The time is upon us. Driving to shows, making plans to travel to exotic destinations, tying flies and prepping for a busy guide season across the country. The Midwest Fly Fishing Expo is this weekend and I am honestly as excited as one gets just prior to the  trout opener. The difference is the amount of fly fishing talent under one roof and the ability to chat with clients and friends as opposed to silently seeking a solitary section of favorite water hoping for a sparse Hendrickson hatch.

A few years back, I had the privilege of sitting next to Mr Joe Humphreys at breakfast.  While we enjoyed a cup of coffee, hotel pan GFS eggs and flip over waffles with frozen butter he shared some words that have somehow stuck with me. “The Industry is losing story tellers,” he would go on, pause, sip some coffee, collect his thought out words, “there are a few young men who are holding the audience captive and doing a great job.” I can only surmise he was referring to Landon Mayer and George Daniels, they both have the ability to suck you into their presentations, but for the most part, we are losing the art of story telling, possibly from all the technology we have voluntarily enslaved ourselves. I thoroughly enjoy the stories, the places we have been and the journey getting there. Last week we had an epic time in Cotter, Arkansas. Can’t wait to go back, the people were friendly and the fishing can be outstanding. That will be a post for later. I look forward to meeting people in the Fly Fishing Industry, long time podcast icon- Tom Rosenbauer,  Fly tier Tom Baltz,  guide Phil Rowley,  and TFO pro Blane Chocklett among many others who will be on hand this weekend in Warren. Stop by the TEMPLE FORK OUTFITTERS booth to say hello to Ray, Kate, Bear and myself, we truly enjoy hearing the fish stories and places your TFO rod has taken you in the past year or so.

 

Over the last month, many of you have had a chance to see the F3T. If it has yet to come to your neighborhood> get your tickets and check it out. The previews have a nice balance of fishy destinations and good storyline, with a nice mix of Hank Patterson and his comedic interlude to break the serious tone. The first half shared various stories of how fly fishing saves lives: from a drug runner Rankin Jackson in Central America Honduras (Beyond the Horizon), singer/songwriter -Chuck Ragan, who travels to the midwest to catch smallmouth with Schultzy (Landsick) to a mother/daughter salmon spey fishing couple in Iceland & Greenland (My Mom Vala) who shows her daughter how to be strong and independent. 100 Miles shares the journey of four men who float some uncharted river in Alaska and discover there ware wild places left to discover.  Get out and discover some new wild places this summer. The second half has more salt water episodes traveling to Dubai and monster Tarpon in Atlantic’s.

TFO ambassadors Bear Andrews and Brian Koz look forward to showing you the new DRIFT and AXIOM II rods as well as the POWER reel from TFO.