Nebraska Trout Unlimited
#710 Hosts Fall Event

Nebraska Trout Unlimited #710 hosted a gathering of flyfishing enthusiasts at Piney Lodge on Long Pine Creek, Ne.

About 20 members and guests spent 4 days plying the Piney's waters and shared tips, flies, and lies.

Besides an excuse to do some marathon fishing, the purpose was to promote the efforts of organizations such as Trout Unlimited to preserve and protect our cold water resources for future generations.

Planning a visit to Pine Creek?
We would like to thank Chad Gillespie of The Pines for his hospitality.  If you are planning a trip you should contact Chad. He is a great guy and has cabins, ample camping facilities, and 1/2 mile of creek to fish.

The Pines
P.O. Box 343
Long Pine, Ne. 69217
402-273-4483

As if the amenities at The Pines wasn't enough, the fishing is top notch. Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout reproduce in the stream and a supplemental stocking program by the Nebraska Parks and Game Commission keeps the stream action going year round. Witness the story submitted here by new TU member, Debbie Daniels. She summed up the spirit of the outing beautifully.

A number of the folks raved about the fried chicken at Jeanies Family Restaurant owned by Chad's sister.
Fresh baked bread and home made pies ... Good food, good fishin', all within walking distance of the cabins. They will even deliver  to your cabin door. Now that'ts hospitality!

Jeanies Family Restaurant
498 N. Main
Long Pine, Ne. 69217
402-273-4190

Others we would like to thank are the good folks at Seven Springs, Inc. for the donation of several cases of their famous spring water. Their literature says "bottled from an ocean of underground water". Bottled in Long Pine their natural spring water is sold from South Dakota to Nevada, Texas to Washington, D.C. 

Seven Springs, Inc.
P.O. Box 339
Long Pine, Ne. 69217
402-273-4295
email [email protected]

HOME

"Newcomers View from Long Pine"
by Debbie Daniels

Our Friday afternoon began with the usual fare...the dreaded word exchange - to go or not to go - that was always the inevitable question.

Two tired minds and souls in desperate need of rest and relaxation.

Fred, a life time resident of Colorado and TU member there, has felt the profound absence of trout rivers close by since his job took him to Nebraska in '96. However, his newly acquired membership with NE's TU brought an immediate welcome and response from Mike Kelly with an invitation to 710's weekend gathering at a place neither of us had ever heard of, Long Pine, Nebraska.

Admittedly a bit skeptical (not of the TU membership but of trout waters like "home") Fred began our Friday conversation something like this: "I don't know, I think it's too far. Maybe we shouldn't go." "Yes!" I said, desperate to get out of town and near the water. "But we don't even know these people." he said. "So what! They love trout!" I said. "Naw...it's too far." he said but all the while the Blazer continued heading North. "Stop it!" I said as I was trying to figure out if he really meant it or not. "Okay. We'll go." and those were his last words about the matter. (Brother, I thought).

I think we all experience this in our daily lives. Everything is done in one gigantic rush mode - hurry here, hurry there. Deadlines, problems, people, not enough time, craziness in the world. It wasn't true skepticism Fred was experiencing. It was just his weary mind talking. It is almost like we have to convince our bodies to get up and go any more when it's time to have fun. For Fred, it has been too much work and not enough "fish play".

You know what I mean. Your hand and fingers quivering for your rod. That restless, excited feeling you get when you're just about ready to hit the water. Then you're there and the feel of tight lines and the thrill of the catch exhilarate you beyond words. Those, I believe, were the motivating factors in helping with the decision making and in seeing that we reached our destination. And we did so, three and one half hours later.

We drove in to The Pines just outside of Long Pine, population 396. (More if you count the wild turkeys wandering around oblivious to all. We were told by one of the locals that they know where the city lines begin and end and that they stand on the borders flapping their wings at the guys with the guns. Hey, I believe it!)

Mike Kelly greeted us and we felt relaxed and at home from that moment on. As we met each TU member, the friendliness and camaraderie was instantaneous with all. And the water?? Absolutely beautiful! Pine Creek. Surely it is a river disguised as a creek. Crystal clear; deep, deep holes; a strong but welcoming current. And the trout?? BIG, HUNGRY and BEAUTIFUL, completely willing to play the game with you.

And the cause?? TU has many but the dedication to the cause and the obvious strength in that for the future of NE waters & others, was extremely uplifting. It gave us a true sense of TU's unity in Nebraska.

To the Dead Drifters and the rest of the members we were privileged to meet last weekend, "Thank You." We haven't laughed that hard around a campfire in years nor caught as many beautiful trout in Nebraska - ever. And yes, there is a moral to this story. Simply stated, never give up on nor under estimate the possibilities of open water. Discover or rediscover the potential of each one, no matter where you live. There are hidden treasures to be found, secret spots just waiting for you and little pieces of heaven that even tired, wearily skeptical minds and souls can reach.

Tight Lines.
Debbie Daniels New member since late last night….

Long Pine Creek
is he longest self-sustaining trout stream in Nebraska

Clean Water Program
The quality of the Pine Creek fishery is no accident. Thanks to hard work and smart management the future of this valuable resource is assured thanks to The Rural Clean Water Program.