Give Thanks

Thanksgiving…I hope yours was as good as mine. A thought hit me this weekend while I was in a deep wine-induced state of tranquility – I pondered the question; is my glass half empty or half full? I have a good number of family and friends that function in the half empty mode frequently and I must confess, on occasion I have been known to do the same. I was tried and convicted in my own kangaroo court. I decided to pluck the gargantuan log out of my own eye and take a gander in the mirror. Upon reflection, I determined that I was very fortunate and had much to be thankful for. I sat down and made a bunch of lists. It was a pretty darned good exercise. I thought I might share one of my lists – things I am thankful for as a fly fisher person.

Ozark Fly Fishers. What a great club we have. In fact, we were club of the year in 2005 and we truly deserved it. Many of our members have never lived anywhere else and been involved in a mediocre or worse FFF chapter. I have. Be thankful for what you have here in Missouri. If you don’t like something about the club, get involved and help change it. If you don’t want to get involved, just keep your pie hole shut.
Breathable waders. Every time I see some poor sap in neoprene waders (or worse) my mind harks back to the day when we wore all the other nonsense that really didn’t keep us dry and did nothing but hold in our sweat. I am going to give the inventor of Gore-Tex a kiss the next time I see him.
Comfortable wading boots with felt soles. If you were around before we had these you know how treacherous things could get without felt. These new shoes are light and comfortable and really are a whole lot more safe. Since I bruise more easily the older I get, I am thankful to not have so many banana marks on my buttocks as a result of awkward falls.
Graphite fly rods (especially the value-priced models). What a great invention. Oh sure, fiberglass has a unique feel and there is nothing like bamboo, but you just have to love graphite. You have lots of rod options and your buck goes pretty far. The new reels are pretty damn good, too. Don’t get me wrong, I like the expensive stuff, but my budget likes my options.
Polar fleece. I wish I would have thought of this one. Brilliant!
OFF Volunteers. I am thankful for all the folks that give to the club willingly – the board of directors, committee chairs, teachers, and on and on. So many serve faithfully and without much credit given. Thanks!
Breathable long underwear. Ahhhh!
“Women in Waders” calendar. I don’t look at the pictures…I buy mine to read the articles.
Missouri Department of Conservation. If you don’t appreciate the work that these folks do and the amount of funding provided for the cause, then there is something wrong with you.
Southern Council of FFF. Not only are we part of great club and a pretty good national organization, but we are also connected to the region via the Southern Council. If you haven’t been to Conclave in the fall, you might think about working it into your schedule.
My fishing buddies. You know who you are…you put up with me and you share with me and you bless in ways you may never know. You are faithful through thick and thin and have gotten me out of some real jams in life. I appreciate the fact that you provide a sanctuary for me away from all the other nonsense I deal with…a place where we can go to relax and refresh (and tell a few fish stories and tall tales). I have a feeling it is a glimpse of heaven.
Barb-less hooks. Is it that big a deal to de-barb my hooks when I am tying a fly? No, but I sure prefer when I can buy them without the barb. It is one of life’s simple pleasures. They also come out of your lip a whole lot easier.
Federation of Fly Fishers. Our club is part of a great national organization. You can join national if you have a desire. Could it be better? Yes! Get involved and help change things or…
Cold beer, good cigars, and a flask of single malt. Enough said.
Hot coffee streamside. Another one of life’s simple pleasures.
Insert your list here. Make your own list…it is not a bad exercise.

I also made of a list of the things I am not thankful for as a fly fisher person. But then it dawned on me that my glass would be half empty and I didn’t want to go there. Happy Holidays! You think about that. TL