Dem Threes arrived from multi-corners of this great country of ours (a) Mark “Z” Man with his wife Julie “Z-Woman and father in law Eck “Honey” Miller as well as Gary “RX” and Juli “Da Teach” Jones and Greg “Cold Smoke” and [much!] better half “Maryn County” all from South Carolina; (b) John “The Poet” and “Susan The Smile” Williams from Georgia; (c) “Kayak Mary” Van Kerrebrook and son Bob “Anyfish” Corpening from Texas; (d) Matt “Z-Son” Zion from Utah; and (e) the balance of the sixteen from that foreign country California all in hopes of escaping the cold, cold Montana weather witnessed before them by the Ones and Twos only to find that the local Missoula rivers were still a-ragin’ what with continued rain interspersed with (finally!!) warmer weather but continued tough fishing 2018 fishing conditions.
Living to their name, Dem Threes posted but three fish to the Twenty Inch Board, the fish of the trip by Brian “Moraine” Shepard and two last day entries by his fishy son Nicholas “The Czar” Shepard. But the tale of it all was to be found not on the gravel and sand bars but, rather, around the feasting tables what with olive bars, salad bars, potato bars and, best of all, a never-dry bourbon bar, the latter of which saw multiple empty bottles creating “artwork” in the outdoor fire pit which raged well into the Threes travel day homeward bound!
Three of Dem Threes landed their first trout ever (John “The Poet”, “Susan The Smile, and Eck “Honey” Miller—each receiving an honorary Yellow Hat for this special accomplishment); one boat posted its boat report on their day on Georgetown Lake (an Extravaganza first thanks to “Kayak Mary’s” desire to find calm waters on which to ply her name-invoking tradecraft); multiple “off the books” reports were logged including and Extravaganza first of Greg “Cold Smoke” lassoing a swallow (not as in bourbon but as in a flying object) with his artfully thrown fly line; and the beat never seemed to stop—not for one single moment—without gales of laughter, extraordinary rapport and a grand summary of the purpose of the Extravaganza: To bring folks to this special part of the earth, to enjoy its beauties and, thereafter, to give back more than what was received.
Dem Threes embodied this creed much to everyone’s mutual benefit and accomplishment.
Bravo, bravo, bravo Threes!!
RCR---<’///:><
