Many of you have heard my story about how Keith and I came to join the Saluda River Chapter of Trout Unlimited.   But for those of you who haven’t…. it will be retold once again as I share how the two of us came to love and cherish this TU chapter, its people, its mission, its endeavors and the wonderful sport of fly fishing.  

 

I met my husband Keith (former SRTU president) at a “trash dumpster” on a Christmas Morning in 1991.     I heard a voice say…..” Hey, do you work out?”    Ugh, I thought to myself…what a line.  Men… Ugh!

 

I turned to see Keith unloading his truck  in his Georgia baseball cap and sun glasses. He explained…”well, I just moved here and I see you are in workout clothes.  I wondered what gym was open on Christmas Day because that is my New Year’s Resolution.”    Oh brother, I thought again…… that IS a good line!  Then he added,” Maybe we could work out together sometime?” 

 

As went our separate ways we did eventually start working out together. For two months we were just friends until Keith decided we should grill out at my place and he would fix me his famous “trout appletizer”.   I loved it…. but more than that, I found that I was beginning to become fond of him.

 

Our first fishing outing was to the Chattooga River to look for a place called Burrell’s Ford which was reported to produce huge trout. It was breath taking scenery.  I mean literally, the wind was blowing 200 mph as we TRIED to picnic.  But, in spite of the wind and weather, this was the moment when I looked at him and told myself….. I think I love this guy!

 

Getting to know and appreciate Keith, I discovered in short time, his 3 great loves: 1) Georgia Bulldogs, 2) Trout Fishing in the Georgia Mountains and 3) His Mama.  I wanted to be in there somewhere!

 

Of course, I cooked for him and introduced his fishing friends to South Carolina Barbeque (done my way) and my world-famous macaroni salad (both of which are now part of the famous shore lunch prepared for the SRTU outings). They fished nearly every weekend in the mountains…..with…… yes, crickets and Power Bait.    He did not have a father to raise him and this is how he was taught, so be kind in your judgment while you read this.    

 

He took me on a trip to the Chattooga once again in July of 1993.  We were streamside when he asked me to pull out his tackle box and get his “special lure”.  I went into the vest and discovered a nearly empty tackle box with a small plastic bag and 2 rings… and THEY WERE NOT MY RINGS!  Ooops, I said to myself, I found something he was trying to hide.  I quickly put the box back in the vest and began looking in the other pockets……nothing.    Keith seemed frustrated while I fumbled around and he said a little louder….”I said; look in my back pocket, the clear box with my “special lure”.    I replied “KEITH THERE ARE RINGS IN THAT BOX!” (And at this point I am thinking they belonged to someone else) 

 

He said loudly and extremely frustrated, “OPEN THE BOX! I AM TRYING TO ASK YOU TO MARRY ME!”   As we were walking hand in hand grinning like a couple of Cheshire Cats, a couple of fisherman going down to the river asked Keith, “Did you catch the big one?”   Keith replied “Yes I did”.  “What did you use?” they asked.  Keith smiled and replied, “My special lure.”    Just like out of a movie, don’t you think?  (More like a comedy). 

 

Much in love and trying to please my new husband, I bought him a day’s fly fishing lesson from Mainstream Outfitters and a weekend stay in a beautiful cabin in Highlands, North Carolina, for our 1995 1-year wedding anniversary.   The beauty of the mountains and the rushing streams washed away all cares and it was a heavenly place to be; beautiful skies and rushing crystal streams!

Our guide and instructor was Bill Clary (little did we know what role he would play in our lives and others in SRTU).   He patiently taught us both the art of fly fishing and it we immediately discovered something we both loved.

 

Under Bill’s tutelage, we learned the principle of “catch and release” and it was hard to get used to the idea of “not eating the fish we caught”.  I caught the biggest brown of my life on my first cast…..I just didn’t know how to get it in, but after some frantic reeling, I did! After that trip, Keith then purchased a used Loomis rod from Bill’s store in Highlands and we went home. 

 

The next year, in 1996,  I purchased a membership for Keith  to the Saluda River Chapter of Trout Unlimited for his birthday.   He enjoyed the magazine but it wasn’t until the next year when he attended his first meeting.   The average attendance at that time was about 12 to 25 people.  It was a well established group of fly fisherman and conservationists.  He really thought that he would meet fly fisherman and spin fisherman.  But he did enjoy the meetings.  

