brittsnbirds

"Primative" is what they call it! Check out this url; http://mostateparks.com/campground/bennett-spring-state-park-campground-5 It is a map of CG 5. And actually 518, 519 and 541 do not have power, my bad! You can tent camp in any of the sites in the park. Campground 5 is non-reservable, first come first serve.

What day and what time are you planning on arriving? There are a few primitive spots in Campground 5. They have a picnic table and power. Plus they are close to the pooper!!

Check your personal message. Pat

Ok Rich you win. I'll go! I would like to take off early like around noon. But have to check with the boss. If not I'll be leaving around 4. Hopefully I can get a place in 5 by then. Unless you beat me down and save me one! The best of my recollection it's been over a year since we ripped some lips together!! Bring the picture of my big brown that I snagged on the island!!

The Wife made me get reservations couple times in September (9/9, 9/16) as well as October (10/14 and 10/28). Unless something happens (in my case is very likely) I'll be there on those weekends.

Only mentioning it because I'm jealous. Bummer about the Winston. Usually you have the cork wore off by now!!

Roger the cadence Wayne. I have stood right next to my buddy, throwing the same crackleback (that I gave him) with the same tippet and watched him out fish me. Finally figured out he was working it slower. Instead of strip, strip, strip, pause. He was doing a strip, pause, strip, pause cadence. You just never know. One other thing I have noticed about DEEP stripping. When I feel my fly going into and through a moss pile I get ready. I can feel the tension loosen and the fly will pop out of the moss, then WHAM. They just about rip my rod out of my hand. Much fun. However after an hour or 2 I have to get out the Aleve!!

The thing you don't understand about NoLuck is that he is financially indipendant!! And he works all the time!! Talk about O.T. Don't ask about the rod that he replaced it with (Winston?).

Of all the fly's that I have in my box, the FC Crackleback is the most abundant! Over the years I have found myself using only a select few combinations of CB's. If I had to pick 5 flys only to fish, 3 out of the 5 would be the CB in various combinations. Besides the Griffith's gnat and the Renegade I think the Crackleback is the most versitle fly in my arsenal!! You can work it as a dry, emerger (sub surface), or down deep. However I do think that size matters. My previous preferred size was a 12, but nowadays I start with a 14 and go down to a 18. Good luck.

All the years that I have been camping at BSSP I have only had a couple issues with "partiers". I (like Rich) usually am in CG 5. I stay away from the Primitive sites as they usually are the tent campers who sometimes are the floaters/partiers. The other is stay away from the shower house due to the foot traffic. If you have a problem report it. The CG manager is a great guy and is definately customer service oriented. And the dogs that NoLuck referred to were not mine!! Pat

Rich and FFM, You guys are killing me. I would love to try and make it the last weekend of August (27th-29th). Was trying to make it this past weekend but had to take care of some business. I had to put one of my Brittany's (Biscuit) down Saturday. It was the wife's dog and her decision. It was a tough weekend around our place. Now that I'm down to just Junior and Dixie I might be able to get away more. I'll just have to load up 2 dogs, in the past it was stupid to try and deal with 3 down there. Dixie is a camping pro and her dad Junior will do fine. That being said I will check with the war department and see if I can get a pass!! I just noticed in my profile pic that it was of Biscuit and Junior on point in their younger days. Darn it's tough loosing a friend like that!! FFM was it you that had the Britts or your brother?? Pat

Still on the fence about going. It seems like everytime I try to put a trip together something unforeseen comes up. If I make I'll look you up.

So did the fish grow at all since the middle of the summer? When I was down in June they were small. Rich, so were you using your "special" unit?? Still trying to find the right colored thread to tie it. I think I will see if the boss will give me a kitchen pass from Thursday on till Sunday. Get one last hoorah in before school starts. Pat

FFN, I was down the first part of the week on the 20th of June. My experience was a little different. Arrived on Sunday and pulled the trailer up to CG 5 to get set up. Appeared that the place was almost abandoned. Went to the south end of the CG to a preferred site. Backed in and hooked up the power to get the A/C on (it was humid and hot), no power. Checked my inverter to make sure nothing was tripped, everything was ok. Pulled out and slipped it into another spot, again no power. A fellow from a few spots up noticed that I was in and out of couple places came over. He advised that they had a bad lighting storm the night before and blew all the power out to the south end of 5. It also blew his inverter up on his 5th wheel, OUCH$$$. He said that they worked on power problem and fixed it, apparently they didn't. I pulled out and went to the north loop of 5 where there were several trailers set up with a/c running. Got a spot that worked and was in like flint. Headed down the hill to pay and located one of the Hosts on a golf cart. Told him that the power wasn't working. His reply was "yes it is". I told him what occurred and he inferred that there was something wrong with my trailer. I told him that it worked fine in the north loop. Funny how the south end had a problem and my trailer didn't work. After a few more volley's of information back and forth I parted company with the excuse that I would check my trailer out to be sure (even though it was 76 degrees inside and 90 outside). From that point on everything went fine as far as operations go. Fishing was another story. As far as the fishing goes, that experience was probably the closest to my experience fishing the Moyie River in Idaho with hopper patterns several years ago. Little fish attacking the terrestrials. Big problem was I wasn't in Idaho and the little fish that I was catching were Rainbows rather than Cutthroat or Brooke trout!! What a disappointing week. Most fish were little to small and the larger fish that I caught were still on the slim side. I had a pretty good time with the Cicada patterns. My best bet was a little p/t parachute emerger pattern that I tied up. If they appeared to be feeding on the surface I put that bad boy on and would do pretty good. Overall it was my go to pattern. The rest of the time things were pretty slow. As far as people, it was nice up to Wednesday, then they started rolling in. We headed out Thursday with no regrets!! Over all I was disappointed in the sheer number of smaller fish that I caught and observed caught. Maybe later in the year things will change.

