I'll just put these here

I took a bit of a road trip for steele last month.
1,900 miles to western NY from my door.
Last year I timed it perfectly and this year I was a bit off, blown off color water was waiting for me but I had to drive.

                                                              In the hills of VT.

                                                   A few chubs casting in Lake Champlain.

                                                                  Iphone said this was the quickest route

I was combining a trip to visit my friend Ben, who I met hiking the AT in 2003. He lives near the Canadian border in NY so a pit stop there to catch up was a nice treat.

Then off to a native American reservation for what I hoped would be stellar solo steelhead fishing.

                    She's blown, hard to tell but blown. $45 dollars for a three day means that I fished it anyway.

Day two meant finding another piece of water near by that held fish and was less chocolate like.
I spotted this sticker in the parking lot and was feeling positive.

Western NY has some beautiful water. I stuck a little guy just above that rock on the swing, on an ugly tube.

Skunk was off and I was feeling great. I only met two sports all day, both native NY'ers and both were exceptionally nice, offering me first pass through runs or a snack or smokes. I was refreshed to have met these two. I started feeling like I should in turn be a proper gentleman and fish a classy fly.

 

A guy I met on the internet gave me that fly and I lost it on my fourth cast. I went fishless that afternoon because of that fact, I am sure of it.

Day three had me meeting up with my friend Mike D and his father. We headed back to famous water and swung hand tied flies. The best part of fishing with the Redspot Fly crew is that you get to steal a few bits of the fly box. I have some goodies for you boys.

I had a fish to the beach and lost it, my friends landed hogs above me ( like fishing with Wilkie, Keith, Clark and JLR ) I smiled and took photos.

Day four had us driving north of Buffalo to a smaller creek with rumors of large browns. I sucked up my pride and left the spey rod in the rental car. I was working a bead today. "Redemption Sunday"
We need to go back and spend some time on this crick boys, I encountered a line of jovial snaggers at the damn and as many moldy salmon as you could count. The bead works.

A great road trip all around. I send my best to the boys headed out this weekend, I am sorry I can't be there shoulder to shoulder with you.
Live Life
Jasper