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Alaska Lake Marie 2012
Grand slam
Part Two
Before I drop into my long
winded metaphor riddled recollections of the exciting, dramatic week
spent in Alaska’s true deep woods a few thoughts about the changes I
have detected in the twenty years of visits. First the climate is
warmer, no question of that, several degree’s for sure! At times river’s
appear not quite as fast and high, then they seem just as fast and high?
Rain’s are not as constant and the bird life appears to have diminished?
This year for the only time I can recall King Salmon runs are down
enough to prompt the Fish And Game to stop fishers from taking them this
season? In short in my time Alaska does appear to be going through a
kind of chrysalis like a Butter fly about to emerge into another kind of
creature? I prey this pure wilderness is kept this way forever and many
people get the chance to hear and see these wild rivers, streams, touch
and smell this wildness, have it dominate their minds and hearts as it
has mine.... The fish stocks rise and falling reflect the global oceanic
damage. For the latest on King Salmon Ban and Alaska fishing license
regulations contact
http://licenses.alaska.gov.
Looking for the Grand Slam on 6
weight Bamboo Day two through Day seven
On a more positive up beat note,
each morning around 4am I awoke in my Lake Marie third floor Penthouse
and prepared my gear and soul for sensory over load! Over the years the
kindness and Brother Hood, hospitality of Johnny Wilson and the Wilson
family has been a wonderful constant for me, I’m so grateful! Thanks
Johnny, love you Brother...... The Wilson Homestead has become a show
case place for world class fly fisher’s seeking wild river’s full of all
species from King Salmon to rainbows over twenty inches. Contact John
Wilson at
www.lakemarie.com. This trip began on Day one with endless Rain Bow
hook ups and almost a Grand Slam other then a Dolly. My Guide Big Bad
Brad, great fly man who knows the rivers, streams after three years in
the area has the place nailed, wired! We hit the water on day two 8am,
within two minutes of walking little creeks and streams in the Upper
Otter region we were hooked up and playing big Bow’s one after another
and then three good Kings over thirty pounds on my 6 weight Bamboo was
the absolute best! 8am and Brad is standing at the door after Breakfast
big smile, "You ready?" And it’s on...... We grab a little truck and
head for the Boats and we hit it, river after river, stream after stream
just me and my Guide and we are syncopated in one mind set. A Grand Slam
can be attained before the week ends, have almost clinched it on day
one, so lets go get it! All species caught and released in one day! Come
on, lets get it, and we did!
My 60 Pound King on 6
weight bambo
Techniques’s
My set up day one till the
little plane took me back to Anchorage never changed, my trusty custom
designed Tonkin Vietnam Bamboo Fly Rod, two piece with six to nine feet
of 6 to 8 Pound test tippet material. I use an excellent Orvis Large
Arbor Reel, the outfit suits me like my 1998 Black El Dorado. We used
both Brad’s Special fly pattern’s which he has asked me not to show
photos or discuss in detail as they ARE DEADLY my Brothers of the long
rod and Big Bad Brad don’t play every Tom Prick and HPhotarry knowing
his secrets! Understand Ball Players? Love that, Big Bad Brad don’t mess
with Super Man’s Cape, Don’t stare at the Sun? And don’t mess with the
Brad Special Baby!!! Best over all flies were the tried and true trout
size Egg Sucking Leach which I used to almost make the Grand Slam again
on day two and three.
