Just curious if there is communication from Lowell. It’s been raining in Spokane for two days. What’s the weather like in Lowell? Have you all been catching fish? Is the October Caddis hatch on yet? It was just getting started on the St. Joe last weekend. Man, I wish I was there with you. Please input some info to a starving fly fisher if you can.
Thanks,
Lotech Joe
Tech,
From the lack of response to your inquiry I surmise that none of the participants brought a laptop computer. Or if they did bring a laptop they aren’t using it.
There is (or was last year) a pay phone people can use.
At last year’s Idaho Fish-In, I took my laptop so that I could work up some stories from whatever day trip outings I went on? No expectation of doing anything beyond that. But to my great surprise and pleasure, Two Rivers Lodge had a wi-fi hotspot that functioned by satellite link? Pretty cool! I was able to communicate by email with my buddies back home.
This is Friday now, so tonight they’ll all be having that big group supper in the Rumpus Room. Many folks today might be busy preparing food for that. Earlier in the week they were busy fishing during the daytime hours…and at night, recovering from fishing.
There were quite a few “recovering trout fishers” at the F-I last year. I should know because I was one of 'em!
Joe
“Better small than not at all.”
I was recovering last year too Joe. Wore myself to a frazzle. I was just curious if it was raining there as hard as it was raining here. The last few days were just about perfect, but Monday and Tuesday were soaking wet.
We had rain Sat., Sun. & Mon. My brother smoked me on my birthday!! Kid has no respect for his elders
Jack,
I want you to buckle down and concentrate & focus on catching a cutt!!! Don’t let your son whip your butt! 
I hope you have better luck!
Doug
Well, I do believe Jack DID catch some fish. I did also, and met some absolutely fabulous people. Can’t tell more now, have to unload the truck. Got home late last nite, erands to run, wedding this evening. Will post more as soon as I can
Yep Jack finally did have a good day on the water. I don’t think he whupped his bro tho.
The weather rained hard the first two days. Then finally decided to be nice for the rest of the trip.
Joe it rained steadily for the first two days, then off and on the third day then it was really nice for the rest of the trip.
The sun finally came out on the second day of the Idaho fish-in so three of us headed for the Lodge office for what ever reason. In honor of the sun finally beaming at us I left my new Gore Tex waterproof coat behind on the front seat of the truck. It was it seemed too warm for it.
Jack Hise and his brother were of a like mind and also made the 200 foot or so trek to the Office.
Wouldn’t ya know it a cloud scooted over the hill and it started to spit a light rain at us just as we got to the lodge door. I was going to head back but Jack says hey lets just have a brew till it blows over. So we head into the next room and the bar. After we have polished off a brew or two Jack goes to the window and checks the weather. Nope not yet says he, still a light rain we’ll wait for the sun… we better have another brew, but it does look promising. The sun will be out soon says Jack.
We have another one or two. After about an hour Jack checks again and says, lets go its time to make our move its really nice now.
I have to say that I just met Jack and his brother the day before and He seems like a nice guy as is his younger brother so I have no cause to doubt his weather predicting skills.
We walk about 40 feet or so from the front door of the office to our respective places of shelter. As we get opposite several upside down Kayaks I hear an ever increasing sound and a dull roar, Whats that sound says Jack
Hail I shout Its HAIL!!! Then all hell breaks loose, That noise is the rain roaring down and the sky is suddenly blackened. Not your kiss the flowers rain but Ice cold knock you to your knees rain. It takes but 2.75 nano seconds to go from warm and toasty to soaked to the skin bone chilling wet. We start a futile dash to safety, me to my truck and the Gore tex Jacket I foolishly left behind and Jack and his Brother to their room only 30 feet away. I only get about 2 steps before I realize the futility of my quest. I give up and head into the rumpus room where thankfully someone has already got the stove roaring. I have in my hand a souvenir mug I bought while in the office to give to my wife. I look and it has 1/2 of an inch of rain and hail in it from the 2 minute downpour.
Jack Hise is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. He is one of those people who you just seem to like instantly BUT…
HE really SUCKS AS A WEATHERMAN!!!
