Healing Waters Outing January 3, 2007

Seven Arizona State Veterans joined us at 0900 hrs at Steele IS urban lake for our monthly casting/fishing outing. Arizona Flycasters Club (AFC) supplied 10 pre-rigged fly rods for the experience. Special thanks to Chuck Cothran, Bob Day, Scott Dennis, Chuck Howey, Jerry Hobbs, Ron Robinson, Bob Rudzinski and Connie Sullivan for serving as coaches for the group.

The weather was beautiful, the casting technique is improving and our catch rate remains zero. There are trout in the lake because we saw them but our collective years of angling experience were “no help”.

Finally, Ron and I hiked over to the NW corner of Steele Lake to confer with three fellows who appeared to be in the know. These are the guys that know when the stocking truck is coming and where the stock will be placed. They also said that they fish Steele Lake almost every day and average about four fish an outing. They also practice “catch & release”. Their advice was, “use a small, olive Wooly Bugger is you're going to fish flies and white power bait was very good”. I'll tell you, it keeps me humble.

Remember, AFC is committed to the first Wednesday of February, March and April for these veterans. Guess what we will be fishing with next time out?

Regards,

Dario Travaini.