The 2016 FFB Show Season is down to a few opportunities for us and we won't make them all this coming year. With the closing of the NCC TU Show in Bethesda, we are going to try and revive the show for fall of 2016 or spring of 2107. More info to follow.
As usual, we will attend the annual Rapidan TU Show in Warrenton in February of 2016. This is the last surviving show in the Northern Virginia area and is a "Must-Attend" event. Hope to see you there this year, as we will have three tables and all our gear there.
There are a couple of smaller shows in Pennsylvania we have never attended but might do so this year, so stay tuned. As usual, we will be at the Project Healing Waters 2-Fly event in Syria in April. This is the 10th annual event and is destined to be a record-breaker!
Stay tuned for updated links and dates.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
9th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly Event
This weekend marks the return of the annual 2-Fly event at the beautiful Rose River Farm. This is the 9th annual event. We have a full PHW rod/reel package on the bidders block for the event. You can bid on-line for our donation or a lot more equipment here:
https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=237702510
A complete Project Healing Waters Rod & Reel Outfit that includes:
Please help the PHW program with a donation or a purchase of gear donated here. The 2-Fly event is the organizations leading fund-raiser and we don't want to change that this year!
Thanks for supporting Fly Fishing Benefactors and Project Healing Waters.
https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/item/item.action?id=237702510
A complete Project Healing Waters Rod & Reel Outfit that includes:
- PHW TFO Rod - 9', 5 wt., 4 piece with PHW logo on the rod
- PHW camo Fly Rod Case with PHW logo
- Limited/Numbered PHW Reel with etched PHW logo
- Matching PHW Reel Spare Spool
- 3 Reel cases
- Jim Teeny Floating Fly Line
- Spool of Jim Teeny 20 lb Blue Braided Dacron Backing Line
- 2 Loop Connectors
- 4 9.0 ft Mono Leaders - 2x, 3x, 4x, and 5x
- Line Nipper/Knot Tool
- PHW Aluminum 8-Window Fly Box with PHW logo
Please help the PHW program with a donation or a purchase of gear donated here. The 2-Fly event is the organizations leading fund-raiser and we don't want to change that this year!
Thanks for supporting Fly Fishing Benefactors and Project Healing Waters.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Southern Trout Magazine Ad
We have a full page ad in the current addition of Southern Trout Magazine.
The web magazine can be viewed here: http://www.southerntrout.com/mag/#40-41
Lots of great articles and advertising.
The web magazine can be viewed here: http://www.southerntrout.com/mag/#40-41
Lots of great articles and advertising.
My new addition to the family
Been a little slow in the upkeep of the blog of late. Lots of things happening in my life, some good and some bad but the best thing for me in a long while is the introduction of my second daughter Cathleen Akiko Craig. Born Dec 11, 2014 and weighing in at 8 pounds 7 ounces and 20 3/4 inches in length.
Cathleen (we call her Catie) has been a wonderful addition to the family and once again makes me really understand what the most important things are in life. Catie and Evie (my first daughter who turns 5 this month) are inseparable and have a great time together.
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I already had a pair of boys (men now) and they turn 30 (Mike) and 27 (Matt) this month. But the girls are a new experience for me. I am having so much fun with them. It is like having a wonderful second chance and an opportunity to do things better, the second time around.
Cathleen (we call her Catie) has been a wonderful addition to the family and once again makes me really understand what the most important things are in life. Catie and Evie (my first daughter who turns 5 this month) are inseparable and have a great time together.
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I already had a pair of boys (men now) and they turn 30 (Mike) and 27 (Matt) this month. But the girls are a new experience for me. I am having so much fun with them. It is like having a wonderful second chance and an opportunity to do things better, the second time around.
Both of my sons got married last year and I now have two new daughter-in-laws as well. Matt and Debra and Mike and Nicole have their new starts in life together and we look forward to making the family bigger soon!
Stay tuned for more adventures from the Fly Fishing Enthusiast.
Thursday, February 12, 2015
New 2015 Reels are here! Debut of the new Deschutes Generation 3 reels at Rapidan TU Show
As we open our 8th year at Fly Fishing Benefactors, we introduce our 5th Generation of reels to the market. This year, we go back to our very first reel and refine it in so many ways, you have to see this reel and touch it to understand where we have come to in our production capability.
