The Travels of Team No Country For Old Carp

Hey, lets travel to Greeneville, TN through winding ass mountain roads to pick up ol Kyle MC.  During this drive, I definitely pumped my ghost brake pedal a couple times…its just Mike’s driving style, he is from these damn mountains…so I was in his hands.  We get to Greeneville pretty quickly and find Kyle waiting for us as he was sleeping on his couch.  We didnt stay up too late at this point, for we had quite the next day ahead of us, a little practice fishing.

As Friday woke us up, we headed NW to Knoxville, next stop…3 Rivers Angler to check in and get a little litmus test of who we were up against.  This day turned into a little bit less than actually fishing.  We ended up going to Calhoun’s on the River, a restaurant that would end up being out demise in a couple ways.  Calhoun’s is the home of many trained and fed Carp swimming freely and happily through the brownish green water of the Tennessee River.  If you know how hard it is to catch Carp, then this would change your mind.  Knowing that this spot was available for the Tournament, it started a hair raising feeling through this competitive, do it right style Carp Angler.  As we tipped our glasses, we saw a few boats come through and get tugs with bread flies…BREAD FLIES!!!!  So, knowing our game plan, we knew a couple spots that held fish, but didnt want to bruise them up the day before we needed them to comply with our big plan, not so much winning, but making it clear we knew how to do this thing.  I felt like this was my World Series, for my days in Atlanta had given me the traingin I needed, my rainer Tre Miller was to be proud, for he is quite the Carp man.

We were cloudy Saturday morning, Advil and Manmosas were the ticket were the prescription, for we had to get our head straight…we were looking for the spot, the fish and the patience that we needed to at least catch one fish on the fly.  As we got to a spot Kyle had in mind up the French Broad, fish showed themselves rather well.  Drifting over these fish, it was clear they were pretty hunkered to the bottom as we were battling against the higher than desired water.  Come back we shall when the water subsides a bit.  Going back up river, we found a little sidechannel that exposed some short grass coming out of the water that gave away a shelf or flat, and thats what we needed.  Off the bat, Mike hooks a flashing, tailing fish.  He gave Mike a couple swirls, then off…..bummer, shit, damn, thrown hat, thrown sunglasses, blow ego, blow to chances….was that our only damn chance…depression took over.  I traded from the oars to the bow and started gazing through the somewhat clear water.  Seeing something very subtle, I threw towards a non definite target.  The object moved towards the fly then, BAM, Carp on…we got it to the boat and were on the scoreboard.  About now is when we heard that roughly 12 fish had been caught….bummer, we knew how that was happening.  But we caught one, the right way, the sporting way and we were proud.  Anything past this was bonus, we were good buddies fishing together, and thats all that mattered…we were winning.

As the day progressed, we came back to this spot and did well.  Kyle repeated the Mike plan and hooked another one, had it on for a bit, but the fish decided it would give the fly back to Kyle in a no desired way…fish off.  Kyle yelled a few profanities, threw a couple things then was back in the saddle.  The moment before he hooked the fish, we had team, Steve Seinbergs Illegitamate Children behind us with a camera man on the boat.  Kyle did a Babe Ruth shot call…”Hey guys, you wanna see a Carp, see how its done?”, then he hooked that fish…pretty solid Hollywood moment…so the blow up is on camera, cant wait to see that.

THE BONEYARD

We met a lot of good people, hung out with a lot of good friends….it was a great event and we plan on coming back next year and catching that one fish again, its all we need!

So the winner caught 14, the biggest fish was around 35 inches, they held the trophies at the end of the day….but we held our trophies….our pride, our memories and that one fish that meant everything, we did win and we know it!

Oh Yea…I came home with a raffle prize…a Stand up Yak SUP Yolo fishy green board thingy

A new painting done from an aerial photo of Sockeye Salmon running up a river out of a lake.

So, there is nothing more entertaining in sports than the bench-clearing brawl, wrastle, push, bat throw (Clemens), or the Nolan Ryan cow-poke.  I guess it is not the most entertaining moment, but is a “bye catch” of a very tense moment in sports…when the batter gets hit with the ball.  Nobody knows what is going to happen, its all up in the air.  It all depends on what happened the inning before..the batter before or just what mood the pitcher is in.

I bring this up on the heels of last nights game between the Nationals and the Braves where Teheran been, plunked, hit or drilled Bryce Clayton.  Now, Bryce is the kind of player I think you only like if he is on your team.  In my past these players were Jose Canseco, A.J. Pierzynski, Milton Bradley and John Rocker for the Rangers.  Ok, im straying….Bryce gets hit with the pitch, it looked on purpose in retaliation for his slow ass trot around the bases for his prior home run.  He deserved, he deserves it every time…cant stand him.  But the point is, at this point the benches clear, in a more reserved motion…nobody threw punches, just coming out to support their respective batter and pitcher.  Then, it happens….the delayed movement…always in the same manner, that perfect point of time, usually about a 6-7 second delay after the benches get on the field…as though it is timed with the production crew…the cameras show the Bullpen opening the gates…the Bullpen trot begins.  Now consider that these fights only last about 5-6 seconds, if we are lucky.  With that in mind, there is nothing more graceful than seeing the Bullpen boys gracefully, trot…jog towards the epicenter of the quarrel just in time for it to be over.  I dont know why this entertains me so, but it does.  Every fight in baseball that happens, there is nothing more enjoyable than seeing the Bullpen flee the fence in perfect timing for it to be over by the time they get there.

