June 24 To June 29

[steve l]

Floated the 24th to the 29th with the wife, the two brothers (from Charlotte and Jax) & a couple of their kids. Went from Greer to 142. Pretty dang hot! Got on the river about noon. One neat aspect Sunday was a mist over stretches of the blue ribbon water. It ran three to four or so feet over the river. When sitting it was tough to see through - when standing you could get above it. Can't remember seeing that before.

Fishing was good in the blue & white ribbon water. Got my personal best rainbow at 3.7 lbs, just a bit under 21 inches. Then we always find the smallie water productive.

There were jet boats, but not too bad.

But what's the deal with the the no trespassing at Hall's Bay? I mean come on, purple paint splashed everywhere? New landowner? Old landowner waiting over 30 years for the side channel to fill in? Or just a dork?

Had the pleasure of meeting Two Sheds at 142 while taking out.

Oh, and kudos for Mike & Wendy running Hufstedler's. They always treat us good!

Sure wish I could get down more than once a year.

Couple of pictures

[TroutRinger]

thanks for sharing...once again I HAVE to get on that river sooner than later

[Gavin]

That looks like a wonderful time! Congrats on a great trip & a nice fish.

[OzarksRiverman]

Nice hat, and what is that concoction in the first pic???

[TroutRinger]

Nice hat, and what is that concoction in the first pic???

I was trying to figure that out myself. Looks like some black beans, corn, tomatoes, and chicken? Just guessing here...I'd probably eat it irregardless

[steve l]

The concoction is known as calico chicken. My wife decided she wanted to start using a dutch oven this year vs the usual make ahead & freeze & reheat meals we typically eat. Troutringer hit it pretty close. Chicken breasts wrapped around some kind of white cheese I can't think of and then coated w/a corn flake mixture and cooked for a while. Pull the chicken once it cooks, add the tomatoes & corn & black beans & olives & green chilis & trying to remember if I missed something & then mix in some taco seasoning and mix really well & then add the chicken back in & finish cooking.

It is a really (really) good meal.

The other dutch oven meal of the trip was a mushroom stuffed beef tenderloin with some kind of bread stuffing. Gotta love the wife's cooking!

It is a great hat. Been looking for one like that for some time. Finally found it this year.

[TroutRinger]

The other dutch oven meal of the trip was a mushroom stuffed beef tenderloin with some kind of bread stuffing. Gotta love the wife's cooking!

Ok first I was jealous of your trip. Now I just plain hate you.

...

[hank franklin]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Just got to say, that load of wood looks like you were preparing for a cold front to move in.

[steve l]

Great pics, thanks for sharing. Just got to say, that load of wood looks like you were preparing for a cold front to move in.

Way back in the mid-late 60s & into the 70s when my mom & dad first took us boys (and my sister) canoeing my dad was insistent on bonfires. That has stuck with us - gotta have at least one FIRE every trip - you know, the kind that melts the gravel. By time late July rolls around it can be a bit tough to find wood on some of the gravel bars. But in a lot of cases if you're willing to scavenge and work a bit you can get there.

First the wood

Leading to the marshmallows

Leading to the S'mores

Leading to the FIRE!

Leading to all that is left the next morning...

[gotmuddy]

I am the same way, it isnt camping if there is no fire. Last august my wife and I camped on the eleven point(riverton to myrtle) and we had a campfire.