We should all thank Joe 'Superfly' for putting together today's (Sat. 16th) cleanup event in the Wind River canyon - way to go bud. 10 of us met early this morning at the mile post 7 parking area to hike down into one of the most heavily fished canyon sections of the Wind during springer season. I was told how bad it had gotten but I was still appalled at how much trash and mono line tangle clumps and fileted salmon carcasses were litering this 1/2 mile section. Every kind of trash imaginable, and the place stunk like a city garbage dump. We thought we could only make a dent in the amount of trash, but I am very proud of our gang for getting almost all of it out of the area in multiple large bags! ... And what a helacious climb down and back out of this place! ...
This is such a very beautiful river gorge, with huge boulders scattered in the fast gradient water. No wonder so many fish are lost there. Of course it has some big long deep chinook holes too. BTW, the fishing has slowed with very few to be seen in gin clear low water. But we still had fun fishing for the first couple of hours, with a few hookups that were lost. We followed by getting after the cleanup vigorously and got it done in less than a couple hours. It made us all feel very good to leave the canyon in it's more natural clean condition! ...

We then went to a nice campground on a tributary creek and enjoyed a really fun BBQ and beverage party. I hope this event will inspire more like it. And I also hope that the states will put garbage cans at trail heads along the rivers, with a big sign that reads "PICK UP ALL YOUR TRASH AND BRING IT TO THE GARBAGE CANS. ANYONE CAUGHT LITERING BY RANDOM SURVEILANCE WILL BE HEAVILY FINED." ...

I also must say that I continue to be impressed with the fishing knowledge of some members. At the BBQ party I learned of a new secret tech that involves a razor, baitoil, and a ping pong paddle. I promised not to reveal how these are used - but it sounds very effective! I will be trying it soon. ... And pardon me HEY_YALL (Mike) for again revealing what a nice good guy you are. Gee, now you will have to re-build the rep over again for some of the members .

This was just great fun and a worthwhile endeavor! Can't say enough for getting more of these events organized. Thanks all. - Steve (RT)

I'm literally stuck to my chair, so here are some 'behind the scenes' de-tails . Also, Fly asked for the vounteers to be listed. ...

Right on 'Fly - you've got such a way with words . Since I have a higher percent of brain cells still intact, I'll give this a shot: Thumper, Oregon Fish Chaser, and his friend, Ramstrong, Fobbman, Rick H, THE REEL HEY_YALL, Superfly, & RT; and one dude that kept drooling on himself when we checked out the hatchery holding ponds, that wishes to remain anonymous (or doesn't want his parol officer to know he was hangin out with all of us? ). ...
Have any of you ever tried wading into a few thousand springers trapped in a cement holding pond? It's definitely a kick in the pants trying to catch one that way. After 'Fly put on a demo for us as to how affective his eggs and hooks are in the hatchery ponds - all the fish kept running away from his eggs - 'Yall said "watch this" and jumped right into the big pond after the feesh bare handed (he thought it was only a couple feet deep, but that spring fed creek water is so gin clear he couldn't tell it was about 5 1/2' deep; just a few inches over his head - jk). He found out reel quick that this wasn't like hand grabbin catfeesh back home in 'Bama! Fobb got this on video, so you will see this for yourself on America's Funniest Home Videos TV show this fall. BTW, I just got an e-mail from Fobb blackmailing me for heavy double figures of dough - doh! - to destroy the video tape of the BBQ; seems he put the cam on top of a car and left the thing running and pointed right at the shannigans . Hey Ryan, I figure he hit you up for triple digits after you were caught on cam up on the picnic table doing and an impression of a dolphin table dance - well, whatdaya expect from a former Navy guy after a few beers? ... A park ranger that looked like Willie Nelson in uniform walked up to us and told us that this was not a day use campground and we had way over the limit of cars parked there ... that's NOT a good thing to do with 'Yall around - quicker than 'Fly can cracker off a fish the poor ranger found himself up on the table dancin with Ramstrong with 'Yall, now in his famous helmut, yelling "faster bo, faster - yo shur gotta purda mouth". ...

