Members' Bio: Where'd you come from?

[flybob]

Hey Aaron, glad to make your acquaintance!

Your story is not unlike alot of us.

Welcome to the addiction, , hope your wife is ready for it!

Look forward to hooking up one day,
Bob

[stanbery]

Aaaron

Welcome aboard.

Jon

[Rockstar Fisherman]

Nice to see another fellow band member here Aaron.

Mike

[WanderingBlues]

Welcome aboard Aaron. So, let's see...We have punk and metal? Too that, I'll add my own back-in-the-day experiences of being in a ska band that is still around to this day- The Pietasters. A whole new line-up, but the memories endure.

[Flatsix]

I‘ve been hanging around for the last 6 months and realized that I’d never posted an intro.

Originally from Hamilton Ontario Canada, moved here when I was a kid.

In the 60’s, I fished with my Dad in the Sierras, Oregon and Washington on lakes mostly. Dad likes fishing from boats and we’d usually rent one when we were on summer vacation.

In my 20’s we’d climb the fence and fish Silverwood Lake at the spillway for cats on Friday nights. I fished Silverwood and Puddingstone for Trout and Bluegill, local creeks for trout and made the occasional trip to the June Lake Loop.

In 1985, I was living next door to a guy that was married and whenever I’d come home late, he’d have his garage door open slightly with the lights on. One night I knocked and asked what he was up to. He showed me his tying bench and the flies that he’d been tying. I told him that I knew nothing about fly fishing . He showed me his book and video collection on what fish eat, where and when they eat and how to fool them into eating what you’re casting. I must have seemed interested because he asked if I’d like to try fly fishing, I said yes so a couple of weeks later we went to the Owens River.

It was late October, cold and windy with occasional snow flakes. I spent most of the day snagging everything including me. I must have lost a dozen flies. I was watching a trout feeding in an eddy and after a bunch of attempts managed to land a fly 3’ in front of the fish with a nice drift, the fish took the fly, I set the hook and although I made a mess of the line trying to strip him in, I caught my fist fish on a fly. It started snowing hard and we had to leave, I didn’t fly fish again for a long time but I won’t forget that fish.
In the 80’s and 90’s I always spent at least one week a year fishing the Sierras, mostly the June Lake loop. A couple of years ago, we went with a friend’s family to June Lake for a week. The friend brought his fly fishing gear…rods, reels, line, flies, tubes, waders, fins, etc. I spent the week fishing with a spin rod and he fly fished. I paid attention to what he was doing and I got a basic understanding of what I needed to get started and how it’s done.

A couple of weeks later I’m at Bass Pro buying Power Bait, I wandered into the Fly shop and there was a Sage 5wt package with reel, line, backing and a case. I bought it, Lefty Krehs “Basic Fly Fishing” book, a couple of basic tools and headed out the door.
Since then, I’ve picked up a couple of rods, spare spools, waders, boots, and a float setup. I’ve got a few books and videos. I started tying and really enjoy it. I’m learning something new all the time. I bought a place in Mammoth 2 years ago and get to fish more now than ever.

I looked around at a bunch of other boards but I like this one best. It seems that the members here are knowledgeable and friendly. I’ve learned a lot from the posts here and I’m hoping that I’ll run into one or two of you on the water eventually.

[WanderingBlues]

I looked around at a bunch of other boards but I like this one best. It seems that the members here are knowledgeable and friendly. I’ve learned a lot from the posts here and I’m hoping that I’ll run into one or two of you on the water eventually.

That's a great intro! And I agree with you that I've not found a better group or forum anywhere. As vibes go, this is it!

[1mocast]

Nice Intro...and Welcome to the flyfishing journey we all take....

[stanbery]

Welcome aboard.

Jon

[Hatch71]

Flatsix... Welcome aboard.... That was a great intro!! Most of the things I have larned on fly fishing I have learned here. Reading and photos. Everyone here are very friendly and don't forget we are not a bunch of dudes on this board as I learned. There are some really great Fly addicts that are women.... I have learned a ton from them.....

