational skills, Bob and Laura for hospitality....the chance to spend time with such greats as Dec hogan, Ed Ward, Tim Rajeff, Brian O'keefe, Kerry Burkheimer, etc., etc., guys you only read about was truly incredible...I for one can't wait for next
years clave and dancing on the top of club 71!!

steve

 

[Rick J]

The great event

Truly awesome event for the second year - great to see Bob and Laura again. Mark did a spectacular effort in coordinating all the events! Gotta think that many of the best spey casters in the world were there and not an ego to be seen!!

The two days were truly amazing and it was great to get out on the river and fish on Monday - floating in pontoon boats is really a blast. My special thanks to Way for allowing me to tag along on the back of his craft. And it was a true pleasure to spend a day with Way, Steve, Fishman26 and Billy Williams. What a beautiful stretch of river. I gotta admit I was just starting to feel a bit cocky about my casting abilities over the two days - then I got into a fishing situation - throwing a type 6 sink tip and heavy fly while wading waist deep or deeper (sometimes much deeper!!) and things quickly went to hell!! So much to learn!! It was really sad to hear the "pow" of a stressed Burky rod blowing up!

 

[fredaevans]

Went to Hell means you got your cute little butt

wet; welcome to my club from last weekend. Next day JD Jones found the 20'ish pound mono that caused the dump. So why didn't he walk up steam first????? First your 'up-right,' next your flat on your face in knee deep water. Which is really quite enough.

But who blew up the Burkie??? I've got a lust in my :devil: loins to order one up before she knows I've hit the 'plastic.' (read that Joan's in Europe until June 24th) to get their 7-8-9 spey? Tell all! Tell all! Give it up easy so I don't have to bug you till the cows come home.

:hehe:

fe

 

[NrthFrk16]

Hey Fred...

...I just need to know one thing, how many two-handers DO YOU have???

 

[spey_bubba]

the sound of $750 breaking...

fred;

there is a bit of white water just down from the launch at Dodge. Since we were one pontoon boat shy of the number of people fishing, I took Rick J on the back of my boat first, and we had a ringside seat to the minor disaster. Steve had Bruce on the back of his boat, "pushing" his little 6' hobie in front of his larger pontoon boat through the whitewater. In the rough of it, the hobie came detached, and Steve tried to corral it, unfortunately spinning a bit close to the rock wall... i heard bruce yell "no! no! no!", then there was an incredibly loud "POW". where once protruded a strung up burkie, there were two pieces, connected by orange line.

bruce said the stick had been bent more than double before breaking, like an old ugly stick ad. certainly more durable than the student's sage 7141 i blew up today during a lesson only casting 90 feet.

 

[fredaevans]

Ah Damn and Double Damn! I just knew

Steve's name had to be connected to the story. And I know just which rod your talking about. Everyone (some of us with lust) loved that particular rod/line combo at the clinic.

Major BUMMER! Actually, make that two: can immagine the expression on the "students" face when the Sage blew up. Ah, well, it's 'test the warrenty time.'

Doc, forgot to ask: Did you get your reel back from the 'lend out' at the Clave?

Ryan, I haven't counted recently, but it's 8 for sure, perhaps 9 spey rods.
fe

 

[Willie Gunn]

The ignorance of youth

Ryan,
What kind of a question is that to ask anyone especially on a non secure site. I mean anyone could read the answer, even Joan from Europe.

A man can never have enough Spey Rods and reels to go with them, especially reels, then of course you need more lines, then more rods to put them on it is a vicious circle.

Malcolm

 

[fredaevans]

Right answer! Willie ... and the number

just went to for sure 9, maybe 10. The "vicious circle" just grew more teeth; Brian and I cut a deal for his 15' sage 9wt.:smokin:

Ryan,
Major difference in the 'economics' of it all, is you're spending all your 'extra' money chasing the young ladies. I'm an "old dog" who doesn't get off the front portch any more.:hehe: Or as the JoanMeister would say: "if you caught one, what would you do with it?" Too old to screw up a good marrage at this time of my life.
:>)

 

[NrthFrk16]

Fred-
That is the problem...I have no extra money. I spent the good portion of my 18th and 19th year, maxing out every credit card issued to me...more then I can count.

