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Cattaraugus Clave!

11K views 18 replies 8 participants last post by  Greg Pavlov 
#1 ·
The clave this weekend was absolutely fantastic - great people, great location and a killer presentation by Brian Slavinski at the meeting room facility at our hotel Sat PM. Topher and I both agreed that the hospitality offered by our Catt spey brothers was second to none. The Sat AM private lesson produced three casters with impressive loops flying out during the clave, and we had fun with video analysis to reinforce some of the topics we presented during the day.

Nick from Oak Orchard and Tom from Buffallo Outfitters were there to provide spey gear, advice and good cheer. Everyone pitched in their share and if you held your hand out someone would put a cold beer in it.

Wow what a hot little river!! It tells you something when the clave is interrupted by steelies getting hooked and landed in the pools above and below us both days. Conditions were a little low but color was perfect and the fish were in. The river is a bright, sweet flowing jewel that seemed packed with steelhead. I did not get to fish (Kush will be jumping on my case I am sure about being a damn 'caster') but this river is more than just a good place to fish steelhead on this side of the Mississipi... it's quite amazing. I am not just enthusiastic about returning, I am JONESIN' to go back for a few days of hardcore steely fishing.

I thought the fish would be smaller half-pounders but there are plenty of full sized steelies with deep strong bodies to battle. If you like to swing flies in perfect pools for steelhead with a spey rod, this is a phenomenal place to do it.

Anyway the best part was meeting everyone and putting faces to the handles from the site. Namesakes became people, acquaintances became friends. The spey nation expands and welcomes a jewel of the Great Lakes into the clave destinations family - the first annual Cattaraugus Spey Clave was a great time!

[put up pictures on this thread]
 
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#2 ·
Juro,

Thanks for coming and running the thing for us. A great job by you and Topher. :smokin: Everyone had a great time. I should have some pictures to post tomorrow. The turnout was a bit light but I think that made it that much better. I’m sure it will grow next year as the word gets out.

Charlie.

P.S. What Wt. Carron Jetstream line did you have on that Steelhead Specialist? The line leaped off of that rod. A few times I thought it would take the rod with it. What a great combo.
 
#5 ·
I was only at the clave for Saturday, but thoroughly enjoyed it. And it was great finally matching board names with real names and faces. Juro and Topher conducted fine demonstrations — and Brian's slide show on Gaspé rivers I haven't fished was wonderful. I must take time to head up to the east end. And I was delighted that Juro videotaped some of our casting sessions. Videotape is one of the clearest and most rewarding ways to evaluate technique. Many thanks.
Bill
 
#6 ·
Thanks To the Speygods

I'm so glad I was able to participate in the clave this weekend it was a great event. To be able to learn the art of speycasting from some of the best casters on the planet with some of the best spey equipment was a dream come true for me. Juro and Topher are true pro's in every sense of the word from their first rate casting and teaching ability to their never ending enthuisiasm and great personalities. If I can practice what they were preaching to me I hope to be able to handle the long rod well enough to bring some chrome to hand soon. Thanks again to you both for personally helping me.
All the sponsers were first rate guys as well and were happy to help you in any way from tips on where to fish in the area to how to rig up your tackle. Brian and Charlie's Gaspe presentation had us all drooling with the excellent photos of the area rivers to the jumbo salmon they were able to land from the crystal clear waters. Now I have another spectacular place I have to add to the long list of have to places to fish before I die!!!! ( and Charlie thanks again for the awesome spey flies and the cold beer- I owe you one ).
It also was nice to meet all the rest of the guys who attended as well so some faces could finally be attached to their site names. I hope to meet you all again streamside someday so we can share the thrill of a chromer intercepting a well presented fly with a spey rod in hand. Tightlines, Chromemagdon(Dan)
 
#10 ·
That was a great time indeed... for those who weren't there, steelhead were hooked and caught in the pools below and above the bridge, and one was even caught on the other side of the upright in front of us during the clave. A v-e-r-y fishy river and pretty too.


flies tied by Mark LeBlanc
 
#15 · (Edited)
First off i would like to thank everyone who attended the first anual catt clave. a good group who made some amazing progress with their casting in just a few hours. this brings up a big thank you to our two fine instructors Juro and Topher. they each aproach the cast from different perspectives and we learned a lot from their respective techniques. all in all a great time, except for the mini monsoon on sat the weather was even cooperative. looking forward to making it an anual event. here are a few shots, first of our instructors, second of wilson with the big pointy D, and lastly what everyone who didn't stay to fish missed on monday. first is a wild fish, long and lean. the second hen is a hatchery fish and much heavier. both taken swinging clouser minnows in the super clear water. Juro, send me an address to send the disks to.

Nick Pionessa
Manager Oak Orchard Fly Shop
 

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#16 ·
great pictures. they definetely get the blood pumping. hopefully, i'll make my first great lakes fishing trip next week.

thanks for the pictures. been looking forward to fishing this river since i decided to spend some time in nw new york.

chris
 
#18 ·
Thanks, guys

A special thanks to Juro, Topher, Nick, Brian, Charlie and all for a great time!! Even a speycasting newbee like me was able to get a lot out of the sessions. Hope this does become a regular event, plan on it and keep the water and beer flowing (the souvlaki at the Olympic was great) thanks again, John B
 
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