The Deschutes I is a 3/4 weight fly reel and the new specs are quite impressive. A mere 3.77 ounces, the new Deschutes I reel has an outside spool diameter of 2.91 inches and a spool width of 0.83 inches. The original Deschutes I reel was 4.93 ounces and had a spool diameter of 2.93 inches and a spool width of 0.86 inches. The styling and design are all new too.
The Deschutes II is a 5/6 wieght fly reel and has equally impressive specs.A mere 4.3 ounces, the new Deschutes I reel has an outside spool diameter of 3.39 inches and a spool width of 0.94 inches. The original Deschutes II reel was 5.99 ounces and had a spool diameter of 3.42 inches and a spool width of 0.94 inches.
Incredible weight savings, new styling and better drag components, yet we didn't raise the price and for the 8th year in a row, the Deschutes I V3 is $79.95 and the Deschutes II V3 is $99.95. Spare spools are available for $40 on the Deschutes I and $50 on the Deschutes II.
Come to the Rapidan TU show in Warrenton this Saturday, the 14th of February and see the reels in person or follow the links above to get more information. We should have HD videos on each reel available very soon.
Incredible weight savings, new styling and better drag components, yet we didn't raise the price and for the 8th year in a row, the Deschutes I V3 is $79.95 and the Deschutes II V3 is $99.95. Spare spools are available for $40 on the Deschutes I and $50 on the Deschutes II.
Come to the Rapidan TU show in Warrenton this Saturday, the 14th of February and see the reels in person or follow the links above to get more information. We should have HD videos on each reel available very soon.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
2014 Casting for Recovery 6th Annual 2Fly4Hope Challenge
Off to the Rose River Farm to support the Mid-Atlantic region of the Casting for Recovery national program. Looking forward to a crisp day in the Shenandoah Valley on the Rose River Farm. Colors should be perfect and Douglas Dear surely has ordered excellent weather for us! I will give a full report tomorrow night when I return.
As always, the event was exciting and the weather was perfect! The winning teams were provided some FFB equipment and there were plenty of raffle winners as well. All-in-all, it was a successful and fun event. I look forward to next year's event!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival
Well, it is probably official now, we won't be attending the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival in the future. The decline in attendance was very evident for us this year. I took pictures every couple of hours or so during the event on both days. The pictures show at least three times as many vendors up and down the aisles as the customers. Sort of like a barber convention, we are all there to give each other haircuts because there are no customers.
I keep good records and have watched a dramatic decline in sales at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival immediately following the combining of the wine tasting and the fly fishing festival. The tickets went up to $20 to get into the event, even if you didn't want to drink wine. Most of the people that did come to my booth had wine glasses and asked questions that obviously made me think, they are just killing time after drinking wine because they were surely not fly fishers!
Another notable event occurred for me this year. I buy two booths (tables) at the going rate for each of the events I attend in the local area. Each time I have done that in the past, no matter the venue, I was required to offer one door prize or raffle item for a certain dollar figure. This year, the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival made me provide not one but two raffle prizes at $100 value for each of the tables I purchased. Despite my concerns that I had never done that in the past, I was told that was the way it was supposed to be. So, I paid $300 per table (x 2 = $600) and had to pony up $200 in retail items for a total of $800 to attend the festival this year. I drove 3 hours each way and used over $100 in gas pulling my trailer to the event and stayed in a hotel on Saturday night. I sold just over $800 worth of merchandise for the two-day event and even at a whopping 100% profit margin (which no one ever really does), I only made $400 for the trip and a negative $500+ weekend. I might note that the first time I attended the festival, I made almost $4,300 in sales and it has continuously declined, as annotated in the chart below.
The green line depicts my sales from 2009 till present at the festival. The blue line depicts my sales at the NCTU Show in Maryland for the last 6 years and the red line shows our sales at the Rapidan TU show for the last 6 years. I must note that the NCTU show charges me $285 and a $50 raffle item for attendance and the Rapidan Show charges me $100 and a $50 raffle item to attend the show. The NCTU and Rapidan show are one-day events. I get to eat breakfast at my home, drive about an hour or so to the event and return the same day and eat supper at my home.
