Benefit Fly Tournament at Beaver

[MrsDucky]

I received a phone call from Mr. Ducky at about 10:30 this morning. He has stayed out of the water (so far!), but rumor is some one else has had a slight mishap! (I won't tell here, because I'm sure one of them will enlighten us with this story!) Fishing had been tough, due to generation, but they were having fun, so it's all worth it!

[Antron Midge]

I would like to thank each and everyone of you guys for all of your support with this project. The Howie Family is truly humbled and really apperciates this more than you will ever know. Looking into the face of that brave little angel makes all of our problems look so small. I am truly honored to have meet such generous and kind people, like Steve said this mourning, warms your heart to see the good come out of good people. I will post a pic (or have my buddy Dano ) of the winning team ( even though we are all winners here!!! and the final tallies of todays event. It looks like with the money that is being sent by friends that could not make the event we WILL break 2,000 bucks raised!! I hope all that bought auction items puts them to great use. I really hope that you will allow me to stay here atthis fourm, I think it is one of the best! Oh they have set up a website for Faith that will allow to keep track of her health and have updates in her treatments. I will post a link in the mourning. Thanks again, hope to see each and every one of you guys on the river!!!

Thanks again

Toby

[Antron Midge]

Here is the link if you would like to keep up with Faith and her battle. I really apperciate all that you guys did, If you ever need anything from me I am a phone call away

www.caringbridge.org/visit/faithhowie

God bless you all

Toby

[Okieflyfisher53]

Here is a picture of "Team Midge" with Faith, for those of you who couldn't be there. It was great getting together for such a worthy cause, and it was nice to put faces to the some of the names.

Steve

[Don]

First off I'd like to thank Toby for his initiation and work efforts he put into the tournament. Thanks to Steve, Bryce, and the rest of the BDS for accomodating and hosting the special event. It was really something to see Faith's sweet little face and to hear good news on her health satus. It was a great opportunity for myself and all others to combine a passion of flyfishing with a constructive and worthy purpose.

It was my first time at Beaver. Troutchaser and I arrived Friday at BDS about 11:30. We became legal and talked tackle and tactics. Talk about customer service! You guys are great. We dropped off a few items at Parker Bottoms campsite and hit the water about 1:00. We fished the lower end of the atrificial zone above Parker. The scenery with the big bluffs along the river was awesome. I could not believe how slow the current was with almost still waters. There were back currents on far edges of the river and slow "seams" here and there midriver. I missed my first 10 hookups . A few misses are normal but the first ten caused some frustration. I missed all of them on a size 20 ginger GBug about 40 ft away. Distance seemed a neccesity Friday. I only had one strike less than 40 ft. I figured a larger bug was needed. I had one size 18 left. The fish I landed swallowed the fly so I cut him off. I later noticed the size 20 had a bent hook that widened the gap. If I'm looking for an excuse, I hope that was it instead of me. Earlier I tried an olive pine squirrel and eggs bodacious without alot of luck. Meanwhile, Troutchaser had landed a few while stripping olive woolies. I later picked up a few more on an olive brown midge with gold bead head and green wire segment, thanks to a few floaters who advised us on their way by. We fished until 6 and I landed 5 fish, one of them a small brown.

Kevin and Terry joined us the night before and we headed to BDS within an hour of the horn sounding off early generation Saturday morning. It was good to meet you guys from the forum that I haven't met before and good to visit with others I have met before. Generation allowed a social after sign up, rules, auction, and word of prayer. Water shut off so we went back to camp and watched Kevin tie some scuds while things settled down on the river. We accessed the same place about 11:00 and headed up river. I acted like a sculpin that just had it's tail bitten off and roamed all over the river. Meanwhile, the rest of the team settled in about 100 ft above the end of the artificial zone. Troutchaser landed the first fish so the rest of us could cull. He later landed a 15" brown. Terry asked if it was alright to fish a wooly bugger under an indicator. Afer a few "Huh?"s and "What?"s it seemed it was OK since there are no rules against it. He scored a brownie and several other bows. I left and went downstream to my midge hole when it finally became vacant. A few strikes on egg and leech but no takers. I noticed the team had not moved and there were a few bent rods up there as well. I joined them and Kevin was knocking them out on an olive wooly about 20 ft away, 3-4 ft under an indicator. He caught ten fish in one small hole. I joined the action and finally landed four bows while missing twice as many. We checked back into BDS, submitted results, told fish tales, and determined the winner. Then the real winner, little Faith, and family showed. I smiled as I wathed her arrive as I was teary-eyed and choked up.

I fished again Sunday and caught 8 in one hour. None of them were over 12" long. I went to right where Kevin stood the day before, casted a gold beadheaded olive wooly in size 12, 3-4 ft under an indicator, just like the day before, but it had black hackle instead of olive. Kevin mentioned the night before that a slight chop on the water must have bounced that marabou tail in just right way to be attractive. Color of the water was dark and light green patches, depending on the bottom of the river. The only strikes came from 20-30 ft away in the light green patches of water. Wind was unbelievable. No wonder I was the only flyflinger up there. Wind changed direction and started blowing from downstream and eventually the whitecaps were slamming me as I stood in hip-deep water. Time to go. I stopped and visited a family that canoed past me earlier. They were fishng on a gravel island and thay said they couldn't go anywhere downstream because the wind was too strong.

It was a quality and memorable trip for all the right reasons that etched a really good first impression. I am a blessed individual. I will absolutely go back again this year.

Don

[MrDucky]

Well not much of a fishing report from me , But i had a great time with everyone and was very happy to see faith . the fishing was great and our team The Ducks didnt do too bad we finished 5th i think . anyways i will definitly fish beaver again

[Flysmallie]

Toby, thank you for putting together such a wonderful event.

I also want to thank Steve & Bryce, you guys are great. If you have never been to the Beaver Dam Store, go, it's quite entertaining.

Duckydoty, MrDucky & rflippen, thanks. I know we didn't win, but I had a great time fishing with you guys. You guys are welcome to fish with me anytime.

The Beaver Tailwaters were beautiful. It was different, but I liked it. We live in a great place that we have so much different water to choose from.

[Terry Beeson]

If not for prior obligations, I would have tried to attend this myself. Sounds like you guys had a great time for a great cause.

Yep, Steve is pretty entertaining anywhere he is... not just at the store.

So, whomever will take the lead... We'd like to see pictures and results... especially how much was raised... And Toby... how 'bout an address for those of us who could not attend but would like to contribute...

[Danoinark]

Here's some Candids from the event..Toby said it raised $1700. His team was first and we were third..Not sure of the others....Dano

[Phil Lilley]

They said fishing was tough. We fished zebras in slow moving water about mid way in the trophy area. 7x tippet. But Vince pulled out a black micro and cleaned house towards the end of the day. Just nothing much to measure. 12 inches was the best. I lost one that would have gone 14 early. Vince passed on some 13's. Had a big 10# striper in the pool below us making havoc- maybe that's why they were biting too well.