MidWest Fly Fishing Expo 2011 - ORGASMIC!!! (number 1, there's another coming)

Ah...where to begin, I have so much in my head that it is just exploding!   It was the greatest abundance of fly fishing knowledge, experience, and addicts I have ever encountered all in one gathering.  Okay, so I was also a virgin Fly Fishing EXPO attender, which I can now no longer say.  Since I have no means of comparison, the bar has been set pretty high because of this experience. 

What an amazing group of non-egotistical people, intent on sharing their incredible wealth of tricks, tips, advice, guidance, stories, and love of fly fishing. The special guests were Kelly Galloup, Simon Gawesworth, Brian O'Keefe, Ed Engle, and Eric Stroup.  I was able to meet and speak with each one at length and will give more details later. There were so many others as well, sharing their expertise unselfishly for the betterment (is that a word?) of all. Come on - really!  Could you see Rapala giving classes on how to make your own lure so you didn't have to buy their lure anymore?  NO WAY!!!  And yet, there were so many free fly tying classes with all the secrets just given away. Where else can you be a groupie and really be able to ask anything you wanted to know and learn so much more?!?

In addition to picking all these wonderful fly guy's brains, I actually WON something BIG! YES, BIG Is Better! And YES, you should have been there, because it could have been you...maybe next year!  I won a full day guided trip, with accomodations at the AuSable Valley Inn on the Au Sable River from Bob Linsenman's Au Sable Angler.  I was told I'll be doing some dry fly and streamer fishing!  WoooHOOOO! 

When it comes to streamer fishing, it will be a first for me!  Good thing that I have watched Kelly Galloup's DVD on Articulated Streamers repeatedly, sat through his hysterically funny and over the top informative session on streamer fishing, took a class on tying the Sex Dungeon and Barely Legal, and purchased the book Modern Streamers for Trophy Trout, co-authored by Kelly Galloup and Bob Linsenman. Incidentally, you're probably thinking - oh that's why she won.  No, I can assure you, they had no idea that I purchased this book or any of the other stuff.  I do hope to get Bob to autograph my book when I am there for the trip.  I feel that the stars have aligned and the Big Fly Fishing God in the sky wants me to learn how to streamer fish!!! If I don't get an opportunity to practice before my trip, I know I couldn't be on better waters or with more accomplished company to learn how it's done. Be sure to stay tuned for pictures and stories on that trip - probably mid April - May or September timeframe.

And to top that off, I will also be fishing for Arctic Grayling in Michigan!!  YES, not Alaska - MICHIGAN!!! I know it sounds crazy, but if you know a little Michigan history, Arctic Grayling were native to the Au Sable River. The grayling — known for its slate blue color and sail-like dorsal fin, absolutely gorgeous colors with pink (had to throw that in because everyone should know it's my favorite color!) — vanished from Lower Michigan around 1915 and from the Upper Peninsula in the 1930s. Their habitat was destroyed due to the logging era and overfishing.   Adult Grayling seek shallow areas of rivers with fine, sand substrate and moderate currents for spawning. Logging destabilized the river's flow patterns, tore up stream banks, and caused tremendous sedimentation spoiling their spawning environment.

Brookhaven Lake is a private lake that has over 20 springs feeding into it. It is cold enough to sustain 20" and above trophy Brook Trout and soon the addition of hatchery raised Arctic Grayling. They just have to be large enough so the Brookies don't eat them all. They grow much slower than the Brookes, so timing is everything. Other than the phenomenal fish in this lake, can you imagine no one else on it but YOU! It's true! Only 1 fishing party is allowed on this entire cold clear Lake at a time.  It has up to 14 feet of visibility.  Time to practice my site fishing. I will have 5 hours of fishing bliss all to myself and a guide...hmmm.  If you are interested or know someone who would be interested in fishing here, I can hook you up!  Since it is private, no fishing license is even necessary. 

After my casting lessons with Brian O'Keefe and Simon Gawesworth, Kelly Galloup's advise on cripples and spinners and streamers, Ed Engle's insights into nymphing, and Eric Stroup's tips on common sense fly fishing, hopefully I will be able to get out and actually fish somewhere!  Please let the fishing god stop this insanely awful weather in Ohio!