Thinking about my roots

November is always a time of reflection for me; the season is for all intents and purposes over and there is a pause before my responsibilities as Executive Director of the Maine Professional Guides Association take most of my time. Yesterday I spoke to a Forest Resources class at the University of Maine about what I do and how I got started so very long ago. Finally I received an e-mail from a professor at Stockton State College asking what I remembered about the cabins on the shore of the pond that the college is built on. All of this got me to thinking about where I started.

I clearly remember fishing on that pond. Now called Lake Fred by the college but I think we called them the Sawmill Ponds before the college was built. I learned to fly fish there on warm summer evenings wading on the flat at the western end of the larger pond. I had a South Bend fly fishing outfit which someone gave to me for a birthday or Christmas. I am certain that no one in my family even knew anyone who fly fished but still I had that setup.  Nothing compared to the Orvis rods I make my living with today but perfect for a beginner. I taught myself how to cast and the pickerel in that pond taught me about presentation and how to carefully approach a fish.

Looking back it must have been nerve wracking for my family to wait for me in the evening as a boy of maybe 12 or 13 when I would stay on the water until it was pitch dark. I do not remember anyone ever being at those cabins until the college took over right before I became a student there in 1972 and I do not remember ever fishing there after the college opened. That means I would have last fished there over 45 years ago. Does not seem possible!

I have many fond memories of those warm summer evenings and still fish for pickerel even with clients today.  Hopefully one of my  Learn to fly fish trips is sparking a passion like mine, or at least creating lifelong memories!