One of the three Dollies
Grand Slam Day six
I only needed a King and lost
two on day two. On day three I almost had the Slam and again no Dolly by
Dinner time! Both Brad and I knew the all species Slam was going to
happen , no question, we were close everyday. Every day the same basic
routine to places like Johnson Creek, Otter, upper and lower and places
with no names yet! We would wade long periods and walk and cast small
streams and creeks and then for long sessions walk and throw under tree
limbs and near currents slack and deep where big Bows hide and saved
energy. Many hook ups with King Salmon in clear water less then four
feet deep. The Kings were in the 20/40 pound range, I hooked and
released at least three or four day with several over fifty pounds on my
little 6 weight Bamboo. The whole Time we walked and threw flies was
great fun, at times Brad would be in good place to watch and see the
biggest Bows and we would entice and catch and release over and over and
over! Many days 40/60 Bow’s, Dolly’s, Char, Salmon, Jack’s of all size’s
(juvenile Salmon) and a few times I caught what appeared to be a kind of
high bred tiger stripped Rainbow big and strong. The Bow’s were all
16/26 inched fat healthy Alaskan wild Rainbows, great fun to play on the
Bamboo all day long.... During these long periods of hyper fish catching
and always moving and wading strong current. I would stop and smell and
just look and drink in wild Alaska, so sublime for the total sense’s to
slowly devour like a fine French Chocolate Moose. Rain’s would come and
go dark clouds, blue sky, winds, and all the sounds of the waters
moving, endless sounds. On the fourth of July just as I was fighting a
nice King, Brad yelled look up! I did and Bald Eagle was flying over and
watching us, a great fourth of July it was.... In the rain we made fires
and made lunch and laughed and began to understand we had much in common
aside chasing fish with fly rods, a friendship formed. Lunch could be
anything we imagined that cooked on a sheets of tin foil in hot coals,
like corn chips, cheese, magic Brad sauce and Bam! Lunch is served.
Guides and guests
Hospitality Lake Marie Style
Nirvana attained by guests at
Lake Marie Lodge can be explained in one word and that is Darlene. John
Wilson was wise enough to hire this wonderfully patient, sweet,
diplomatic woman to act as a kind of patient female presence in an
awfully male atmosphere! And it works perfectly for all concerned.
Darlene takes care of all Dinner, Breakfasts, and general information
while maintaining her crack house keeper staff (her daughter Kylie, very
cute!) This lovely mother daughter act is greatly appreciated by all!
Thank you so much for taking care of the Wolf..... Darlene, bless her,
has been contacted by Webster’s 2012 Dictionary Up date, she was asked
to redefine both patience and Tolerance, (She has cared for up to 25 men
a week allllll summer long!!)
Guide Brad and nice Bow
Day Six the Slam!
When the next to last breakfast
was just being cleared on day number six, Brad as usual standing in the
Door waiting and smiling, as we walked to the small truck at almost the
same time we said in unison, "Grand Slam Baby!". He knew and I knew
today had to be the day as in the morning I packed to leave for San
Francisco. We headed again for Upper, Upper Otter Creek, a good long
wade in high water and a nice walk and worth it! Within moments of
hitting this great stretch of about two miles of clear narrow less then
five feet in places creeks packed with big Bow’s and dolly’s and Kings
and all the species. I had the King first then quickly several Rainbow’s
all big, Ten Jacks up to six pounds, and then nothing, we needed the
Dolly again to make the Slam, needed a Dolly. We tried several holes,
more Bow’s no Dollies? Then in around the last hour and half Bam, Brad
put me on three nice Dollies and my First Alaska all specie Grand Slam
was now historical fact. Thanks Brad you are the fly man.
One of many Jacks juvenile
salmon
Some Dinner Time Volatility could
Not be Avoided!
No question Sports Fan’s, if you
contain more then twenty world class sportsmen in a remote Alaskan fly
lodge for one week of one on one on twenty Breakfast and Dinner
moments... Someone is going to bring up the firecracker causing subjects
of either politics or religion. It was yours truly who was asked
questions about my storied, checkered failed San Francisco Political
past. It got ugly and could have gotten much worst when cool heads sorts
prevailed and tempers calmed, can’t avoid some testy moments when you
lived the full life I have lived. Like Plato said in his dialogues to
new members, "Remember you are in charge of all the words that fall out
of your mouth!" Other then nominal supper time blood letting, fist
fighting and arm wrestling. It was a joyful Band of Brother’s Of The
Long rod. I highly recommend both remote lake Marie Alaska and the
Pioneer Wilson Family, John, David, Mother Marie and Darlene and Kylie,
love and miss you all...... See you all next time, bless you all.
