On the eve of Opening Day of Extravaganza 2016, I am pleased to announce the star-studded line-up of this year’s Group One!
Heading up this veteran-heavy group is our longest in the tooth returnee John “SOS” Reimann hailing from Los Altos, California. Over the last eleven (count ‘em!) years, SOS (so named after that wonderful ABBA song for his propensity to find disaster where absolutely none exists) has graced us each and every one of these years with his presence, humor and quest for that ever-elusive Yellow Shirt. Right on his heels is equally long-time veteran Napa grape grower/vineyard manager Brian “Moriane” Shepard who, as he has done now year after year, also blesses us by bringing his wonderful children with him—once teenagers, each has matured into prideful adults, and this year finds the eldest “Beautiful Eliza” returning as she has year after year accompanied by her younger bro Nicholas “The Tsar”, all of whom will be resident in our co-owned home on the Blackfoot River.
Returning long time Group One veterans also include international ferrous metal engineer Demetry “The Ghost” Kondrascheff who will re-partner this year with SOS in their oft successful quest to monopolize all Yellow Hats (awarded for the largest trout caught each day) and any and all straggling Yellow Shirts (awarded for the largest trout caught during our three fishing days)! The Ghost will reunite with (a) now retired Point Richmond banker Eddie “Two License” Downer (so named for his propensity to forget his license and having to repurchase yet another); (b) now retired lawyer but emerging social bond expert Josh “Commie Pinko” Genser (so named for his political extreme—a seldom discussed topic, btw, here in Extravaganzaland); (c) long-absent fellow San Rafael High School classmate of mine and San Francisco commercial realtor par excellence Brad “Pinky” Colton (here named for his long-standing tradition of swishing/attiring himself in brazen pink paraphernalia); (d) Marin County HVAC expert Chris “Cock of the Walk” Barger (see Der Blog for a pic of the 90 lb rooster fish he caught in Mexico last week!); (e) “Minnow Mel” McCormack, husband of co-classmate of Pinky’s and mine; and (f) Marin County roofer Tarry “Not To” Winfrey, whose zeal and unbridled enthusiasm year after year sets the pace and Group One tone!
Four rookies are part of the parcel of this year’s Group One players: (1) fellow co-National Wildlife Federation Board member, Brian Preston; (2) a participant in last year’s Fall Fling and fellow Chilean fisherman, Los Angeles investment advisor Craig “El Senor Feo” Benjamin (so named in Chile for his obvious marginal attributes!) and two of his fellow sidekicks (3) Dave “Fired Up” Rohrbacher and last but certainly not least (4) yet unnamed Joe Arnao (you see, EVERYONE gets a Montana nickname…it is just a matter of time, Joe and Brian!).
So, there it is, folks, your Official Line Up for Group One, Extravaganza 2016…great fishing, all!
Rock Creek Ron
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