I have tailgated at plenty of football games, but Maurice was the one that first got the chillin and grillin going for me while we were fishing up on Penns Creek years ago. Nothing beats grilled hot dogs, icy cold beer and some Rolling Stones while getting ready for the evening show. I was pretty easily convinced that loading the grill for any one of our day-long Lewis and Clarke expeditions was mandatory. Without a doubt it beats the smashed-up soggy ham sandwiches I was content with for years.
Often we head out for a long day of fly fishing and the late afternoon can be a slow period on the stream. This is a great time to fire up the grill, turn on some tunes and get the burgers going.
A portable propane grill is the centerpiece of any fly fishing tailgater. A simple Char-Broil Standard Portable Liquid Propane Gas Grill can do the trick for about $45 or you can spend more if that suits you. You typically don’t want to spend hours getting set up and cleaning up next to s stream. An easy-to-use grill that can heat up and cool down quickly is important. The last thing you want to be doing is waiting an hour for a grill to cool off while a sulphur hatch gets started.
Cheeseburgers and hot dogs are the logical choices for some streamside grilling. They are easy to bring along, quick to cook and make cleanup painless. No need to get fancy, just get good buns, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, chips or other sides that spoon out. We wouldn’t win any prizes from the Food Network with our tailgaters, but brats and Italian sausages are fun too. Don’t forget the condiments.
If the fishing is a bust that night and the spinner fall didn’t happen, you still at least had some time beforehand with your friends and family in a great setting.
[Disclaimer: follow all the laws and be courteous where you are tailgating]
#fly #fishing #tailgating
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