Contact John Wilson at
www.lakemarie.com
Written by Dan Fallon © 2012
For Dan
Fallon's earlier and later columns;
visit the
table of contents
"ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL"
Illustrated By
Phil Frank,
San Francisco Chronicle Cartoonist, creator of "Farley"
"Can you float through the universe of
Your body and not lose your way?"
Timothy Leary, Immortal
It has been two full days of getting adjusted to deep
wilderness tent camp and all that means to this oblique crew of fly
fisher’s led by Supreme Court Justice Fletcher Quill. His most trusted
boy’s including Glimmer Twin Keith Richards who can only hang for
another day before heading back to start rehearsals’s for some kind of
Stone’s 50th dealy to be announced? The humbly surreal other worldly
Dali Lama dressed in deep red robes that glow at night, and the just
arrived Radio magnet Jimmy Ferguson are all suited up and wading an
inlet stream about 230 miles due north west of Anchorage where several
rivers converge, an area only choppers can easily access. Rainbow’s are
abundant and Quill has been taking time to make sure Dali is hooked up
to several big trout and comfortable casting his new fly rod....... The
Black Messiah has not been seen for several hour’s and Quill gets a
little nervous.
"Dali, think your finally getting the hang of this my Brother! Now
remember watch the fly line stretch out behind you Un Holy Man and then
when you feel the line loaded begin an easy throw, like this."
"Yes, this is like making a complicated Mandela of fine white sand
with my young Monks in training. It is tedious, yet the rewards are like
meditating hey Quilly? I begin to understand your addiction my friend.
Fire up that big Fatty I rolled, its Jerry Garcia’s 70th Birthday today,
this joint is for you oh Rock God of Gods...."
"Quill, hey man lets go find your Pal the boy President been missing
too long Dude! I gave him another big hand ful of those killer Schrooms
to go with the LSD and the Whiskey! The boy is fucked up and tripping,
his Secret Service boys are wasted as well. We got our hands full
Pally!!"
Quill, Dali and Jimmy spread out and start looking for the
lost leader of the western world and find him in what appears to be a
severe bout of psychedelic induced psychosis known as Acute, Sudden,
Historical Mimicry (ASHM)! He is picking what he imagines is cotton just
like his great grand mother did in the last Century, he singing old
slave songs as the secret service helps him bag and tie the wild flowers
he has been picking for the last three hour’s, Quill and the boys stand
clear and watch this little drama unfold mouths open in disbelief...
"Cuse me Sir, you been workin awful hard in the hot Georgia Sun and
we been stacking these bags all mornin. Now who get this bag again?"
"That bag goes to those Bitches over at the fucking New York times,
especially that Hotel Maureen Loud mouth Dowdy, hate that fuckable white
Bitch, too fucking smart! Give that other bag to that ancient asshole
wind bag Harry scary Reid and his fucking henchmen, uh huh. And that bag
over there full of Georgia slave picked white cotton balls, give one
toShit homely the whitest fucking Khaki wearing super spoiled wanna be
nerd who ever wanted to take my Black House away hey Boys, come on lets
sing that old song I loves one mo time, come on Quill, you to Dali Baby.
"We hall over come my ass, we shall do as we told or , how do that thing
go Quilly?"
"Think it’s time we get back to the Plantation and clean up for
supper Commander and Chief. Here take a few of your well packed bags
with you and I’m sure we can think of afew more worthy recipients hey
Keith, Dali, Jimmy?"
"Man, Quill, he be tripping Buddy. Hell my new killer camera phone
got all of this time warp psychosis, its solid fucking gold Pal. My 100
Kabillion Radio listener’s are going to go ape Dude! We still have three
more days, lets get back to throwing lines man. It’s three am and the
Sun is up and those fat Rainbow’s been jumping hitting Mosquitoes last
two hour’s, Let me use your three weight custom Bamboo Quill, come on
man, let me play with that magic Bamboo Son?"
"Here smoke this Fatty I just rolled and keep walking we have a long
way to go before this ends Cowboy..."
