Here's To The Good Guys!

In my last column I was on a rant (and a little rave…or some might say rage) and a good friend of mine suggested I should change the name of my column to “Tyrade” (correctly spelled tirade)…not a bad idea and I will take it under consideration. However, the election is now behind us and we all need to move forward with our lives. If you don’t like the way things turned out, get involved in the process. As citizens we have an obligation to do that…we can all make a difference. Let’s not get too cynical (preaching to myself, here). A New Year is upon us…a fresh start…time to focus on future and live in the present. Do I hear Halleluiah, Amen? Make it your best year ever.

Now, time to change gears on you. I wanted to focus some energy on a few people that have made a huge difference in the fly fishing community…or also known as “the good guys (and gals)”. This past few months have we have lost several or our friends that have literally helped to “change the world”.

In 1999, I had the good fortune of attending the Fly Fishing Federation national conclave and as a result, got to meet Mel Krieger and see him receive the Ambassador Award. This honor is presented annually to the fly fisher who meets certain high standards of sportsmanship, fishing skill and stream side etiquette in taking and conserving game fish internationally. He most certainly deserves it. I was able to get to know him and his wife Fanny a little and I was very impressed with Mel and his commitment to all things good in the fly fishing world. He was not only one of the most proficient casters and teachers, but he was much more complex than that – a combination of a poet, historian, world traveler, artist, conservationist, and much, much more – truly a Renaissance Man if there ever was one. He was the recipient of several other awards. Passion and compassion just oozed out of the guy…sadly, he left us on October 7th, 2008. Eighty great years of giving it all he had. We will miss him…a bunch.

Ed Story – when you hear the name, you just think “class act” and all around great guy…a gentleman in the purest sense of the word. I know that I have personally caught more fish on a Crackleback than any other fly in my boxes (and I have a whole lot of flies in my boxes – half of which I have no idea what they are or where I got them) and it is my favorite fly to tie. That was only one of Ed’s many creations, but it was a doozey. Thanks for sharing, Ed. Everyone Ed met became a friend…he was always willing to share an idea, to teach, and to inspire. His enthusiasm and love for our sport and conservation literally made the Land of Fly Fishing a better place to visit. The Feather-Craft mail order catalogue has a huge following, including celebrities and other famous folk from around the globe. The personal commentary from Ed made it that much more enjoyable (“I love this item and would not fish without it” – Ed) and thousands of people have looked forward to their next issue for many years. Little known was the fact that Ed was also a very big supporter of Project Healing Waters and a veteran himself – his shop sold more PHW gear than anyone else in the country, with a portion of the sale going directly back to the program. Most importantly, Ed was a family man…I know his family will miss him tremendously. He moved on to better waters August of 2008. I want to offer a big thank you to the Story family for sharing this wonderful guy with us. He touched so many of us in a very special way…his legacy will live on.

We lost another hero and good friend this year that had touched many lives and most certainly has left the world better than he found it. George Purvis…a name probably not known to many of you, but a huge champion of the conservation cause nonetheless. George left us on August 15th at the age of 83. We met through some mutual friends in the 1960’s and I remember being impressed with the number of things he was working on at the time. George was a pioneer that committed his life to a number of initiatives that have positively and profoundly impacted the state of Arkansas – particularly with regard to hunting and fishing. He was totally dedicated to improving the state of conservation and was known for his ethics and commitment to educating folks. He was a writer, an artist, a photographer, produced and starred in videos, had his own radio show, and published a magazine for the state. His work involved a multitude of different media. He loved duck hunting, but was also known to fish. If you enjoy the great outdoors in Arkansas on occasion, you probably owe George a little gratitude. Husband, Father, Grandfather…an outdoorsman in every sense of the word. Thanks, George.

There were others that we lost this past year and will dearly miss. We still have many heroes among the living that are making a difference. I have two take homes for all of you…first, take a moment and think about who your heroes are…those people that have made a profound impact on your life…those people that have touched you or those around you in a special way…those that have handled themselves with style and grace…those that have served others so faithfully…taught you, motivated you, challenged you, or cared about you…how lucky are we to have them. Tell them you appreciate them and thank then for what you have done. Secondly, aspire to be one of them…we need more heroes in this world…set your sights high and reach for that goal. You can do both of those things. You think about that…TL