{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Scotland / CO

BTW -- if you want neckbeards, join that beeradvocate site .  Holy cow I hate that place. 

Give me a Coors original. 

Sorry, this thing is totally derailed now. 

On Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at 3:38:24 PM UTC-5, Justin Schiavone wrote:

What's going on TPFR? It's been a really long time.  I wanted to share a few nice snaps I've taken since moving to Colorado in August, and also share a little about my trip to Scotland.

Fishing in Colorado has been great. I now call the South Platte and Arkansas river my home water.  See attached for some photos.

Scotland

Firstly, big thanks to Rob Snowhite for putting me in touch with some great people across the pond who ensured I was able to reserve a beat, and gave me great advice on what flies to tie and what rivers I should fish. If you go to Scotland check out Spey Ghillie app, it's really great.

And also a big thanks toDan Davala who got me into the spey world, and who has shown me so much about both spey and single hand fly fishing and craft beer.

I'll be writing a more detailed version but here is my story quick and dirty:

Day one was tough man. My casting and presentation was most definitely improved, and I learned a lot about how things are done across the pond, but no fish. Tired, sore, and soaking wet my wife and I found the local water hole to lick our wounds. We ended meeting two Austrian fellows who came in to celebrate a great day on the River Spey. Based on our discussion I knew these guys could fish.... and drink, so we spent the next few hours going on about fly fishing  and drinking copious amount of scotch. Shit hammered the Austrians came to the realization that I may be the American that they were going to fish with the next day. Well it turns out I was. So we make plans to meet early the next day, and go out separate ways to make further bad decisions.

Fast forward to 0730 am (a rough morning)- we are outside the super market and the one Austrian dude says, "After leaving you, we eat no dinner, but we drink 1 and half bottle of whiskey.. fuuuuucck" as he grabs his head.  As we proceed to the check out he says to the cashier, "..and one bottle of the Jameson". She gave us quite the look. She informs him that liquor cannot be sold that early, to which I raise a four pack of guiness from the back isle and ask, "So ill have to put these back too?!?" She was not as amused as you would think.

Well we finally make it to the beat and the Austrian guys hand me a little pink salmon fly ( size 12 hot pink) and tell me that's what they are liking. I snuck a gander at there sink tip as well and made sure mine matched. It did.  My rig:  6 ft of T14 with a 4 ft leader of braided 16 lb line off the tactical spey shooting head.  Clearwater 13 '6'' spey rod. Super bad ass. After a cup of coffee and a shot of whiskey we were off to our respected runs. Much like the day before my swings were good, but no success. I began to get reach closer and closer to the end of my run. Defeated, and a little down, I tell myself it's not about the fish rather the good times and I begin to come around... Well, just as my line started to curl strait- bam line comes tight! I about shit! I found myself in a  tussle with a beautiful male Atlantic salmon that was just under 30 inches and had beautiful red and purple markings. Not the biggest fish by any means, but shit I was in no position to think about that. His fight was tremendous at first but quickly faded as he was almost spawned out,  and I brought him in fairly easy. Being aware of the fact that my phone is dead and no one Is around to snap a pic I quickly released him without even removing him from water. I want him to live, and make more salmon. Anyway, afterword's I  let out a primal scream so loud people in Whales probably heard it.

Spey fishing in that arena is difficult and I knew what an accomplishment it was to get one.

Thanks everyone, and tight lines!

Justin

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