Here's the run down on the 1999 FAOL Fish-In. We are using
the photos JC and I took - but there are a lot of photos yet to
come from folks who were there. If you have photos and a
scanner, send them by email and we will put them up! If not,
send us duplicates via snail mail and we will add them as we
get them. This page is intended to be permanant and will be
here for memories, laughs and giggles as long as FAOL is here!
The "official" dates for 1999 were June 12 -20th. Some folks
got there on the 11th and took advantage of wonderful weather,
clear streams and lots of co-operative trout. Most of our crowd
was present by the time JC and I arrived Monday evening.
Al Campbell, Ken Wooten and Brad Benson (the local guys) took care of all of
us. They arranged everything that needed arranging, drove or
directed us to where the fishing was best, and even sat on the porch
of the Alpine Inn in Hill City Thursday nite for an hour to make sure
we could all get in together. Our sincere thanks gentlemen - your act
will sure be hard to follow! Besides that you're great guys and just
plain fun to be with.
Monday nights events, after everyone had caught their fill of trout,
was a welcome by State Senator Drue Vitter. It may seem unusual to
have the local Senator welcome a group like ours, but Drue is a great
supporter of his local community, having served two terms as Mayor
of Hill City. Still, at the end of a working day for him, it was a very
nice gesture. Not wasted on our group at all.
After Drue left, Al Campbell did a wonderful slide presentation
on the local fishing and insects. Great stuff! It really helped us to
know what to look for. As the rain came down, Keith Wintersteen
the local hatchery biologist for the South Dakota Fish Game and
Parks filled us in on which streams should be the best, (considering
some rain had fallen and streams were rising) and also explained the
South Dakota philosophy on stocking and wild trout. We really
appreciate his efforts.
Here's some of the group at the morning coffee clatch on the deck
in front of FritzFratz, Slic, Craig, and Parnelli's motel room.
Breakfast is in Hill City shortly!
Tuesday morning JC and I had promised a casting clinic, so off
to Deerfield Lake we went. About half of our group opted for some
casting help, while the others tested the trout options. We took off
with slicfoot after the clinic to do a little sightseeing and a little downtime
since JC had a slide show to do that night. By evening the rain came down again,
but some of the more inventive guys in our group figured out a way to
get some heat in the shelter building, which really helped. There were
a lot of questions, and very much later we found a Subway outlet in Hill
City for a bite. Small town, and local weekday eating places close at
10:00 p.m.
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Wednesday we get to fish! Off to Ditch Creek. Someone must
have run out of names, this is no ditch. A meandering small meadow
stream with a variety of fish. From small brookies to major rainbows.
The altitude here is about 6,500 feet, and the stream drops into
Deerfield Lake. Perfectly lovely. Do a 'Mouse Over' for the name
of the person(s) in the photos.