Welcome aboard Chris

[Sasha]

Welcome

[Bakoguy]

Wow!! I have jumped past this posting a lot for the short time I've been a member of this forum. Not sure what prompted me tonight to read 263 posts (could be the wine) to get to this position but here goes:
Born in Durango Colorado I caught my first fish at age four. I cried like a baby when Uncle Frank whacked him with a club and threw him in a bucket. I guess I leaned towards catch and release from an early age. The family moved to Farmington, New Mexico and I remember the construction of the Navajo Dam which of course made for the famous section of the San Juan. As kids we road our bikes out there which was a pretty good trek and with my father I traveled in that area frequently to natural gas wells in this area that he helped complete. Little did I know that my fly fishing roots would come full circle back to the Navajo Dam and the San Juan.
The family moved to Bakersfield,California in 1961. Like most of you I was a bait fisherman most of my formative years and not avid at that ,though I did prefer fishing to hunting. My friends and I trout fished the Kern and hunted any thing that moved throughout Central California during high school. I attended UCD for 4 years and continued to hunt and fish during this time. In fact we lived on the Sac River in the spring. After baseball practice we would drive to Knights Landing every evening and catch better than 1 fish per rod of Stripped Bass per trip (those were the days). Every Friday in the spring was a fish BBQ at 1407 Mello Place in Davis. You were welcome at all times if you were female, brought a side dish for 20 or brought a fifth of tequila. Funny how tequila goes with fish. Lord we used a lot of limes back then and had no idea the salt was bad for hypertension (LIFE WAS SO SIMPLE THEN).
Fast forward. One of those parties produced my best catch, my wife. Two kids and some hard miles (for my wife) in between and we're back in Bako working hard. Too hard.
My father in law is now retired and fishing a lot. One holiday (~1992) he's at the house and he takes me out to a little fly shop out on North Chester in Bakersfield. He buys me a rod (Sage 3wt RPL), Reel (Marryatt ), a set of waders ,boots, and vest. He then tells me okay you don't have any excuses to not go fly fishing with me. A couple of weeks later we spend 30 minutes casting on the lawn in front of the Santa Barbara Mission and were off (14 hrs) to the San Juan. HOMECOMING!!!!
I wish I could say it was a glorious beginning (back at my roots) but it wasn't. What ensued was an epic struggle between the forces of Mordor and my soul. Finally, my soul won (after everyone on the river caught a fish) and I was hooked. For the next 10 years I only fly fished ~3 weeks out of the year but they were always epic days on most of the great rivers of the West. Finally, one day I had an epihany about my youth on the Kern and decided I didn't have to drive 12 hrs. every time I fished. Thereafter came the Eastern Sierra's and this forum. I've been lucky to have fly fished most of the great streams in the West and a few Internationally. Which by the way does not make you a better fisherman than the soul who has only fished the Owens. But it is nice and is the product of all of the days I couldn't get away while building a business and raising a family.
I've never really encountered a bad person that fly fished and I'm proud to be part of the community and have enjoyed fishing with a number of people on this forum. However, I'm a little like George Thorogood. He drinks alone (so he says excepting Blackie ,Red and Dear Old Grandad) and I don't mind fishing alone. I love the solitude and the challenge more than anything. I understand guided trips and have been on many ( I appreciate David and Guy ) but I'd rather catch one fish on my own fly than a 100 that have been caught every other day for 2 months. In the winter my wife will drive me to the C&R section on the Owens drop me off and come back 8 to 10 hours later and it couldn't get better. (for me)
Sorry I haven't posted sooner on this thread. Interesting posts.

[Papasequoia]

For some reason I always thought you were retired? Must be those 8-10 hour days on the Owens. I know how you feel about George Thorogood and fishing. I too much prefer fishing alone and am happiest on those days where I don't see another soul on the water all day (well, except for when Midger comes down, tells me what fly he has caught 50 fish on in the last hour and gives me a couple ). However, maybe the best of both worlds is going fishing with a friend (or two or ten), being on the water mostly by yourself, then getting together at the end of the day for beers and BSing. Hope we get to do that some time soon. I can't believe you read all 263 posts at once! Jon

[stanbery]

Jim

Very nice write up.

Jon

[midger]

Great intro Bakoguy. Funny how flyfishing can get so intertwined into out lives. It's a vice, granted, but there are far worse ones we can get into, and it's still cheaper than chasing women (and far less damaging, especially if you happen to be married). Keep a tight line.

I am also primarily an "alone" fisher. Probably spend 5-6 days fishing alone for every 1 day fishing with others--not that I am antisocial, I just enjoy the solitude with only myself to account for. My wife, OTOH, has been more vocal about my fishing with others. I guess that's so they can drag my poor drown body from the river after I wade too deeply one last time, eh?

It's a great group of folks on this forum.

[Hatch71]

What a great read thanks for sharing.... History is what keeps our sport alive and my three boys love to hear about the days when fish were abundant.... I'm teaching them can help with that but it takes effort... Thanks for taking us along... Good stuff for the soul... Chris