Sunday Morning Underground Madness
By Tom Chandler on Apr 8, 2007 in Underground Entertainment
I’d like to pretend that today’s Second Underground Slaw Dog Festival is an event requiring vast amounts of preparation; that the world owes me a great big wet kiss on the lips for investing huge quantities of time in its creation.
But the truth is somewhat less edifying. We’re talking about gas station food here, and I’d clearly violate one of the primal laws of nature if any aspect of the slaw dog was made from scratch.
Thus, I chop a few onions, dress the slaw, heat the canned chili, open the yellow mustard squeeze bottle, and fire up the grill.
The L&T Nancy — clearly the hostess with the mostess — isn’t content to let my fly fishing friends wander around with only a slaw dog clutched in their free-meal-seeking hands, and works to actually make the house look nice for our guests.
I’ll never understand her.
MidCurrent Madness
I’m just about ready to let MidCurrent serve as the news arm of the Trout Underground (which is a nice way of saying I’m ready to rip off his RSS feed wholesale).
Today he’s got reasoned, adult thoughts on several fly fishing subjects (and it hasn’t escaped my attention that reasoned, adult thoughts are in pretty short supply here at the Underground).
Spey This
First comes news of a “Spey-O-Rama” at the Golden Gate Casting Club in San Francisco.
The Golden Gate Club lies at the heart of the Northwestern fly fishing history, and there’s no end to the list of great casters (and great rodbuilders) who hung with the homeys there.
April 13-15, expect to find a lot of spey rods scattered about its casting ponds — along with factory reps and casting instructors.
And yes, there’s even a casting competition involved. No word as to the availability of slaw dogs.
Hatch This
Spey rods safely behind us, MidCurrent digs up an excellent article on hatchery reform in the Pacific Northwest, where the role of hatcheries is being redefined to actually help fish wild fish stocks instead of hurting them.
There’s a thought.
More than 100 hatcheries were built prior to the 1990s, so there’s plenty to write about.
Like This
Also via MidCurrent comes a Charlie Meyers piece about an early spring road trip. I’m generally a fan of Charlie Meyers’ writing, but must raise the Red Flag of Metaphorical Doom for sections of his latest piece which include:
“This storm clung like a vampire, causing a vexed angler to pass great rivers without removing his rod from its case. Near Ennis, Mont., where Angus calves huddled like licorice drops atop a foot of snow, the famed Madison River flashed whitecaps in a 40-mph wind.”
Clung like a vampire?? Licorice drops? Oh the humanity.
The story itself is interesting and worth a read, though we suggest you avert your eyes during the more heated metaphors, lest you find your head spinning like Linda Blair after a drinking multiple margaritas on a carnival ride.
Carp This
Carp on a Fly writes a fun post about catching a big carp, and includes a nice picture of a very, very fat carp (2006’s hottest sportfish).
He was using a crawfish fly, a pattern I think would probably also kill in a few places around here. Gotta get me some.
Name This
Finally, Moldy Chum plugged “some familiar terms” into an online Band Name Generator and came up with some hilarious results.
My favorite? “Striper Glue of the Glory Commode.”
That’s rockin’ good stuff.
Since I’ve been thinking of forming a band and hitting the road on tour, I took the opportunity to type in Trout Underground, and got:
Trout Underground of the Angry Treason
Straight Trout Underground and the Potential
Trout Underground Progression
Defaulted Trout Underground of the Crunchy Shifter
Suddenly Trout Underground
Trout Underground Apocalypse
Cursive Trout Underground and the Sanctity
Ambitious Trout Underground and the Captain
My favorite: Trout Underground Mutation and the Clueless Introduction
Slaw dogs? Of course!
Slaw Dog Contender and the Catatonic Tuesday
Slaw Dog of the Shattered Fiber
Slaw Dog Hacker of the Unlisted Tendon
Striking Slaw Dog of the Spy Factory
Slaw Dog Detour and the Proverbial Sideburn
And my favorite: Chrome Slaw Dog and the Doggie
That’s it for Sunday. Stay tuned for live blogging of our slaw dog fest (well, sorta). See you at the Weber charcoal grill (cooking “Slaw Dogs of the Unlisted Tendon,”) Tom Chandler.
[tags]slaw dog, trout underground, midcurrent, moldy chum, fly fishing[/tags]
smellslikefish | Apr 8, 2007 | Reply
I’m awake and alert at 9 a.m. on Sunday - which could only mean that my mind is racing while visions of slaw-dogs dance in my head.
kbarton10 | Apr 9, 2007 | Reply
“Nestle and the Trout Underdog” is more appropriate.
Yes, I still have a protruding lower lip based on the absense of an invite to the food orgy.
Tom Chandler | Apr 9, 2007 | Reply
kbarton: you would have certainly been invited, though I was under the impression you lived far south of here? As in far south of even Fresno?
In any case, you once called the Wonderdog a “doglike object” and would likely face retribution from the object when you entered the house. No one escapes the Wonderdog’s Flashing Teeth of Doom. No one.
kbarton10 | Apr 9, 2007 | Reply
Them big brown WonderDawg eyes says otherwise…In fact, they say the same thing in every still you’ve shared with us.
“Feed Me”
The WunderMutt would like bark furiously upon my arrival, once he realized I was armed with food, we would be long lost pals.
The true test of loyalty will come when I mention that ratty cane swizzle stick you cast with - is impregenated with glue made from his kinfolk…
…now who is scrambling for a hot dog?
(Cue villagers with torches, based on the cane comment.)
Nope, formerly of Redding, now of Sacramento. Have appetite, will travel.