Ok, so some of us have seen my/our reports" plus others, but not all of us have fished with the foreigner from the Czech Republic (home of my grandparents), who has embarrased us all by showing us "city folk" how to fish the Golden State. I'm not putting any members down, of course Zee learned from some of us, but some of us (including myself) learned a thing or 2 (A LOT IN MY CASE) from the Czech Flyfisherman. I'm going to miss my new "best flyfishing friend" when he leaves the U.S. back to his home county in Feb.
I hope that everyone that has ever fished or hoped to fish with Zee will make the trip up starting on the 23rd of January. It will be one that we all will remember for life. Zee is a youngster like myself, he's 26 and I'm currently 25 but he has an amazing talent to teach and help out us fellow flyfisherman. I'm so grateful that he caught me up at the Conness lakes (July 2007) and asked me what fly I was using to catch goldens. Since then I was lucky enought to find him on these forums and make a lifetime friend with him despite my busy schedule.
I'm not sure where I'm headed with this post but I do know that I just want to take this chance to thank the man that has filled in every blank I've had about fly fishing, since I was self taught for 10 years, until I met him and others since 2007. Without Zee I'd still be fishing the trophy trout rivers/creeks/lakes that we all read about catching 8-13" fish instead of the 16-22" fish that I've caught with Zee.
Most of all, Zee is a person that is realistic, and has a true compassion for nature. Some may think he's egotistical or arrogant, but hey, he caught and released all of his fish within 4 years of fising California. And he always makes sure that all of his co-fishers catch fish, much like a guide would do. How many of us can say we've caught at 5 species of trout that measure 19.5" or bigger in 4 years, and the 19.5" was a brookie his golden was even bigger.
I've beat him a couple trips in quantiy and/or quality but it was all because of his direction. Zee is the best flyfisherman I've ever met as well as the most down to Earth. I'm very thankful to have stumbled upon him in the backcountry of the 20 lakes basin the way we did and to have fished with him as many times as I have. I'll truely miss him but before that day comes we all have one last chance to spend some time with him, which I suggest all that can make it, do so.
Thanks buddy, and hopefully one day I'll be on tour through Europe where I can spend at least oneday fishing the Czech Republic with you.
Mike