Our big news this Thanksgiving is that Liz and I became grandparents for the first time. My daughter Anna and her husband George had a girl, Emma. Emma is pretty cute, well maybe really cute and I have the pictures to prove it. If you’d like to see a few its no problem, no problem at all.

            Soon after the birth, a friend of mine gave me an journal notebook and suggested I could write down my thoughts about fly fishing so after I was gone Emma could read them.

 Where am I going?

 It was a nice gesture, but I doubt anyone would spend valuable time reading my inner thoughts, even if I had any. The truth is if I had any inner thoughts I’d never write them down as in SOMEONE MIGHT READ THEM. When you put words to paper it’s a dicey thing.

            I like to think that after I’ve gone to the Big River in the Sky, Liz and Emma will have a yard sale and get rid of my fishing gear. I can imagine a crowd of young fishermen poking through my gear, looking for treasures, all the while thinking, this guy was a professional Troutbum? Man this stuff is trashed, a couple pairs of nasty waders, worn boots, a filthy old vest, beat up reels and two or three nicely abused fly rods.

I’m planning to take good stuff with me; all the years spent with the sun on my back and all those gorgeous rivers in front of me. That’s the part of fishing that is most important to me now. Trust me I am way over my lifetime trout limit.

            It would be impossible for me to explain in words all the beautiful places and whacked out characters that have become the fabric of my fishing journey. I have some snapshots pinned to the wall in my fly tying room, not very many fish pictures, mostly grinning greasy haired Troutbums living large.

 What kind of example is that for a granddaughter? No I’d better keep this stuff to myself, unless….. Emma decides she’d like to go fly fishing with old gramps. You just never know.

One last thing Emma, at the yard sale get top dollar for the Wheatley fly boxes they’ll be vintage by then.

Happy Thanksgiving.