[roballen]

Holy Cow
What an awsome speying it up weekend! Was an absolute pleasure to meet a great bunch of guys..
Met Juro,Doublespey,fishman26,Spey Bubba, and countles countless others. I estimated 200 people there Saturday and 100+ Sunday. Saw people getting one on one instruction by the likes of Steve Choate, Simon G,Andy Murray, Dec Hogan, Ed Ward the list goes on and on here too.
What an absolutely exceptional event I feel pretty confident in saying that This is most likely the most comprehensive spey event in the world!
( not that I am a world traveler, just if there was anything like this elswhere it would be a big deal that I would have heard of)

I think it would be a good thing that thoes of us who attended at least send Mark Bachman a thank you e-mail. he really took a back seat to everyone else yet he did most of the work to set it up. We owe him a round of applause, a thank you and probably should consider making your next big purchases through him..

Anyone who has any interest in spey fishing anywhere in the world should right now plan on attending this event next year.

Sorry you couldn't make it Fred you were missed..

Also thanks to Bob and Laura for the hospitality, it was awsome!!!

Any good writers here?? Someone who is better with words than me should draft a letter to the Oxbow park people also stating how appreciative we are.

 

[fredaevans]

"Waaaaaaaaaaa, sniffle, sniffle .... I just

knew, knowing Mark, that it was going to be a killer event! Anyone take photos that could be posted to the Board?
Fred

 

[GBSkunk]

I agree Rob, what a great event. Much bigger turnout than last year. It was fun to meet all these people and put the face with the name (or moniker). The lessons from Simon Gawesworth were priceless. Andy Murray made some great points too.

Thanks Bob and Laura for the hospitality trailor. The salsa was KILLER!

Thanks Mark and Patty for all the food and organizing efforts. Can't wait for next year.

Dave

 

[Ol Rich]

A GREAT EVENT

I am trying to distill all the information I was exposed to during the Spey Clave. The demonstrations offered many new ideas that I am looking forward to trying. There was so much information and knowledge being exchanged it was like you were swimming in this vast pool of Spey Casting history and knowledge.

Everyone was willing to share there knowledge and equipment. If you were watching someone cast a rod and line combination they would they would hand you the rod and ask if you would like to try it.

I have never been in a large group of friendlier people. My wife made the same observation.

Everyone interested in Spey Casting should attend this event next year.

Rich

 

[watersprite]

I am an ex-biker who has done many biker "rallies". I think I enjoyed them, just can't remember much detail. LOL

This was my first flyfishing Clave and I enjoyed it (except for the camping - I still ache). I plan on making next year's though my lodgings will change.

I can't think of any other demonstrations I've attended which had such enthusiastic performers (?). NOT the usual sales pitch, just showing ya what we got folks! A more likeable group you would be hard to find. My KUDOS, gentlemen. Hell, I would have adopted Simon if he would have let me.:chuckle:

Yeah, no booze, no chicks, no fights...no hangovers. Good clean fun with great people. Got a few pictures I will upload after developing provided my thumb wasn't in the way.

watersprite

 

[doublespey]

That was You??

Watersprite - with the Harley leathers on?? :hehe:

Just kidding - and sorry I didn't get to meet you. And yeah . . . I'll join you in nominating Simon for Speycasting Sainthood. He had unending patience and a wonderful teaching style that helped many (including Juro and myself) improve their Single Spey technique.

Fred - After all the promo and drum-beating you did for this event, and after how much fun we all had, what I really wanted to do was say "THANKS". But you weren't around! So I have to say it on the board.

Anyway, Juro's a real Shutter-Bug! Andre and I previewed many of his pics before he flew back to Boston and there were some great ones. I'm sure we can all look forward to their appearance somewhere on the PNW Steelheading/Spey Pages soon.

Back to Work~ :eyecrazy:

DS

 

[watersprite]

DS,

I gave up the leathers for Northface technical clothing (yeah, old man in tights - ouch!). I was the one with accompanying teenage son and cigar.

Fred,

Sure wish you could have made it, I was looking forward to meeting you.


With that said, it sure would have been nice if the flytalk members had some sort of nametag system to help ease the introductions (I got tired of introducing myself by name then forum identity only to get a quizzical look - the tights didn't help:hehe: ).

A Big Thanks to all, especially Mark!

watersprite

 

[UKWill]

Overwhelmed by people's generosity..

Have to add my thanks and appreciation to the list.

This was my first spey event and I did not know what to expect exactly. Certainly not the depth of talent that was on show, and that the talent would all be so friendly, forthcoming and ready to help out. At one point I just started casting, and without a word, Andy Murray comes up and gives me an hour or so of instruction, with Simon yelling the odd word of encouragement from further along the line where he was doing the same.

The free food said a lot about the group who organized the event to me - that was a classy touch in an altogehter classy operation, and the soup was great - hell - missed the salsa!

I learned a good deal and from many different angles - my only attempts at distilling from the different styles would be two marked consistencies - All of the greats stop that rod real high coming forward, and all of them focus on a steady increase in tension on the line through the cast that builds through the various phases so that you can make an effectively loaded d-loop fly out with little effort. Particularly true of Dec's new pirouette cast (a must for the video Dana) that clearly unearths his childhood passion for the ballet hall. Will Simms/Patagonia be introducing a gore-tex tu-tu?

Thank you so much to everyone for the stack of work that made this in to a great day.

 

[wet fly]

It was a great weekend!

I have attended many spey get togethers and this one was by far the best. It was great to see the new lines and rods and to try them out. The spey community has come a long way in the past few years. Events like this bring it all together. Thank all. Jerry

 

[Bob Munoz]

What a hoot!

Highlights for me were:
Listening to Simon the gentleman Professor and Chairman of the College of Spey review all the essentials of good casting.
Ed – the Jedi master of the shooting head. He had a ton of insight into underhanded casting and laid out more in an hour than I could ever hope to put to good use in a year.
Cracking up watching Dec - who reminded us that slower is generally better, self-diagnosis is tough, and that fish really care how tight your loops are.
Watching Steve sling a long belly line a country mile using a spiral single spey. He uses one or two spirals to aerialize a long belly line – and tips – then does a single spey.
Listening to Way talk about the odyssey of developing the new SA line.
Trying out a bazillion different rod / line combo’s
Meeting our fearless leader from Boston and all the FFF brethren.

Learned so much I was dreaming about it and had to wake up early and write it down.

Thanks again to Mark For putting together a world class event!

 

[juro]

Another memory...

Dec Hogan lifting a perfect loop into flight...