If you havent heard, we have the Raritan Inn stretch for Columbus Day. Plan on being there! They have some real pigs in that stretch (besides me).
If you plan to attend, please email me at Jimmy229oz@yahoo.com so we can get a head count for food.
Pete Romano
Man I have a heavy heart today. Pete Romano, our Hacklebarney brother, was laid to rest this morning.
Pete was all business on the water! Success!
It seems that Pete passed away in his sleep last Thursday night from what was thought to be an aneurism. There are no positives here, but at least Pete went peacefully.
This was a great guy. He was a quirky and fun. He helped quite a few of us become better fishermen. I know for a fact that John Eng, Mike Russo and I all fished with Pete, and came away having learned new skills.
Pete was also a great tyer. At the one fly contest last year at the Raritan Inn, Pete tied a Hare's Ear faster than anyone. He did it under a minute, and took the top prize. An impressive feat for anyone.
Pete with Hacklebarney friends on the spring Beaverkill trip
Pete, you were a valued member of our chapter and we miss you already. I really cant think of anything more apropos than to use the following Grateful Dead quote from Brokedown Palace...
Going home, going home
By the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul
Going to plant a weeping willow
On the banks green edge it will grow grow grow
Sing a lullaby beside the water
Lovers come and go, the river roll roll roll
Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul
Until we meet again Pete, may God hold you in the palm of his hand. You'll be missed.
Tim Flagler to speak on 9/10!
Tim Flagler, of Tightline Productions, had one of the best turnouts of 2014. He will be back in action with Hacklebarney on Sept 10th in Whippany.
He has a brand new topic, Fishing after Dark.
If you want to catch a bruiser, your odds go way up if your line is in the water after the sun goes down. Tim will have great tips to share, with recently shot video footage to back up his ideas.
I really look forward to hearing Tim speak and see his cool videos. This is a guy not afraid to wet to get the right shots.
Join me on the 10th!
Sorry about the Lapse!
Its been a long time since I have bothered posting as life took over and the Summer seemed to slip away.
Well I'm back and badder than ever. Just like our chapter.
I've had some excursions, to the Neversink, to the Battenkill in Vt and to the Down East region of Maine. Nothing crazy to report, but there were some flashes of greatness.
On the Neversink, I hiked into the gorge with my buddy and fellow Hacklebarney member Chris Giordano. It had rained heavily the night before (tells you how many weeks ago this was) and the river was up and muddy-like Yoohoo. We cracked the code and caught fish on white buggers in tough conditions.
On the Battenkill, I caught a 14" brown on a Grobert Iris Caddis emerger, blind casted to an area that just looked fishy to me. It was. Thats one tough river btw and a story for another day.
In Maine, I caught some great smallies on poppers. It made me want to start tying these flies. It seems like it could be fun.
Anyway, the first meeting of the year is next week in Whippany. Get you act together and get your keyster to Whippany. We're back in the saddle.