It I now 4am and our beloved Leader of what the fuck left o
this western world has been busy back in hi latest dimensa filling bag
after bag with imaginary cotton balls picked back in Georgia ala Slave
days.... He has made special gift bags for all his least favorite
human’s and has stacked the bags twenty feet high sixty feet long. He
looks almost exhausted as Quill and Dali make lat least an effort to
walk The Black Messiah back into a contemporary hallucination, Dali doe
his best wizardry...."
"Would you mind terribly letting have just 100 more bags sir for my
many young Monks back in Tibet ( the few that still speak to him any
who!! ) Perhaps we might take a break and prey together all of us for a
continued safe bountiful fly trip into this splendid Alaskan wilderness.
Please join me if you feel this prayer, " All mighty ruler of all things
that live and breath above and below the oceans and ground and
mountains... Wash our tarnished souls in your infinite wisdom and
sweetness while we rest in your most sacred of sacred palaces deep
remote Alaska.. And maybe help us release this poor confused, over
worked young President from his wicked dreams. Do this in the Name of
all that is good and kind right. Bless us with your eternal love and
grace now and forever. Rashneash, Ali Lama, Lama, Dali, Suma, Krishnew,
Vishnew, Vishnew Krishna, Dali, Dali...... "We repeat this again and
light the Frankincense Haight Street incense, we are one and quiet, time
to sleep now...."
This lovely invocation unfortunitly did nothing to alter the
fated course of Chaos and her sisters, Chancella and Endofthelineia have
established their presence as the atmosphere slowly changes and the
smell of San Francisco hippy Pachuli Oil incense makes both Quill and
the Dali Lama look around and become quickly aware of a rare most highly
exhaulted visitor. Hippy Lord of Lords Jerry in the House Baby!
Jerry Garcia upon his 70th Birthday
"Oh yeah, Nice to see your up to your hippy ass in mayhem and
psychedelic revelry Quill! Love the Slave retro psychosis, the best Man!
Reminds me of old Pigpen and Janis Joplin swilling down that shit
Southern Comfort until comatose, remember that fucking insane train ride
into the deep Canadian wild ass wilderness? We drank all the liquor from
several stores along the way man. Fucking great times man. Remember
Janis fucked almost everyone and Billy Preston was off the hook with me
playing and rolling along, uh huh...... Quill lets do , " Riding That
Train High On Cocaine " "Where is your Blues Harp Fly Fisher, come on
Man, take us into High On That Train......"
"Happy Birthday Jerry. Great to see and hear you Homey of all Homies!
So what is your routine on this your 70th my Man?"
"Hey Man, been hanging and banging with some very fucking famous cats
Man! Like old Yankee American Icon his Dam self here with me right now
Quilly, It’s none other then Davey Crockett, Or Sargent Crockett or
Congressman Davy The Wild Frontiersmen, Bear Slayer and Hero of the
fucking last Stand of allLlast Stands, kinda like Haight Street San
Francisco circa June 1967! The mother humping Alamo Baby, The Alamo,
everyone knows that story hey Davey?"
"I reckon they do Jerry. We in the end had only 183 standing fighting
fucking Patriots who knew they were going to be over run and die!
Against that Mexican stealthy ruthless Generalismo Santa Ana and his
1,800 men. It was all over in ninety minutes that bloody day in
American/Mexican History, men were tortured and some chose to kill them
selves and be spared the final indignities my friends...."
"Yeah Man, that sounds just like that day in the Panhandle at the end
of Haight Street when Pigpen and me heard that the fucking Feds were out
outlawing LSD Man. A truly dark sad day for all real Stoners Man, just
like fucking Santa Anna and his Bitches Man!!"
"Maybe not quite their my new Hippy friend from the future. Of course
it was old Sam Houston who caught up with Santa Ana and pay back was a
mother fucker that bloody day Jerry.. I do see your point in Haight
Street and LSD’s demise as markers of a cultural revolution extinguished
by the host government, not quite the fucking Alamo Cowboy? Know what I
mean Pilgrim? Might be more like contemporay shit in the Middle East hey
Boys?"