Well, that's only the stuff I can write about on here. Wish I could tell ya more, since I am stuck to this dang chair for God knows how long ... after that climb from h*ll my thighs have stiffened up so bad they've plumb froze solid! I'd try rolling off the chair but I know I couldn't crawl outta here using just my hands; so that's why I'm ramblin on with this . I'll probably be here all night until my wife or son find me stuck here in the morning.

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RT
Windstock Secretary of de Fence
"Wind River Canyon Gang - 2001"

Rt thats RICKH75 and dont you forget it if you want to hit silvers .

Damn Joe where did you learn to drool like that.

would the REEL HEY_YALL please stand up. I don't think he showed up. I don't think I could have missed a redneck like that.

Rick

Rick, this year I'm gonna be a real fishin ho for ocean silvers! Please save me a boat seat RICKH75 . Since I sold my Super Vee I don't have a good ocean boat - althought I have gotten crazed enough to run out there in flat sleds like I have now quite a few times; but I don't feel like that unless necessary. ... BTW, I wasn't refering to Joe's drooling, but that other guy (in the parking lot). ... And indeed that was the REEL McCOY HEY_YALL at the event pretending to be a nice guy .

Steve

I do put on a good show don't I. :p :p :p

Wasn't anything compared to Ramstrong and RT's naked twister at the campsite. The guy drooling was looking at RT's tightened thighs from the climb. (is it possible to tighten those thighs without using a vise?)

Made it home @ 5:45p (thanks Joe for helping with gas and driving back). I kicked off the boots, burned the burlap overalls, and crashed out until 4am in time to get up and go hit the Cow. Bad Cow. Never moo'ed for our group. 1 fish on for DanS (2nd cast on a SILENT APPROACH jig without bait) and 1 fish on for me who upholds the law of tight lines as it got off. I guess it saw its future on a plate of gravy and a pound of grits and spooked.

Thanks Joe for putting this together. That is a beautiful river and it's just too bad that people have to **** all over it and not have a conscience. It was great meeting victims..errr....BB fishermen that I haven't met before.

Like RT said, hopefully this will be a trend setter (although some more fish in the river would have been nice). It was good meeting some of the fine folks that frequent this board, and with the next heavy rain fall to wash all the biological crud from the rocks that'll look like a new stretch of river.

Damn, why does my butt hurt so much?

It was the hike wasn't it?

WASN'T IT???

So Fobb, your butt hurts aye? You didn't take a short nap on the banks of the Wind near where 'Yall was feeshin by any chance? ... Have your wife check back there for any signs of duct tape! Rubbing alcohol and a little elbow grease will get most of the adhesive lines off. ...

Geez, does anyone else's thighs still complain when you get up from the couch? I guess it was only a couple days ago, so they'll be fine by tomorrow night or so - right? Mine feel like they did way back when we had daily doubles in football practice.

yes my legs still hurt but its getting easier to stand up now. stairs are still a bit of a chore but this is the price one must pay to return such a beautiful river to a somewhat natural state.
Rick

I'm just now recovering. I skipped my workout anyways this morning because I was still all knotted up at 4:30, but once I got up and moved around they loosened up.

Man, I'm only 26 and I felt like I was 50 for the last couple of days.

Try 60. Then hike outa there. Argh!

Legs sore? Mine weren't sore at all. I guess that's why I was able to win that game of twister! Now Fobbman, you seem to have bigger problems. I thought we weren't going to mention what Yall did to you in public again? Steve you are going to be an Ocean ho this year aren't you. I bet I could twist rippenlips' arms into letting you onto his boat. It's only a 20' moderate V but I'll let you have the air ride seat for the trip out and back. We'll probablly be going most sundays during the season.

Hey Ryan, sign me up for the smooth weather days in the 20' moderate V. I have herring! Shhhh. - Steve

Steve has his own air-ride seat, if you know what I mean.