Arrived in Tionesta on Friday, May 24 around 4 pm and opened up the C-5 camp with the Trail Dog. The trip there took longer than expected due to various accidents along the way. Glacier wasn’t happy (as you can see in his look.) It was a beautiful, sunny day for a drive though and it was good to get away from the computer and city life.
The Original Drifter arrived at camp a little later. I helped unload the pickup and then headed to scope out some water. I hit Cougar Bob’s (of course) and then a quick stop at the Hickory Nut for an IC Light. Then back to camp to chill out. Met the neighbors and had a few beers around the fire pit.
Got up early and headed into town to grab some breakfast and coffee at the Bear Claw restaurant and say hi to Dawn. She saved me one time up there when I locked my keys in the Subi. That’s another post for later. Ha.
I hit a small trib to the river and caught a few guys, but the water was still a bit high. Around noon I made it over to a friend’s camp to try out the Tionesta. The sun was bright, and just as I got there a group of about 30 kayakers came rolling by my beat. So the odds were against me, and they proved to be. Zero hookups there. But the place/access was awesome and I have an open invite to stop again. Sweet.
Then it was back to camp around 4 pm and we fired up my new Coleman tabletop grill. Cooked up some burgers for the bunch and relaxed. Afterward, I hit the beaver pond and had a blast targeting rising fish on ant patterns. Even had a few chases on a black woolly bugger (as usual). The pond has grown to about 5 times its original size since Dad got the camp. 5 or so beavers are the inhabitants and responsible for the build. And the brook trout don’t seem to mind the expansion.
I ran into town to charge my phone and check a few emails, and stopped at The Hickory Nut one last time. Then stopped at the Flying W, and then one last trip to Cougar Bob’s. Met another guy from Pittsburgh and his wife. He mentioned that the Little J was really on — and we learned we had a mutual friend — one Mr. Bruce Cox. Small world.
Back to camp and geared up for departure for leg two of the trip the following day. I didn’t fish as much as I thought I would, but spent time with the gang so it was worth it. ~Drifter07
Brushes with Brookies & Beer 