So at this point, every extra penny goes towards my debts and car payments (lots of debts equaled monster percentage rate for my car loan...something like 15%) :whoa:

Oh well...lets see how my finances are after this bday...maybe I will have enough money to squander on the Powell Tiboron #10 15' when it finally hits the market. :devil:

 

[fredaevans]

Ryan, I suspect stongly your a very cool young guy;

but I was a 'banker' before you were a 'twinkle' in your fathers eye. If you need a 'Dutch Uncle' on this, contact me off line; I may have some advise you could use.

But in that context, you'll have to "send me a nickle," (no kidding, and I'm not kidding) because no one hears 'free advice.'

"DU"

Brian told me about the rod; and it sounds like it could be a very cool piece of equipment ...... but for you, much later. Trust me, the sun will come up tomorrow.
fe

 

[spey_bubba]

fred

thanks for asking. the reel and line seemed to have "walked off" into the sunset. bummer. one bad apple.

 

[fredaevans]

The 'one half of one percent' can ruin the day.

I'm not pleased to hear that Doc.

Question though: didn't you have a small plate with your name/MD, etc., on each of your reels? Given the number of us here in the PNW, if we 'all' knew what kind of reel/colour to keep our eye open for .... maybe the "collective we" get lucky.

Lots of the fellows/gals watch e bay, VFS, etc., so many eyes may bring baby back.
Fred

 

[pmflyfisher]

Fred,

Did I read that correct 9 or 10 spey rods now in your possession ?

Wow, have you considered a world wide loaner program since a man can only use one spey rod a time. Poor fellows like me in the great lakes with one spey rod may be willing to rent from you the 9/10 weight 14 footer needed for the fall salmon runs here ?

I have about 9 single handers and one spey now. Never marry and accountant who is also a real estate broker that has taken inventory of my rods, and reminds me continually of what the Hxxx
are you doing with them ? It would have been much easier had I not married a lady who was both pretty and smart etc.......

Hal

P.S. I have a $ 600 Orvis TU 25 year commenrative Henry Forks 5 weight, # 96 of 100, limited edition, 8 footer I won in a TU raffle in 1985. It has been used once a few dry fly casts on the PM in trout season in 1987. I wonder what it is worth now, as it is in new condition.

 

[doublespey]

Bubba's Toys

Ditto Fred's statement - this is one tight community in the PNW. If we're on the lookout for this combo, I think there's a good chance someone will recognise it.

A generous as all the participants were at the Clave (Simon allowing us to use his own T&T rods, Steve with his Burkheimer, and the list goes on and on) it's a shame that someone has to take advantage of the other Claver's hospitality. But, thinking back, it *was* a situation that lent itself to abuse.

Post the specs plus any unique marks - between all of us very little passes by the "used" spey market without at least a look (if not a bid :chuckle: )

DS

 

[spey_bubba]

thanks fellas. you're concern and help are greatly appreciated.

it was a standard Teton size 12 (spey) reel (a little sentimental value, since i've caught tarpon, kings, steelies, atlantics, and bonefish with it), no distinguishing marks aside from a label on the reel seat (01-062 9wt proto), and another sticker on the reel itself "left" (for left hand retrieve), and containing 140 feet of bright orange XLT prototype line.

the loss of the reel in no way detracted from the wonderful event. these things happen. people are people. the overwhelming majority of fly fishers i've met are a model of what all people in the world should be like!

 

[Nate Bailey]

Sounds Like you all had a great time, I was planning on going but now that the wife works, I spend alot of free time playing Mr Mom.
Seems like I either have time or money but never both. All is still good because I get to watch my youngest fishin buddies learn new things. I hope to go to #3...we will see.......Nate