Here you go:
One thing that is not a secret…Becca certainly got her looks from her mom. And a good fisherman never gives away all his secrets.
What a great story Clay. Thanks for sharing.
It’s OK to keep some secrets. 
Type fishing Clay was doing is difficult. I can do it on perhaps 2 out of 10 tries. Clay is very good at that sort of fishing. It takes a lot of doing. It is like when I try to teach mogal skiing. Upper body down the hill with both hands, plant the pole on the bump, release both edges together and slide flat skiies around while stting up for the next turn and never ever get in the back seat. If I can get 2 turns out of 10 tries from my people, I am happy.
Its not like tackling a big brown, but if you don’t do it all correctly, it will not work. Same with the fly line mend and hook set. If any part is not right, it will not happen. That is what makes finally landing one or linking 3 turns in a bump field so rewarding. I am sure it is similar with golf. Clay is very good at 2 out of the 3 of those.
Golf? What is that?
FYI, the cowboy hat was one of Becca’s birthday gifts from Jean Ann. She found it at a flea market for $15. I don’t know what it would cost new. It looks great on Becca but so does about everything.
Probably the hardest thing I ever had to learn, skiing moguls, or skiing them properly. I had an old instructor at Aspen from Germany named Eric, that finally broke me of just trying to use my physical strength on the turns. We were in our 20’s and he was 70+, he said I’d never last unless I learned the proper technique.
Eric was right. Very right. Was that Eric Windish? He was a legion and a great guy. Also an Olympic Gold Meadlist.
Sounds right, I know he was in the German army ski battalion.
Amazing story, Clay.
Thank you for sharing your passion for fishing. I can never get enough trout fishing
Clay, with what you obviously have there, you have little incentive to try elsewhere. However, sometime you might want to consider the Green River in Utah, below the dam at Rainbow Lake. A good friend from here (Baton Rouge) who is an expert fly fisherman (has the state record for Tuna on a fly rod) took me on my first trip shortly after I retired. The trout are mostly rainbow, with a few cutthroat and brown thrown in, and the average size is probably 15". The first day was warm and using what he had taught me regarding the technique you described, I caught quite a few. That night a cold front came through, and the next day it was snowing (and bitter cold) when we fished. A hatch was coming off, and it was so cold that they were having trouble getting off of the water. Trout were hitting everywhere. Talk about top water action!! I still can barely spell fly rod, but even I caught a bunch. On second thought, the Green River might be boring for an expert like you.
I’m told the Green is a GREAT river. Definitely on my bucket list. But the bucket is full of other great trips. Trout live in beautiful places.
I’m booked at Silver Bow Club in July to fish the Big Hole River. This is near Divide, Montana. It will probably be hopper fishing (dries) for big browns. The snow pack there is good now and it should be perfect. They have drift boat fishing and a helicopter to drop you in high places. I might like it!
FYI, I do not get bored fly fishing anywhere.
There is also a trip planned this summer to tarpon fish with 12 weight fly rods in the gulf. I’m worried I might like that, too. I might be in trouble because tarpon won’t eat a size 18 midge.
Clay knows someone who has spent a lot of time in that area of the Green river. It flows through some very remote and wild country that was the home of Buch and Sundance on the Outlaw Trail, Browns Hole CO/UT. He can get there by routes most people don’t know exist anymore. The fishing is very good both above and below the damn.
I’d like Jim to take me in by horse back. I would not want to jump off the cliff the way Butch and Sundance did it.