If you're a regular reader of the blog, a friend of ours, or even just follow our journey on social media, you know that we live in a house divided.

Glass vs. Grass.

Thankfully,  for the sake of our relationship, we agree on dry flies and reels.

This April is going to be a significant test for both of us, and our relationship, as our home of Pisgah Forest, NC is going to be taken over one weekend by bamboo builders and the next by glass geeks. We will be attending both events, together. Let's hope we both make it out alive!

Just kidding! We're both really excited about the events and can't wait to see old friends and make new ones!

Carolina Cane Gathering April 19th - 21st

Here's a little info about the event from the CCG Facebook Page

The 8th Annual Carolina Cane Gathering (CCG) will be held April 19th-21st at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard, NC. Events will kick off with a picnic supper at 5:30 pm on Thursday the 19th at Sycamore Flats Picnic Shelter on Rt 276, just North of the intersection with Rt 64. This will be followed by program activities at the Education Center on the 20th (8:30 am - 5:00 pm) and 21st (8:30 am - 12:00 pm), along with a Friday night social.

The cost of the gathering is $65.00 per participant for those who register prior to March 1st, 2018 and $75.00 for those who register between March 1st and April 1st. This fee includes access to all program activities, the welcome picnic, coffee and pastries in the mornings, lunch on Friday and Saturday, and the Friday evening social. Lodging costs are NOT included.

Our goals are to provide rod makers of all skill levels with opportunities to meet other builders, share tools and techniques, brainstorm on common (and not-so-common) problems, cast rods, and enjoy fellowship.

Carolina Conclave April 27th - 29th

Here's a little info about this event from C. Barclay's site (the host)

April 27 - 29th, 2018 | $50 per person

Registration includes a t-shirt, one raffle ticket, tasty meals Friday and Saturday night and other goodies too.

The Carolina Conclave is a gathering of fly fishers in the Pisgah Forest (Brevard, NC) - enjoying the beauty and fish of western North Carolina.  This is a time to meet up with old and new friends, cast some (mostly fiberglass!) rods, eat some good food and go fishing.

We will meet up at Sycamore Flats Picnic Shelter in Pisgah Forest, NC, along the Davidson River.

For details and lodging possibilities, see my website: http://cbarclayflyrods.com/conclave/

FRIDAY starting at 5pm: We'll have an informal time of meeting, greeting, and casting, as well as a catered dinner from my good buddy Steve Brennell of The Harvest Table Restaurant in Hermann, MO. Check-in, finalize any registration if needed, buy raffle tickets and pick up your registration bag (including a t-shirt, maps, coupons from Davidson River Outfitters, and other goodies). This will be a good time to make fishing plans for the rest of the weekend.

SATURDAY: Split up and FISH! We'll get together for dinner at 6pm at the Ecusta Brewery. Dinner will be catered by Hawg Wild BBQ, with a cash bar. Raffles will be called out at dinner; everything from packs to flies to rods to reels will be raffled off this year so be sure to buy some extra tickets (available for $5 per raffle ticket or $20 for 5 tickets, at registration Friday night or at Ecusta before dinner on Saturday). 

SUNDAY: Fish some more!

Thanks very much and I'm looking forward to seeing you in western NC!

Interested in learning how to build a bamboo fly rod? Fishing with some really awesome people? Maybe both? We hope so!

For more information on the Carolina Cane Gathering, click here.

To learn more about the Carolina Conclave, click here.

We hope to see you in April!