Role Models….

I’m lucky….no doubt about it.
Not in the sense that I should travel to Vegas.
Or go climbing without a rope.
But as far as being surrounded by good fishers/teachers/role models, I have no complaints….
The Truckee is known for tough fish, but it takes tough fishermen to really appreciate this.
One friend in particular stands out.
Jeff is on the steep part of the curve here.
Often turning big fish.
Then dealing……
He called me one morning to go fish.
He said he was going deep in the canyon….
I replied, I had a trip, but to let me know how it goes.
The next morning I see Jeff’s number ringing in.
“So, how’d it go????”
“OMG” Jeff replied.
“I hooked Walter, and he headed to Reno.”
“I was chasing him, when he veered across the whole river, and went around a big boulder.”
“Just then, I missed a step, and went down hard.”
Jeff said he heard his rod hit hard, but luckily it was OK.
Then he said he felt water in his waders…..his best waders were ripped…
After twenty minutes getting his new fly-line off the rock.
He decided to keep fishing in spite of things.
Then he noticed his nymph box was gone…..
Finally defeated/derailed, he returned to the car.
While removing his waders, he discovered blood in his boot.
He needed 8 stitches to close the cut.
After telling me this tale, he asked “You want ta go today?”
Every so often I get a little worn down by this river….
But when the going gets tough, I think of Jeff.