Yours truly was attending the Dutch Oven Cook-off competition as part of the Arbuckle Simpson Nature Festival. This event would require a good deal of work and time, and there wouldn't be anytime for this fly fisher to get to Blue River or anywhere else to fish.
Around mid-morning, Van Stacey and his lovely wife Kempy (my daughter I might add) showed up at the cook-off where Van wasted little time in obligingly sampling my Dutch oven fare. I think it was somewhere between a bite of roasted vegetables and Mexican cornbread that Van announced, directed at me, that he would indeed be going to Blue River to fly fish. A few seconds later he made the boast that he thought while he was there he would just go ahead and catch a Redhorse Sucker, which he very well knows has been something I desperately want to achieve.
Here I was arse deep in Dutch ovens and charcoal and old buddy Van was rubbing the salt in. Perhaps I should now say former old buddy.
After stuffing his face with vittles, Van and Kempy departed my company and headed to Blue River. I had to stick around the cook-off for the results and as soon as that was done I dead-headed back to the bunkhouse.
Three hours later, while sitting at the Sonic waiting on my No. 1 Cheeseburger to arrive... you know who poked a cell phone in front of my face with a picture displayed. Although the sun was blocking my view I could tell it was Van, and in his hand was one Redhorse Sucker. There, in that picture was Van sporting a possum face smile and holding the Blue River species I so want to catch. So, on April 27th, Van comes and eats my Dutch oven food, tells me he's going fly fishing (when he knows I can't), and that he might just catch a Redhorse Sucker, which he does and then shares with me a picture with a smirk on his face. Rubbing more salt... just keep on rubbing Mr. Stacey.
 |
| If that ain't a shit-eatin' grin on his face, I've never seen one. |
Van now becomes a member of the elite Blue River Redhorse Sucker Club and I think his entry raises the membership to nine. He probably doesn't want me to tell you the pattern he caught this Redhorse on, but I'm going to... because I can - it was our favored Brown Bugger.
