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Fly Fishing and Friends

By April 25, 2016 Blog 5 Comments

What is the best part about fly fishing? Is it the pursuit of big trout in beautiful places? The seclusion of being on a stretch of river all by yourself with only your thoughts to entertain or calm you? But let’s not forget about the feeling of a big fish on the end of your line after a perfectly presented cast. I enjoy all of these, and many more, but my answer varies greatly from that of most. Mine is about the friendships you continue to grow and the opportunity to make new ones along your fly fishing journey.

I have so many great memories from the most random road trips with my best of friends and often only remember a fish or two of what we catch all weekend. For me it is about the stories, the laughs, the smiles, the jokes, the impromptu lunches, the random river stranger conversations, and shared beverages to make new friends and memories for the next one. I am blessed to be able to have learned from and fish with a really great friend as well as make some awesome buddies along the way.

I was lucky enough to be introduced to the sport from a great friend and baseball buddy from high school who I fish with the most to this day. We made the usual progression from nymphing and trying to catch every fish in the river, to throwing streamers trying to catch the biggest fish in the river. I have been handed a huge amount of knowledge from a “Streamer School Graduate” Sage.  I met his older brother Cole, who ties the best streamers I have fished, from another teammate in college.  I am now lucky enough to fish with their dad Bruce and pass on information that they have taught me to my family and friends.  I am sure everyone has similar stories, and mine has led to some unforgettable weekend trips on the drift boat with people that treat me like family.  From pitching our tent next to the dumpsters in bear country in Montana as youngsters, to staying in nice lodges in Idaho floating the South Fork and the Henry’s, I always feel like a true friend when fishing with the Thorpes.

I look forward to making many new friends along the way and fishing everywhere and anywhere with my fishing buddies I have now and hope you all feel the same!

Please share or tag your fishing friends in the comments with a short story, we would love to hear them.

DCIM100GOPROGOPR3021.

5 Comments

  • Tj says:

    It’s always good to have a fishing buddy. Mine I have known for many many years. But he recently got me into fly fishing 4 or 5 years ago, now I’m hooked! (Pun intended) depends on the day some days I dont mind being on the river alone pondering life and all that. But it’s always nice meeting people and having someone to go out and enjoy the water with. Something I always remind my self a bad day fishing beats a good day at work. So get out and enjoy the little things. Throw that extra cast, spend that extra few hrs to figure out a certain river so that you may pass this on from generation to generation like my family has done. Tight lines y’all!

    • Derick Roskelley says:

      Thanks for the reply T.J. I am right there with you! Some of the best days are when you hit the water alone with no phone or camera or anything and just chill. If you are anything like me I talk enough that I could talk to a tree for about 30 minutes so I enjoy meeting the strangers on the water or hanging with a great friend for a few hours. Tight lines friend!!

  • Bruce Thorpe says:

    That’s a nice tribute to me and my family Uncle Skelley. You know we really are family. I sure enjoy fishing with you because you are about as easy to get along with as anybody I know. We usually end up laughing our ass off over something as simple as three pieces of stale bread. Hope to have many more trips in the future.

    • Derick Roskelley says:

      Thanks for the kind words Bruce! There definitely will be many more trips in the future. I am making Fajitas on the next one and bringing a full loaf of bread! Good luck this weekend! Uncle Skelly!

  • Thomas Thorpe says:

    Gotta love, Bru Bru and the boys. That picture of them on the boat is great.

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