Fellowship, food and fish. How can you beat that? You can’t! Thanks to Mike Oldani, the second annual (an there will be more, I am sure) Wing-it trip to Montauk and the Current River was a blast. The “Wing-it” concept is based on a simple idea. Mike plans the framework of the trip and then the rest of the activities (mostly food planning) are based on what the group wants to do. In practice, however, we all pretty much wanted to do the same things.
The Trip began Sunday December 6th . Matt McClure and Jim Craig arrived in the morning and started fishing below the campground bridge. It was immediately clear that the fish were hungry. Both guys caught lots of fish Euro nymphing the Frenchie fly and cerise worm. By lunch time the group started to grow. Matt and Jim met up with new members Al Harper and Dave Broeder at the Naturalist Cabin picnic tables (henceforth to be known as the Staggenborg tables). Little did we know, Steve Baker had also arrived that morning. But, he was having such good fishing, he did not stop to join us for lunch—some guys. Before lunch was over, Dan Staggenborg arrived and was ready for action. In the afternoon we all fished the fly-fishing only area and still caught a nice number of fish. We had the place to ourselves on a beautiful winter day.
That night, 4 of us stayed at Montauk Cabins just outside the park. (By the way, they are nicely equipped, clean and affordable. Check them out if you are looking for local lodging.) Al, Dave and Dan camped across the street at Pappy’s Campground. By the time Steve, Matt and Jim arrived at the cabins that evening, our notorious host and 4 th cabin mate, Mike Oldani, finally arrived. Everyone was then in the mood to eat. Thank goodness Dan made reservations at a great Mexican restaurant in Licking. If it weren’t for Dan (and Google Maps) I assure you that you would never know it was there. Wow, it was great and quite reasonable. The waitresses provided excellent service and food recommendations.
The next day, we had breakfast on our own, yet Dan brought yummy cinnamon rolls to share. Kenny Klimes, Mike Bisaga and Dave Komor joined the group that morning. We weren’t in a rush to hit the river because the morning temps were still quite cold. Nevertheless, we were probably on the river about 8:45 AM. The previous night, Mike announced he was going to get up at 5 AM to fish below the cable. He invited all to join him. Well, can you guess how that worked out? Instead, Mike was there to enjoy some of Dan’s cinnamon roll with the rest of us.
For fishing Monday, guys kind of grouped up and headed out for their favorite fishing spots. The only firm plan was to meet for lunch at noon. The weather was amazing. We had an awesome lunch with 10 guys sharing stories and “tales” from the morning. Plenty of fish were caught on a variety of flies. Some guys were casting wooly buggers, some swinging soft hackles, some indicator nymphing and some Euro nymphing. True to the principles of a “Wing-it trip,” guys fished where ever and whatever they wanted.
We had beautiful weather that afternoon. While I can’t speak for everyone, however, it seemed the fishing was a little slower. But who cares, and you know why? Because Monday night was the big “Wing-it” potluck dinner at the cabins!
It should be noted that while we do have some very talented fly fishermen in this fellowship, every one of these guys knows the best stuff to bring for a killer, all guy potluck. We had wonderful appetizers and tasty drinks. Mike Oldani grilled hot dogs and brats, Mike Bisaga brought awesome HOMEMADE chili (not from a can), Jim brought a green salad (just enough to offset the guilt for eating all this meat) Matt’s bunt cakes were a sweet dessert. Other folks brought pasta salads and other treats that I can’t remember. We should have taken a picture of all the food on the kitchen table. Strangely however, as the evening went on, Mike and Steve’s cabin developed a shortage of toilet paper. Hmm…..
It was a wonderful evening of fellowship, food and fish talk around the camp fire. The time was perfect for everyone to rekindle friendships and for our newest members, Dave Broder and Al Harper, to learn (for better or worse) about the other guys in the fellowship. I hope they felt welcomed because we sure are glad they found us.
At 7:30 Tuesday morning we were met with clear, crisp weather and treated to a delicious egg casserole prepared by Dan Staggenborg. Way to go Dan! Tuesday morning was pack -up-and-move-out time for some. But for others, they spent a little more time on the water outside the park. The fishing was challenging that day. Guys caught a few fish below the cable and at Baptist Camp. However, Mike Oldani reported catching several newly stocked browns at TanVat. By mid-afternoon, most guys were headed home to wash their waders, tie up new flies to replace the ones they lost, and prep for work the next day.
2020 has been a difficult, and for many, a tragic year. But your Fellowship is here to
support you. The comradery that develops on trips like this rejuvenates and refreshes a tired soul, making us prepared to face life’s challenges. Many of us face the same challenges in our personal lives. Even though we might not specifically talk about them (although sometimes we do), just being together gives us new strength. We can’t be better husbands, dads, or brothers, if we don’t take care of ourselves. Be sure to watch your email for classes and trips in the near future, then jump aboard to participate. Hopefully, we will be able to restart our community service projects by mid-2021.
Mike Oldani, I speak for everyone when I say thank you for a great trip! By the way, I think Matt had some extra rolls of toilet paper in his bathroom. Just sayin’.