I joined him at the meetings when SRTU moved to the Seven Oaks location in 1998 but didn’t attend from 2001 to 2003 due to travel with my job.

 

It was about the 2001 or so that Keith was asked by then president Larry Craft to serve on the board of directors. From there he has served in just about every position.  In 2003, we began meetings at Keith’s work place, BellSouth; a “State of the Art” meeting facility with power point presentations and full meals.  Keith began doing Outings for the chapter and I began cooking for the meetings in December of 2003.    We wanted to provide an atmosphere of fellowship and learning. 

 

The outings continued with great success and many a novice has been instructed and mentored by our chapter.  Bill Clary (the professional guide who taught us) has blessed our chapter with his presence at the shore lunches on the Nantahala Outings.  He shares his advice on flies and techniques while those attending eat lunch prepared by me and served by Keith.   He usually takes the “most in need” and fishes with them for the afternoon.    He has no idea the influence his presence has had on growing our chapter and sustaining the art of fly fishing. 

 

We have been blessed to count among our friends  the great people of the Saluda River Chapter of Trout Unlimited.  We continue to be amazed at the work of many of our members towards conservation and the preservation of fly fishing: Malcolm Leaphart, Mike Waddell, Luke McCary, and Dermon Sox (just to mention a few).  Neither Keith nor I felt we had a background that could benefit the chapter but we DID know that SRTU had a “gold mine” in its people and we wanted to share of ourselves and make everyone’s experience with Trout Unlimited something that would last a life time and self perpetuate.

 

From all of this, the chapter has grown to nearly 400 and our monthly attendance has increased from approximately 12-20 to over 40 at every monthly meeting since January of 2004.   It does my heart good to see every member walk in month after month; greet them with a smile and a good meal, talk fishing and enjoy learning from our speakers.  I have watched many strangers become life long friends.  I have seen members begin to share the warmth of the chapter with others and continue the tradition.  We have always said, you may come in a stranger, but you will not leave as one.   As I previously said, Keith didn’t have a father to share with him the skill and knowledge of fishing and teach him about the importance of preserving our fisheries, but now through SRTU, he has learned and so have I and we share. 

 

I always tell the members that I love this chapter and every member!  I can honestly say we have some of the best people you would ever want to meet. 

 

Enjoy the recipe. Although I no longer cook for the chapter due to the change in location, a meal will always be provided as well as good fellowship and education!

 

Thank you for your kindness and tolerance in reading my little story and I hope to see you at the next meeting.  n the meantime….BEST FISHES

 

Sherie Cloud, SRTU Secretary  

Alaska Salmon Chowder

(serves 8)

 

1 can (14oz) canned Salmon or 1 lb.

fresh Salmon or your favorite fish

2 cups peeled and cubed Red Potatoes

1 cup chopped of each: Onion, Celery,

Carrots

2 minced garlic cloves

4 slices bacon

2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

1 Bay Leaf

1/8 tsp. Thyme (dried)

1 cup chopped Broccoli (if desired

1 Stick of REAL Butter

2 cups Fish Stock or Clam Juice

3 Tbsp. Flour

2 cups Heavy Cream

2 cups Milk

1 lb. White Corn (10oz frozen)

Chopped Parsley

 

 

Parboil the Potato Cubes and Carrots, drain and set aside.  In a large pot brown the Bacon till crisp.  Add to the Bacon: Onion, Garlic, Celery and sauté 5 minutes.  Stir in Flour and stir until lightly colored (about 1 minute). Whisk in fish stock. Add to this: Potatoes, Bay Leaf, Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Butter and simmer 5 minutes.  Add Broccoli and simmer another 5 minutes.  Add Salmon, Milk, Cream, Corn and Parsley.   Heat thoroughly and serve immediately. 

 

Served 4 ½ Gallons of chowder which fed 41 people at the November 2006 Saluda River TU monthly meeting.   They loved it, several asked for the recipe. Here it is.  Hope you share your favorites with me too!

THE KEITH &

SHERIE CLOUD STORY:

A great story written by our own Sherie Cloud along with a bit of romance and nostalgia that will help you understand how these two nice folks found each other and the importance of SRTU in the lives of two of our favorite people.

 

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And, at the end, a bonus: one of Sherie’s tested and true winning recipes.