# Report: MS 10th Anniversary Outing



## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

To save confusion and digging I closed the old thread and started this one for reporting what happened.

I'll put this thread in place now and give my report later.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

George and I drove down on Friday afternoon with our wives. Setting up camp is a piece of cake when one is roughing it in a 5th wheel camper.

Guys started arriving later in the evening and the weekend was showing promise of being memorable to say the least.

Henning is a great campground with grassy campsites that are large and very clean.

After breakfast on Saturday morning and upon the advise of that wise sage Ralf, George and I put in below Croton Dam and fished for a few hours. In one spot my buddy began taking some decent bluegills and sunfish with on crappie thrown in for good measure. Further downstream trout began to cooperate with spinners bringing most of the action.

While tossing a spinner I got hung up. This was the maiden voyage of my new Dryfly boat and I began to wade upstream to retrieve the bottom hung Panther Martin. The water was stained and almost to my hips as I eased my way to the lure. Tightening the line I lowered the rod tip to free the hook which was now closeby. I worked the tip to get the spinner back when suddenly the line broke and the rod top came out of the ferrel. It sank of course and was lost. This was my favorite 8.5 ft., 2wgt. Orvis fly rod that was given to me by my best friend on his 50th birthday back in '99. It was three months before he passed away from brain cancer after a two year battle. To say that fishing was suddenly moved far from my mind is an understatement.

I'm beyond dwelling on something that I cannot change, but that rod was an important part of my fishing adventures for ten years. I have an email into Orvis about the situation and am awaiting a reply.

The Saturday evening feed fest was just that, but it was also an uprourously funny laugh fest as well. Thunderhead, Walleye, Mister Ed., Steve, Shoeman............OH MY! :yikes: :lol:..........., Multibeard, Riverman........another OH MY :yikes: :lol:....Trouttime that little leprechan.....George, myself, and finally Mr. Quest..........Am I missing anyone???????..........had a great time.

Ralf was in fine fettle. I haven't shared an outing with him aboard in several years. Those of you who haven't seen the lad in awhile will be comforted to know that he hasn't changed. He even gave a minor recap of the famous Squirrel Monkey Man. To say that the lower area of Henning next to the river was an uproar of laughter is tame.

It was great to see old friends and meet those whom I've only known online including Thunderhead. Let me tell you he is one large lad and a more personable sportsman you'd be hard pressed to find.

George and I fished the same stretch on Sunday morning for a quick two hours. There was a canoe race scheduled to commence at 9AM and we wanted to miss that event. Again browns and rainbows were the catch.

Steve, Tom found George's camera that was left in a cooler down where we were Saturday evening. While you were out fishing this morning he put it into your tent. I called George about it and he'll arrange to pick it up next weekend.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

I drove home and for all 3 hours I had a smile on my face. Much more to post later including pictures and Thank Yous. I take care of that camera too. It will make it's way to me in a round about way  

Does anybody know who left the canned goods in my truck in the wrapped box? I want to thank you personally for that.


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## Neapolis (Apr 22, 2000)

Always good to meet old friends and make new ones. A good time was had by all. I have pictures that I will post as soon as I get them organized.


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## wildcoy73 (Mar 2, 2004)

Was a great time and lots of fun this weekend.
At this time I sit at the computer with all sort of cream on the back.
took the wife out for a rafting trip after we broke down the camp and had a blast.
Must thank you all for making her feel welcome all weekend she had a blast.
Steve if you find out about the can goods let me know. Arrived at the house and went to empty the cooler and some how I still had 20 beers left in it. and considering I started drinking at 5pm Friday and about 1pm saturday That is impossible. Even told the wife earlier in the day on saturday I would need to make a beer run.

While you where out steve we voted and you took the trophy for snoring saturday night.

Was a blast to be a part of this, and if you are reading this and did not show up you missed a great time.
Count me in for next year. I'll even make breakfast for all.
*thanks Steve*


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Had a great time ... as is the norm for any of these events. Side still hurt this morning from laughing at Shoeman, Riverman and Thunderhead. Even though Wallyeye and I were only there for a a few hours ... It was just what the Dr ordered after the last couple weeks of work.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

Whit1 said:


> Steve, Tom found George's camera that was left in a cooler down where we were Saturday evening. While you were out fishing this morning he put it into your tent. I called George about it and he'll arrange to pick it up next weekend.