My senseless thoughts for the day!

check out (:21) in vid

Well, I didnt have internet access in Alaska, so I will pick a couple pics from each day as if I did, a little cheating if you will.

Day One – Saturday

We got into the Lodge about 2 PM and just enough time to hit the river for a few hours.  The lodge also had some Nashville Singer/Songwriters on site to entertain nightly…Scott Laurent, Mike and Scott Harder, Bruce (Badass) and Earl Bud Lee of “Friends in Low Places” fame.

The Bob White

Day 2 – The “Pak” with Bob White

We flew out to the Pak river with our guide Bob White.  It was a great day with our other guide Mitch and they cooked us a great riverside lunch.  Beer batter fried Salmon with cheesy potatoes and Bob’s famous “guide pie.”

Day 3/4 – Togiak River then to Rainbo Outcamp

The 3rd day we fly to the Togiak, where the King Salmon are the Kings!  The King fishing was slow, so we leaned towards the other Salmon and trout.  Had a great time with Ryan and then flew to the overnight camp called Rainbo Camp.

Midnight at the lodge…pretty light for that late!

Day 5 – The “Wok: River with Chris Franzen

We fished with a NC native who found his way to Alaska.  He had us on as many Char that morning that we wanted to catch, it was a blast.  Then we went up river and started getting Rainbows on dries, nymphs then I leaned toward the big streamer.  At this point I just wanted to catch one big fish, that was the goal.  We hit a few good ones between grayling and a had a great day!

John Gierach and Bob White are two great guys.  John is a great writer, very witty and creative and gave a couple readings.  Bob is a great artist and a great person, he is who I owe my invite to for this amazing experience.  Also, not pictured, Steve Laurent who runs BBL has quite the job.  With all the logistics and stress that an amazing lodge on the middle of Alaska takes, he handles it well and makes it look easy!

Day 6 – Back to the Togiak to fish with Taylor Bussey

We fished with Taylor who I met in Charleston as he came through town on the Flyfishing Film Tour this past spring.  He is a blast to fish with, very intense and light-hearted.  He wants to catch fish and makes sure his people do…We finally got a big bow, not as big as I wanted, but will keep me coming back!

Bristol Bay Lodge….check it out, an amazing place!

Paul

But the travel day. In Dallas airport, the homeland of this guy. Just had salt lick BBQ and some beers in the airport. Finished first of 4 flights before I get to Bristol Bay Lodge…wi be reporting.

But never named it…I am gonna start posting other Artist’s websites that have always caught my eye or have inspired me.  At this point in my life I don’t have a particular style, or at least my view I don’t.  I have had people tell me that they can tell my artwork, and I do think that it is a good thing but still feel like my artwork is very skewed.  This is something I cannot help, I am constantly inspired by new things, new ideas, new styles…maybe one day when I am 87 I will stick to something.  One of my most recent inspirations was working at Steve Seinberg’s studio, and I really took to the loose-ness of the work and carried it over to my last couple paintings that you can see on prior posts.

Now, the reason I began this write-up is to remind you guys of another artist that has been around for a while and is very well known, Ray Troll.  I guarantee you have seen his artwork, it is so wacky, humorous, interesting, strange and awesome.  With some of the recent illustrations I have been doing, I feel like I have been on the same page as him a couple times, but he wins….he is so damn creatively humorous when it come to fish and what they do.  I remember buying one of his “Spawn Till You Die” shirts a long time ago, no idea what I have done with it, Im sure someone stole it in college.  I also had a real off the wall one of a guy wading naked, and the salmon was about to, well…you can figure it out.  Please check out his website, and peek into this latest show of his, a diplay of this crazy looking rotary saw shark….crazy stuff.  Its not even one of his characters, its the real deal!  Ray Troll, the real deal….a great artist.

Many believe the spot on the redfish’s tail is a decoy to fool hovering birds into thinking that it should attack there as the fish is nose deep in sand or mud.  I had a fun time with this painting, as it is quite different from others I have done.  I enjoyed working with the angle and perspective and am very happy with the way it turned out.  Oil – 30 x 40

Purchase info

New SCOF E-Zine….these good ol guys threw a little Paul Puckett Art love in this issue!

Southern Culture on the Fly

My first trip to Alaska is on the horizon.  I am very excited about the adventure and the new images I can capture that may lead to paintings.  I was asked by Bob White to be Artist in Residence for a week and will also be there for a couple days of the Nashville Songwriters week.  I am very honored to be a part of this.  I owe a huge thanks to Bob White, who is an amazing artist and one that I aspire to paint like.  Paintings to come!

Finished Piece – 30 x 46 – Oil