River run

River rage has been the state of most of our spots

River has been the state of most of our minds

Swelling subdues, weather does too

Come Sunday next FISH ON we will be saying too

Report from the Genesee River Part 1

Heading out of town on Saturday night there was a certain giddiness, an eagerness.  I could not wait to get to GTO's southern tier camp.  I could not wait to get in the river and stack the browns and brooks up like cord wood.  We would have four guys there was no way we were striking out this trip, there was no way even with two members fly fishing beginners.  We made great time leading our caravan of vehicles down through many small trout towns. Max had arrived first and opened up camp so upon our arrival we plugged in our generator and we were officially in business.  Saturday night may have involved some random hoopla and a few too many drinks, but we were all ready for the next day, the river was alive with trout and the weather was supposed to be beautiful.

Shaking off the previous nights activities we ventured to town for some breakfast and hot dogs, yes hot dogs.  After breakfast it was time, time to venture to the Genesee.  We chose the bottom of the dam in Belmont to start our search from some beautiful browns and brooks.  

I was planning to drift nymphs all weekend and help josh learn how to cast his newly purchased fly rod with some great on water experience.  Gary and Max would be conventionally fishing with spinning reels and jigs and spinners.  They also drifted some Gulp eggs that were recommended by a local at a local bait store.  After throwing the nymph around for twenty to thirty minutes I was being nosey and watching all the other anglers on the river and noticed one gentleman over waist deep in the water right up by the base of the dam catch two nice size browns within 15 minutes of one another.  I started casting and moving up stream, but didn't receive the bite I was looking for.  Walking back downstream to the rest of the guys I stopped by to see how Josh was doing and to give him some pointers while gracefully stepping off the rocks into the river I performed the falling swan dive right into the water.  Good thing it was warm out cuz my right arm and shoulders were soaked.

Ok I may have came in a little hot, but who knew these rocks were so damn slippery

After fishing this beautiful area downstream of the dam for awhile and not landing any fish (Gary had some bites and was having his bait stolen but could not land one) I wanted in on this dam area where the previously mentioned gentlemen were hooking up with nice size brownies.  We took a little break, changed flies to the white/yellowish nymphs i could see floating in the river, and trekked back upstream to the low head dam in the middle of downtown Belmont NY.  Where the dam empties over and another tributary empties into the Genesee Gary and myself attempted to cross out to a stone island out near where I had seen gentlemen landing nice fish.  We were going to go land us some nice size fish and feed all four of us and Syd back at camp on trout all night.  We are the backups for that show River Monsters, we can concur mother nature and her mighty swift currents..... OR not!!!!  Trying to cross the river out to the island I slipped again on some river slime and went completely under.  Gary being right behind me grabbed me and all was good at the moment.  Now to just get back to shore hahahaha. We managed back, I walked downstream a ways to fish in the sun cuz now I was completely soaked.  Wet

COLD

and no fish

Thats how day one goes down

Genesee 1

team GTO 0 and wet

Recipe: Creekside pan fried potato encrusted trout

Creekside Pan Fried Potato Encrusted Trout

Ingredients:

2 12-14 inch trout of any kind (my favorite-rainbow)

2 russet potatoes sliced thin on a mandoline

salt and pepper

tbsp garlic powder

canola oil

flour for dredging

1. filet fish and remove the skin, the potatoes will act as the fish's skin to protect the meat

2. season all 4 filets with salt, pepper, and garlic powder

3. shingle potatoes and place filet onto the potato sheet so that potatoes take the place of where the skin was before it was removed

4. dredge each potato encrusted filet in flour

5. heat 1/2 cup of oil in a cast iron pan over med to med high heat depending on your range

6. place filets potato side down in the pan and cook for 6-8 min

7. flip and cook for 3-5 minutes

8. flip back to potato side and finish to a golden crispy brown

9. finish with a lemon butter sauce and fresh scallions

WHAT A BREAK

It has been weeks since we last conversed indirectly through the expansive technological feat known as the Internet.  There has been reasons, some planned some not, that has led to our tardiness and lack of motivation to publish a blog post. I had a surgical procedure done on my nose and the weather in western NY has been less than optimal most will say.  The conditions have been some of the most brutal spring climate I have seen in years.  Still team GTO has been on the water grinding it out.  From steelies to the trout opener we have plenty of material and pics to bring you multiple posts in the next coming weeks.  

Most of the GTO pro team will be together this week at camp for a half week of trout fishing the Genessee river along with the many small creeks and tribs branching off.  Trout season is in full effect and we plan on landing plenty of fish and having plenty of laughs.  NY state DEC has dumped thousands of hatchery browns and brooks into the waters we fish in Alleghany, Cattaragus, Wyoming, Genessee, Erie, and Niagara counties.  This aggressive stocking plan coupled with beautiful projected weather should lead to plenty of hookups, a great time on the water, and some awesome camp cooked meals.

We have been busy doing some business moving our young company forward during our hiatus also.  We have plans to produce an independent film chronicling our on water adventures this year with possibility of producing a full length DVD and/or YouTube series.  The film will also be an entry into the 2014 fly fishing film festival.  check out their website to learn more about this awesome tour bringing the sport to many around the US and Canada via awesome film makers and fly fisherman alike.  To go along with this we are in talks with Steve Tedesco to help GTO out with filming, editing, film production, etc.  Steve is a highly talented, artistic film maker and photographer.  The way Steve looks at the world and the items in it are no where near how you or me see them.  Having Steve on board highly excites me to get this film project moving along with maybe some test shoots uploaded to YouTube for ya'll to check out.  To view some of Steve's work check out Sonny Westgate Photography on Facebook or check his IMDb.

In the mean time still shots on this awesome blog are gonna have to hold you over.  We'll be back with the next 12-24 hours with various photos and blogs about some on water and upcoming plans for the ole Grilling the Outdoors crew

Thanks

-Bill