That wasn't Steves tent, it was my tent so I have the camera now. Let me know what to do with it. I almost didn't even look in the cooler, its a good thing I stopped by to talk to Ralf on my way out.


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Had an excellent time and was good to finally meet some of the "jokers" of this site..:lol:....still laughing about the monkey.......... Steve it was good to finally meet ya in person.....oh and Thunderhead that is one sweet jeep ya got............:coolgleam


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

My first thank you goes to Neopolis. Thanks for checking for me early on during the week to make sure everything was cool with the campground. It was great to see you again.

My next thank you goes out to Thunderhead. Thanks for being understanding with us Wing Nuts who had to listen to the game on Friday night. Thanks for letting us use your machine. Enjoyed the company of you and your wife all weekend.

Ok now for some pictures and I'll get back to Thank You's. Sean and I got it going early Saturday with this rainbow and damn did it ever taste good on the grill Saturday night!











Thank you to Sean for the great net job on the fish even though I couldn't think straight enough to pull the pin to get you the net quickly. Good ole OLL still getting it done! We caught countless others and had an Eagle buzz us pretty close too. What a day on the water.









Bait fishermen and fly fishermen were all welcome at the gathering as you can see from this picture. Maybe my problem is that the bobbers I use are too small. 











We had a feast. Besides all the jokes busting my gut, the food did too. What a meal from the marinated goose, (thanks Multibeard ), to the macaroni salad to the Pork Dish (thank you Kirt (Riverman)). A special thank you to wildcoy73 and your wife for working so hard to cook up all those hot dogs. I'm sorry we had too many. Hope you guys had a good time.

Thanks for taking the time out from your fields Kirt to make it up there for an enjoyable evening with us. I enjoyed your stories.

Thanks for joining up later in the evening John. It was great to meet your girlfriend. You can't miss Alaska too much  Hope you guys found some food this morning. Sorry I mistakenly thought Georges lost camera was yours and put it in your tent. We'll get that sorted.

Thank you Milt and George for coming. I hope your wives had fun too and weren't too disgusted with us  Glad you got the maiden voyage of your DryFly in Milt. I'm sorry about your busted rod.

Thanks to Mister ED and Wall-eyed. Isn't it great we can get together and have a good time with those who have a similar interest? I'll talk to you guys some more when trapping season comes up again. I promise I'll buy cheaper traps next time 

Nick, it was great fishing with ya. Someday you can teach me to be a better fly dunker.

Thanks to Ralf for keeping us in stitches as usual. Was there ever any doubt who would win the clock? Thanks for Fiji for donating the MS.com Best Story traveling trophy. Wish you could have been there. Sorry I didn't take any video. I would to have had to really edit it to get it on YouTube anyway :evil: Great idea! Thanks to all who participated in the story telling, it was all a hoot.

Thanks for Ralf, Whit, and others who couldn't be there for being with us from day one! Those who couldn't make it were all there in spirit. I can't tell you how many "Whatever ever happened to so and so", discussions we had.

And thanks to mother nature for letting us off the hook with the rain and giving us a pure Michigan weekend! Not too hot, not too cold.... loved the cottonwood hatch too!

My bad if forgot someone. I'm sure I'll have to make another post when it comes to me.


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## KalamazooKid (Jun 20, 2005)

Damn, I vow to never miss another one of these events.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

That's a dandy river rainbow Steve.

K'kid, T'head was telling me about you........I had asked when he mentioned your name..........and I'm sorry not to have had the opportunity to get to know you better.

For those who are reading this and have never been to an outing you do need to take the opportunity to attend one when they come along. We used to have several of these things every year when the site was smaller and it was a great way to cement the bonds of friendship that are formed in here.

Perhaps it's time to do another Carp Fest at 6th St. Dam this summer.


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## riverman (Jan 9, 2002)

I'm so glad I was able to make this. Tom, Ralf, Steve, John, nice seeing you guys again. Ralf, we are never going to change!!!!!!!!!!!! Age can stare us in the face until we are dead. Nice to meet all the rest and put faces with sceen names. It WAS a long drive home, pulling in the drive around 2:30am, watching my daughter and boyfriend trying to adjust clothes as I walked in the door.:xzicon_sm Started working Sunday at 7:30am and finished around 9pm, but the headache from lack of sleep and fun was worth it. We need to do this more often. Thanks Steve for the party, the web site, and enjoy.