You will be happy to know I got my revenge on Jacks last day at the fish in. He walked up to a group of us around the morning campfire to say his farewells. In his hands he had the last two boxes of Mikies wonderful fudge. He said I guess I better leave this In your care GnuBee so you can share it with everyone. Now as a lot of you know, I can be trusted with just about anything. But it is not a very smart thing to entrust me with food. Especially that yummy peanut butter fudge. I mentioned this fact to Jack but he left it with me anyway. We all shook hands with him and his brother and as he turned to go I said Jack oh by the way someone has left a message for you on the bulletin board. ( its about 50 feet away in the rumpus room ) Jack says thanks and goes to read the message.
The Message says “JACK ALERT” under that is an arrow pointing to last nights empty fudge box. “EMPTY” in large red letters is written on the lid and front of the box. “PLEASE JACK” is written on the inside of the box.
I had put it there about 20 minutes before Jack put the two remaining fudge boxes in my hands, not knowing that Jack even had any more. It worked out perfectly even better than I had hoped.
Jack returned yelling in a loud voice ,
"GNUBEE… GIVE ME BACK THAT FUDGE"
We all had a huge laugh at that.
Jack is a really nice guy and I am proud to have finally met him.
PS We all caught some fish, Vicki caught at least two HONKING BIG fish and suprise , didn’t fall in this year. Ron also caught some Honking big fish and probably others did too. Ken caught a Huge whitefish in the 17-19 inch range. Even poor old Gnubee finally had a good day fishing.
I got to try a 5 weight boo rod that He and Denny made and I loved it even though Ken lined it with a 3 wt line by mistake. Denny showed off the new bamboo rods He and Ken are working on. Man are they nice.
I was fishing this neato keeno top secret pool When Danbob and Dadbob stumbled on it. Which was so surprising since it was so secret. Steve had shown me it the first year I was in Lowell, Cookie Monster showed it to me last year and Richard and Dennis (kidatheart) showed it to me this year so I never imagined someone would chance upon it as Danbob did. As I sat and watched Danbob fish the lower reaches of the pool. The Gnubee luck held and I got stung by a hornet in two places on my arm. The stings were about an inch apart so when Dan asked what I yelled for I held up my arm and said Rattler. Dan said Oh! is that all and went back fishing. I guess my reputation for exageration preceeds me. :rolleyes:
Mark was there again and spent the first two nights or so way up the Selway getting sand in his everywhere, He came down to join the fray and greet his mom and dads arrival about the third night.
Luckily he was again on fire watch and kept the fire going each night.
Caddis were few and far between, most fish being caught on small wets.
Danbob gave a wonderful informative talk on how to catch a bug on camera and have the whole thing in focus. Everyone enjoyed that talk.
I actually learned some stuff. Imagine that?
Denny had his feathers out and everyone pawed them over especially that Bad girl VEE. She happily packed out several treasures as Ron looked on with a what can ya do look. :mrgreen:
We had some wonderful baked oysters that Jim and Deanna brought on Tuesday or Wednesday night.
Richard made an awesome camp stew on the first night with items donated by each camper. I cooked smoked corn on my cobb cooker for that meal. Richard does wonders with his Volcano stove and dutch oven combo. Man can that guy cook.
I sure missed you and Linda, Joe. I sure wish you could have made it to the party.
PS I was trying to get a contest started to see who could come the closest to saying Byrons last name correctly but no one wanted to try. 
It was good meeting you buddy, hope we get to more fish ins in the future.
Thanks Gnu Bee. Looks like I missed a good one.
Maybe next year.
Yeah, one of these years I’m gonna have to jump in the box with the fudge!
Mikey
Excellent , bring Jack along. He can tend the fire. 
PS the fudge lived up to its reputation. Unfortunately so did Jack. :mrgreen:
Got back late yesterday. Joe, you were missed!
Thanks Steve
Just pulled into the driveway a bit ago, still haven’t unloaded the car. As usual we arrived a couple days ahead of the main body and had a blast, fine weather and willing fish. As Gnu Bee mentioned, it rained/blew/hailed the first two days, though we were still able to fish except for when your hair stood on end from the nearby lightening strikes. The rest of the time was beautiful weather with a lot of fish being caught on both the Lochsa and Selway.
Can’t speak for anyone else, but VEE and I had a blast.
More later.
REE
Ron;
It was a real pleasure meeting you and VEE. Thanks to you we may have turned my “Bass Fishing” brother to the lighter side of flyfishing for them! At the end of our stay I gave him the TFO 9’ 5 wt. outfit I had “loaned” him, he is hooked for sure. I’m pushing him to attend the Central Washington Fish-In as it’s only a couple of hours away.
Happy furling my friend!!