Rich, I never have been able to replicate "your" P&P nor have I seen any like yours. I wouldn't give up on them and doubt the fish have seen any since you have been down there. Whip some of those bad boys up. Several of us are headed down the week after next if it works out. Didn't make it this past week things came up. But am faunching (sp?) at the bit to get some time in on the stream.

School starts the 3rd week or so. I will check and see, would love to get down there again before High School football starts.

Depending on where I am and what I need. If I'm fishing and up by Zone 1 I go to Larry's. (Plus if Larry is there he love's to talk Pheasant hunting and loves to see my little/big britt Dixie). Larry's son is very helpful as is everyone else. Have him tie you up some of his "special" mini egg units. One of his helpers (volunteer firefighter) tied one for me one day. It's great for sight (gut) fishing. If I need propane and need something I go to Weavers. But it isn't the same without the old crew!! If I need something special and want to spend a lot of money I go to Charlie's. Plus it makes me feel like I'm at work with his sarcasm. I have a friend that refuses to go back after spending 10 minutes there. I stop at the park store to visit the girls and Eric. Always have to visit Skip to get my card in the morning!! If he isn't busy he will give up a few ideas. I use to go to Gaston's every once in a while (before they closed) if I needed a little second hand smoke. Plus Mrs. Gaston turned me on to her favorite emerger pattern. It's more of a need and convenience thing. I tie my own flies and have found that I have to do some running around sometimes to get just what I want. Overall they all have what you need for basic fishing at the BSSP. Prices aren't too different. Their enthusiasm to help is usually very good.

Not to Hi-jack your topic but has the AT&T cell service become better? If I bring the wife she has to work in the trailer on her laptop. We use AT&T wireless for it. Last time I was down you had to go up to the "phone booth" on top of ole smokie to get a bar!! I prefer not to have a fricking phone but when you have to have the contacts in order to go a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, to fish!!

So if the wife and I want to come down for the first time. Pull the trailer and head to a state park will I be able to wade fish. Was going to BSSP instead but if the water is down and they don't open any more gates then could the wade/fly fishing be OK?

Hopefully tying to get down on Wednesday through rest of week. The boss suggested we do it but it looks pretty crowded. Hopefully campground 5 will have a site left. If anyone is going to be there on Wednesday morning hit me with a PM.....

BUCKET MOUTH? "I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man." Anyway, Rich your not going to guess what I just found that makes an awesome rib. One of my comrades is a Tazer instructor. He did a demo for my Cadet's the other night at a meeting. He was showing them the wire that hooks to the probe and it looked like a nice piece of copper wire to use for rib. Further inspection revealed that it had a shiny clear insulation sleeve on it. Very small but pliable. Took some home and tested it out on a hook that I wrapped with hot orange thread. Then wrapped the Tazer wire up it. Put some of the epoxy stuff on it and it was awesome. Next step is the P/P with it. May have a hit!! Jerry, are you using black as your rib on your light olive? Quit crying, I haven't been down either and that is just WRONG for me!! Thanks everyone also for the other patterns. Definitely will whip some up in a few days.

I've got a Native American friend that can maybe get them back for you all??

NoLuck won't mind. He has beat me many times with his technique. 2488 or 2489 scud hook light yellow thread copper wire rib copper bead also add a little flash a bo with the rib I use the bhpt as a dropper. AS far as the 2 Brits. That's Junior and Biscuit in their earlier years. They are 13 now and retired! Killed several hundred roosters over them in their day as well as a bunch of quail.

Depending on the clarity of the water and if the sun is up you might try a Primrose and pearl. But don't tell NoLuck I told you. That is one his favorites. Also a BH flashback pheasant tail as well as a Hare's ear nymph. Size 16 or smaller. Also consider a RS2 or WD40 size 20 or 22. Consider using fluorcarbon line size 6x as tippet. But the biggest factor is the presentation. I'll someone else devulge that info. Don't want to give up the entire farm!!

I agree with Rich (NoLuck). I really appreciate the camera when it is pointed at the dam. I can tell by looking at the base how high the water is. As well as looking above at the stripping hole for clarity!! When we going Rich?? I've got the itch. Pat