"Now, hold on their Davey , I mean you did hold out after the boys
were all killed and tried to cut a deal with Santa Anna who turned you
down and had his own guards mutilate and cut you and the few combatants
left into very tiny little pieces via their shiny well extremely sharp
well used swords, hey Davey?"
"That is about it Cowboy! Tried to say I was just passing through and
waiting for the fighting to stop, Santa Anna looked at me smiled and
looked at his guards who went to work like smiling butchers my friends."
”Tough way into the after world, don’t recommend it, so how is the
trout fishing here Boys? You been grassing any big fat dinner size? And
what kinds herbs you all smoking? Smells like that evil shit Jim Bowie
the famous knife fighter was always loading his cob pipe with that
smelly shit the fucking Injun’s smoked and danced around fires fucking
the shit out each other’s woman, ahh good times hey Quill?"
"You are still a fucking Hero to me Davey, you go Mr. Coon Skin Hat,
get some fame where and how you can Frontiersmen, oh yeah!! Dali Lama
Baby my main spirit keeper, how bout a little quick Prayer for old
Davey’s soul Un Holy Man?"
"No problem, repeat after me, " In the name of those in charge of the
Pantheon of Immortal Forever Young Hero’s (POIFYH), I ask the spirit and
Soul of Davey the Bear Slayer be embraced and allowed to exist in
company with all the eternally blessed fighter’s for the common good...
Sabena, ala, on going Bala, sue Walla, bong city titi fucking is
best.... Repeat again, and again..."
"Ahh, Thanks Man God, nice ring to that invocation. Lets go check on
the Black Messiah, hope that sedative we slipped him has chilled the
Slave Bag thang, come on Dali, we go check on the Boy President, till
November any ways, Man pass that fucking Bong Keith, dude load it with
that Purple Train Wreck from Haight Street Jerry left, right Jerry
Baby?"
"Great mean shit Quill, gotta run Man, Muddy Waters , Stevie Ray
Vaughan and your main boy Duane Allman are screaming at me to come play,
later boys, come on Davey, Hey Davey you paly the Drums I hear Frontier
Dude, just like with those drunken Injun’s join us Man!!"
Time moves quickly and the boys have found their routines and
feeding habits to coincide with the early morning trout rise and the
multi available Alaskan species from Dolly’s, Rainbows, King Salmon,
move from hole to hole. The boys use float tubes and heavy waders in
some area’s, mostly they wade and throw fly line 40/80 feet into rises
or after gangs of ever moving Kings. Lunches on the run often include a
few fat Bow’s though it is frowned upon. Black Messiah has chilled out
and is taking casting lesson’s while smoking and handing a big fatty
Quill rolled from the baggy the Pope sent along with his Stripper Pole
Video. The video featuring Sugar Tit’s , Quill’s for the moment Main
Squeeze???? And her main slut helper’s/installer’s lap dancing the Hell
out of all the main Cardinal’s and his lowness the main Child Molester
Enabler the Pope (MCME). The Dali Lama slowly walks into the shallow
water where Quill is teaching the BM how to throw fly line and whispers
in his good ear.
"Call for you, think it may be your girl friend Sugar Tit’s or maybe
Sharon Stone again? Not sure, be careful.."
"Hi Baby, miss your sweetness my weakness your sweetness. Have you
run the Tarot Cards on me or us or what the fuck is next in this mortal
existence my sweet thang..."
"The Magiican keeps haunting you Quilly, him and the King Of Swords.
Time to slow down old man......"
(Time waits for no one and it won’t wait for thou, for whom the Bell
Toll’s? It Toll’s for thee!)
Read about Fletcher Quill in earlier chapters:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22
23 24 25 26 27
28 29
30 31
32
33
34
35
36
37 38
39 40
41
42 43
44
45
46
47
48 49
50
51 52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62 63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
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81 82
83
84
85
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90 91
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100
101
102
103 104
105 106
107 108
109
110 111
112
113 114
115 116
117
118 119
120
Written by Dan Fallon © 2012
Illustrations by Phil Frank © 2003
Photos by Dan Fallon © 2012
For Dan
Fallon's earlier and later columns;
visit the
table of contents
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