Troutfest 2009
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Hey guys –
Just returned from Troutfest in Townsend, Tennessee. There’s a lot going on this year in the Smokies; it’s the 75th Anniversary of the Park, the festival was bigger than ever, the Parks Service has some very neat things going on in terms of re-stocking streams that had been invaded by rainbows (with native brook trout), AND this was one of the biggest outdoor fly fishing events I’ve ever been to. The whole thing was very well put together and everyone involved should be proud – this is way beyond the call of duty for a fly fishing club (Little River Chapter of TU) if you ask me.
Here are some photos from the trip. I think they illustrate what a good time everyone had better than I could in words.
The first night they had a great $50/plate banquet, with about 225 attendees.
The silent auction lined the room, while the food was excellent chicken and some especially good pasta salad that apparently is a tradition of the event. Paula Begley, co-owner of Little River Outfitters, makes all the pasta salad by hand in huge rubbermaid containers.
A live auction sold over $20,000 worth of equipment to raise money directly for the fisheries.
Many vendors were there but TFO did an especially good job supporting the event. Not only were Rick Pope (the owner, left) and Jim Shulin (Rick’s second-in-command) at the event, but they also brought a number of their celebrity consultants to give free seminars, casting demos, and just generally to be accessible.
Does this man look familiar? That’s Lefty Kreh in Little River Outfitters; honestly the best-looking fly shop in the country in my experience, and also incredibly well-stocked with gear.
Bob Clouser (inventor of the Clouser Minnow) also was on hand.
Lefty is an excellent speaker and obviously a very impressive caster.
I think he is the only person in fly fishing who has an entourage wherever he goes.
An East Tennessee breakfast.
The booths had a wide range of goods, from arts and crafts to inexpensive bamboo, sample driftboats, modern rods from companies like Scott and St. Croix, and of course lots of food. One group of three old men from Karns Community Center west of Knoxville probably sold a grand’s worth of homemade ice cream.
WDVX, the coolest, most unique radio station in the country (public supported but not NPR, available on the web all the time but barely able to broadcast outside Knoxville, with a huge following in Australia of all places) had live music for much of the day Saturday–excellent bluegrass music. These guys were just warming up.
Fly-tying demonstrations by Mike Bone (pictured – a great guide on the Clinch), Kent Edmonds of Itinerant Angler Podcast fame (haha), Joe Humphries of Pennsylvania, Kevin Howell of Davidson River Outfitters – some very high quality material here. Kent showed me how he ties his Stealth Bomber.All in all, the festival was a total blast and way more elaborate than I was expecting. It rained hard today and rained some yesterday, but I did get a chance to sneak off into the woods for some photography.
The forest was in full bloom.
Where’s Waldo?
Here he is, wishing his damn “pro” camera had a remote release like his D70.
Ok, I’ll just have to fake it.
I stopped for lunch in Copperhill, a town right on the Tennessee/Georgia line north of Blue Ridge. I decided to drive both ways on surface roads due to Townsend’s location in a nook of the Park. Going up on Hwy. 411 through Vonore was brilliant – both faster and more beautiful than I-75. Letting my GPS tell me to come back via the twisty two-lane highway which leads to Blue Ridge, Georgia was a bad idea, but it did lead to some good lunch.
Anyone remember Smokey and the Bandit? You can’t get this in Georgia. Just sayin’.
Here’s a twelve volt, 140 watt power converter (inverter?) I have used for several years. It charged a dead Nikon battery in about an hour and some change. I am going to benchmark this against the solar array I’m now testing for an upcoming review.
The Brunton solar system. Much more at a later date.All in all, a truly great weekend and I am very glad Byron invited me up. Look for coverage (from me, anyway) in American Angler and Trout magazines.
Zach
Great stuff Zach..
I’ll make you a deal – if you come to Australia I will take you to THE BEST small streams in the coutry – stuff so secret that even I can’t remember where they are sometimes.
And – if I come to The US I want to fish some of those little brookie waters.
(I’ll bring some red as wellwww.dsaphoto.com
A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.
Josh –
Really?! Sweet.
Abe –
It was nice to meet you too man. I was about to post again and say that it was fun meeting folks from the board but you beat me to it. Thanks for supporting the site with that sweet hat you had on too. 🙂
Zach
Yep, I picked up some Fat Tire and 1554 (good stuff) at Smyrna World Beverage. The folks there couldn’t believe how fast it flying out. Not sure on their other brews. A buddy picked up their organic wheat at a Kroger. I can’t remember the name and didn’t care for it.
If you’re into the micro/craft brews, check out “The Brickstore” in Decatur. They have an unreal selection. There’s also an upstairs bar just for their Belgiums
Thanks for the review, and the pics. I really wanted to attend, but I have been out of town for 5 weeks, and still do not get home for 2 more. I hope to make it next year, but may is too good of a month in this business.
BTW, is anybody drinking Landshark? Jimmy is a friend of ours, and he sends us plenty all the time. It’s pretty good. 😉
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