Off to Kelsey Bass ranch tomorrow ....

[David Lee]

3:30 AM wake-up calls suck !

I'll post a full report w/ photos upon return (sometime Saturday) . I'm optimistic that there will be somewhat of a body count this time ......

Pray for Black thumbs !

David

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would love to go with you guys again this year but I just have to many other obligations right now.

I know you guys will have a wonderful time.

[Hairstacker]

David, let us hear all about it, how'd it go? Get some on top? Please don't interpret the lack of responses here as lack of interest regarding your trip -- I've been checking here specifically on a regular basis to see how it went and I don't know how much longer I can wait to hear about it. And for God's sake, please don't leave out any details!

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

David, let us hear all about it, how'd it go? Get some on top? Please don't interpret the lack of responses here as lack of interest regarding your trip -- I've been checking here specifically on a regular basis to see how it went and I don't know how much longer I can wait to hear about it. And for God's sake, please don't leave out any details!

Me, too! Me, too! Me, too!

[paulegan81]

I'll post a full report w/ photos upon return (sometime Saturday) .

David

At least let him catch them first......

[Hairstacker]

At least let him catch them first......

Good point. I guess I misread David's post.

[David Lee]

Two days of HARD work/screamin' fun !

Met up w/ trip host Byron an hour late (my fault) , loaded up and made the two hour + drive down - when we arrived we were in no real hurry to start , as the wind as up around 15-20 already .

It blew like the end of the world . Got up to 30+ sustained by mid day ......

Hit fish from the get-go ..... my first was a fat 3 1/4 on the 8 Wt. Craw (most were found in the West side trees) , discovered that my camera was down , so no photos . Landed 5 by mid day , 4 of which were 3+ Lbs. , not a shabby average !

I knocked off around 2:30 ...... tired from bucking the wind . Met up w/ the rest of our crew (Terry , Jerry , Gary , Ray , Larry , and Sam) and chewed the fat for a bit . Those guys put the HARD in hardcore flyfishing !! They all did pretty good by this point , so Byron and Gary made dinner , and by 6:00 the wind started to die ....

Kelsey is interesting . Like most bodies of water .... if it isn't ON , you wonder what all the fuss is about . I've heard for years about how EPIC it can be (I've been there only twice) but I have yet to see what I would consider a HOT bite happen there . As daylight faded ..... I was about to get a small taste !

I launched and headed to flooded timber downlake . Stuck two more 3's on the Craw as the light fell off . I figured I'd give the surface another try until I managed to get somebody to come up and eat .....

Tied on a #1 Dahlberg (Bronze flash , Yellow/Tan/Olive) and worked the submerged wood - Raised/hooked/landed a few in the 15-inch range that had NO fear of commitment ! They ate like savages and went straight down into wood when hooked !! Ran like mad back to my favorite patch of wood in the NorthWest as the Moon burned on the now flat water .....

Quietly drifted into position ........ dropped anchor and started shooting . Bloop ......bloop ........ bloop .......... CRASSHHHHHHHH !!!

Finished w/ 7 Bass to 4 1/2 Lbs. on top . The bite died an hour after dark . Hit camp for snacks/drinks/BS w/ the guys and hit the sack around 10:30 . Made the mistake of pitching my tent under a Grackle roost - those devils chattered and screamed all damn night !!

Ill-rested , I got up and was back out by 5:45 . Hit two more 3's right off the bat and then someone flicked the switch - we couldn't BUY another bite !! Did I mention that there was NO wind ??? Conditions were perfect ..... but the fish were as off as they could be . Went back out in mid afternoon and finally found the village idiot (a skinny 17-incher) . We left in late day , all tired but pleased w/ the short evening bite from the day before .

Out of the 15+ Bass I landed ....... only 4 were UNDER 3 Lbs. - I'll gladly take a trip like that one anyday ! Hot flies were the 8-Wt. Craw , a skinny Black Clouser , and my size #1 Dahlberg . Temps were 68-72 degrees , and most fish were fat as hogs .

A great trip w/ nice company .

David

[Hairstacker]

Bloop ......bloop ........ bloop .......... CRASSHHHHHHHH !!!

The sound of music. Seems like it was challenging enough to keep it interesting, but I'll take a bunch of fat 3 lbers up to a 4 1/2 any day! Like most places, looks like twilight was the magic hour -- did the wind die out then? And what the heck is a grackle? Next time, I hope you try a Tap's Bug when that diver isn't working. Anyway, sounds like you had a good time David, thanks for the great detailed report!

[David Lee]

Hi Mike !!

Yeah ..... by around 6:00 , it had dropped down to 5-10 MPH , just puffin' a bit . Big difference between the heavy wind earlier !

Grackles ?? Here ya go - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boat-tailed_Grackle Lots of different birds out there , Terry Thomas knows what flavor most of them were (I only know the ones you hunt ....) . Very noisy .

I did bring one of your Taps w/ me - with all the trees/weeds , I thought it best to NOT risk it ! I promise that it will hit the water soon .....

David