Thursday, March 1, 2012
I first met Gene about 15 years ago with my Fly Fishing buddies at the Green Hills Camp Ground in Barrie, Pa. Gene was considered the go to guy about what's happening on the river, a legend really in all things fishing. We would all make it a point to go talk to Gene before we would hit the river. He gave us Flies that he would tie and tell us how to fish it. I'm sure someone will tell the "Coffee Bean Fly" story, a great story and an example of his ability to observe and adapt, his genus. I, like a lot of you have more than a few stories but the one I'd like to tell is one even my knows, she never met Gene. A few years back, in the Spring, I was at Green Hills with my friend Ric Tech. It was a cold and very wet season, water levels high. When that happens, the river turns from tranquil to, at some points, rapids. I was just up the stream from Gene's place, across the water fishing just below what could be considered a class 1 rapid. High water level and moving with a lot of force. I got snagged on something and while trying to free my line, my rod came apart. As I was trying to gain control of the situation, the bottom half of my rig slipped out of my hand, got into the deep fast moving water and disappeared. I still had the tip and line in my hands and tried like heck to "reel it in" only to see the line backing come out of the water with no reel or rod. My Orvis Reddington, gone for ever. Later that day I ran into Gene and relayed the story. He told me that he would keep and eye out for it, as water levels go up and down all year. Gene calmed me down and appreciated it but figure that it was gone Two years later, in the Spring, Ric calls me and says, I have your rod and reel, Gene found it. The rod was pitted and the reel had paint chipped off. I greased the gears and put the old line back on and fish with it today, as is. It served then as it does today as a reminder of my friend Gene. I am a richer and better person for knowing him. God bless and tight lines Gene.
