Monday, January 9, 2012

Frozen Eyes, Frost Bite and Tall Tales

So I have eluded to the fact that I am now working on a flyfishing film that will be released later this summer about the Owens River and the towns that it runs through. So not to spoil the whole project plot line here is at least how the first weekend of filming went, In three sections.

To say I had a smooth start to the weekend would be a lie, as I dropped the wife and kids off at the in-laws house I noticed my chocolate Lab Boone was drooling uncontrollibly. His kennel in the back was soaked to the hilt with drool, so much so that it warranted a check from the vet up ther to confirm he was okay. Long story short, he is teething, has an ear infection and as it turns out doesn't like to ride in the back of the truck, hence the drool. So after we wasted 2hrs of prime fishing and filming light we were off. This time he was in the passanger seat sleeping, relaxing and well sleeping some more.


By the time we got up to Lone Pine, CA it was early afternoon and I did what I came to do, find some new friends and film them. I met Lee through a small sporting goods shop, who sent me to the hardware store who knew Lee because he had retired from working there a few years earlier. To say Lee was a character is an understatement and to say that he was passionate and knowledgable about the outdoors and fly fishing does not evem begin to describe his wealth of understanding about the valley where he lived. From the high alpine lakes where trout of every kind roam and grow to the hidden valley ponds where the bass, carp and cat fish mature untouched my most humans unless you are privy to their secret locations.

One of the most astounding things to me is his knowledge of the insects and eating habits of Bass and trout. Not only is he a outdoorsmen, he is also the curator of the Southern Inyo Museam, which houses his personal collection of local taxidermied critters and bugs. He had preserved almost every trout top 100 menu favorites and all of the life cycles of each of them. It was a truely amazing evening with him learning about the valley, the people and about the lakes, rivers and ponds that he calls home.

Next Boone-doggle and I headed to our campsite at Tinemaha Creek Campground for out first night of 13 degree temps and funny that was the warmest that it got at night for us. I have decided that I am going to be making a sleeping bag for Boone so that, One he doesn't freeze while we are fishing and Two so he doesn't always curl up to me at night and let one fly right in my face, but that is a whole nother story in itself.

  More to come all, Fly Fishing, Frostbite and I meet one of the most legendary and yet unknown hunters of our generation, Bill Eddy of Big Pine, CA. Stay tuned......

Side Note: Thanks to Chuck Ragan and Tennessee Hollow for the driving Tunes, could have not done it without you guys.

1 comment:

  1. Looking forward to hearing about the adventure, Tony! Sounds exciting!

    ReplyDelete