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## Thunderhead (Feb 2, 2002)

A huge Thanks to Steve for putting this together. What a beautiful spot ! I don't think I've ever been to a nicer campground and the staff there was beyond exceptional. Good folks for sure.

The wife and I had a _great_ time. 
Seeing old friends and _finally_ shaking the hand of old friends I haven't met in person was something I was really looking forward to. 
Nice to finally meet you Milton. Your as good look'in as they say you are. 
Did you know that your # is in the womens restroom ?
Seriously. 
It says " _Older Than Dirt and Don't Like Quilt'in ? Put Down Those Needles and Party With Milton. " _

Then there's Shoeman. What can I say. I love the guy. 
I did catch Ralph peeking in Thunderdome one time. I told ya man, the rumors are all true...........then some. 

Kirt, I'll take you up on that offer to show me some of those 'Shroom spots next year. You remember inviting me, right ? 

Wonderfull weather, out of this world food ( especially Multi-beard's goose ) the best company a guy could ever want = _the perfect week-end._

Looking forward to the next one !!!!!!!!!

Oh, BTW, who the hell was snoring Saturday night ? It was comming from Steve's direction and was echoing down river. Might'uh been TroutTime too. Couldn't quite get a bearing on it.
Sounded like 2 wart hogs fighting over a kill............kept me up half the nite.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Thunderhead said:


> A huge Thanks to Steve for putting this together. What a beautiful spot ! I don't think I've ever been to a nicer campground and the staff there was beyond exceptional. Good folks for sure.
> 
> The wife and I had a _great_ time.
> Seeing old friends and _finally_ shaking the hand of old friends I haven't met in person was something I was really looking forward to.
> ...


The snoring might have been mine, but I couldn't hear it  Had to get in some power sleep so I could get back up and hit the fish again early in the morning.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Thunderhead said:


> Nice to finally meet you Milton. Your as good look'in as they say you are.
> Did you know that your # is in the womens restroom ?
> Seriously.
> It says " _Older Than Dirt and Don't Like Quilt'in ? Put Down Those Needles and Party With Milton. " _


 
Tom, you understand how it is with our following of groupies; they just won't leave us alone...........:lol:


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Also a big thank you to all of the great users of this site. If you choose to become a supporing member you supported us, if you are a posting member you supported us, and even if you choose never to register and post but just read posts you supported us. Thanks for a great 10 years and hopefully many more to come.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Steve,
We all you a huge mountain of "Thank you Steve". Without your idea and then working diligently to put it into fruition this site would not be here as it is and none of us would have met. Your regular upgrades of the program that runs this thing and new offerings which keep us in the flow of what's going on on the 'net are an unmatched asset for the members.


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

Sounds like a great time, wish I could of made it. Thanks for the pictures.....now post more.


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## trouttime (Mar 30, 2004)

Steve said:


> I drove home and for all 3 hours I had a smile on my face.




I did too Steve and I am still smiling today! I also had a fantastic time, it was very nice to hook up with some old friends and meet some new ones! The weather was great, the food was excellent and the clowning around, laughter and camaraderie was second to none. A big thanks to you all who made this outing a huge success and a special thanks to Steve for the Saturday morning float in the Dry Fly, the fishing was a riot and man that big bow sure turned into a Chinese fire drill, but the OLL Team got R done! :lol:



Thunderhead said:


> Oh, BTW, who the hell was snoring Saturday night ? It was comming from Steve's direction and was echoing down river. Might'uh been TroutTime too. Couldn't quite get a bearing on it.
> Sounded like 2 wart hogs fighting over a kill............kept me up half the nite.


Snoring? Hell Tom, now I know why it is called "The Thunder Dome"! You snored so loud you shook all the cotten wood seeds out of the trees,  man Sunday morning it looked the "Dome" was pitched in a snow drift! :lol:


Steve thanks again for put this outing together and also for putting this site together where I have made some life long friends and memories! I can't wait for the next one!


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## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

God I wish I could of made this one! Work and the economy kept me from flying in. I also wanted to thank Steve for putting this site together. I have made MANY lifetime friends here and enjoyed reading these reports daily. I have also enjoyed teaching those fly dunkers how to fish!

Thanks to all!

Marc


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