In comparing ratios, I spend 3 times the amount to attend the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival than I do at the NCTU show and almost 8 times more than the Rapidan show. For the returns, I have consistently made almost 8 times the sales as my entry fee at NCTU and almost 14 times the sales as my entry at the Rapidan show. So, for me to spend one day at the NCTU show at the cost of $335, I will average over $2,300 in sales. I averaged over $1,400 in sales at the one-day Rapidan TU show for a $150 entry fee.
Why do I spend $800 and two days travel and a hotel fee at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival to net Zero this year? Attendance! At any of the other shows, there are people at the events! The aisles are crowded, I never get to sit down all day. At the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival this year, I took pictures of empty aisles. I sat in my chair most of the day, there were no customers to speak of.
When I asked Virginia Fly Fishing festival officers about the attendance, I was told there were 1,500 tickets sold. Funny, when talking to other vendors, they were told 1,200 and 900. So, what was the true gate and more importantly, how many went to the fly fishing side of the event as opposed to the wine tasting? For years, many of the vendors have explained to me that they cannot afford to go to the event because it just doesn't make financial sense. I understand that, when you are in that line of work as your income. I donate my proceeds, so I have a different model than those other vendors. However, the same goes with me as them when it comes to financial sense. I could have stayed home and not lost any money or time.
Why spend the money and time on an event to lose money? What makes me more concerned is the fact that something happened a few years back at the Virginia Fly Fishing festival that changed the demographics of the clientele. We started getting more wine tasters and less fly fishers. Once, the show was well attended and sales were great, I think there is a .99 correlation coefficient to the raising of the ticket (double the price) to get entry to the festival grounds, whether to drink wine or go to the fly fishing vendors and tents. That is when I noticed the steep decline in sales for me and it has gotten worse instead of better. I don't see those trends correcting upwards until they make the tickets separate again. Charge $12 for the fly fishing side and $12 for the wine tasting side and offer a combined $20 deal to those that wish to do so. Then give us vendors a tally on the ticket sales again.
I might note that I am listed in the vendors list at both the NCTU and the Rapidan Shows each and every year but I wasn't this year at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, despite paying my entry fee before the deadline. Another sore subject for me. The Director told me he had mentioned that I was attending on their FaceBook page but I couldn't find it anywhere. The few people I have talked to that used to attend the festival explained that it was too far to drive for a $20 entry fee and they felt that they were not getting their money's worth on the ticket costs, mainly because they could care less about the wine. They stopped coming. It was evident to me and it was evident to many of the vendors. A new vendor (first timer at the festival) was right next to me and they repeatedly asked me if this was the usual volume of foot traffic at the show. I said no but I did point out my facts above and they indicated they would not return next year. They spent a lot of money to attend the festival and there were very few customers for them.
My final observation of the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival for 2014 was a sad one too. Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh were in attendance this year. They spent most of their time with their host TFO and Rick Pope. Neither Bob or Lefty spoke this year at the event. Lefty did have a free casting class but to have these two greats at this event and not have them speaking, is like going to the Masters and having Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer sit in the locker room. And I heard it was all about speaking fees!
So, in retrospect, I will continue to support the local shows the best I can but I will make sure that when I do attend one, I attend the one that treats me like a vendor they want to be there and keep coming back. I will attend the ones that charge me a fair entry price, include me in their advertisements and acknowledgements and bring fly fishing patrons to the event in numbers that exceed the vendors! I will attend the shows that the director of the show will personally greet me and ask me how things are, even for those one-day events. I will attend the shows where I feel wanted and can make a contribution to the event and not someone that just writes a check to attend.
I keep good records and have watched a dramatic decline in sales at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival immediately following the combining of the wine tasting and the fly fishing festival. The tickets went up to $20 to get into the event, even if you didn't want to drink wine. Most of the people that did come to my booth had wine glasses and asked questions that obviously made me think, they are just killing time after drinking wine because they were surely not fly fishers!
Another notable event occurred for me this year. I buy two booths (tables) at the going rate for each of the events I attend in the local area. Each time I have done that in the past, no matter the venue, I was required to offer one door prize or raffle item for a certain dollar figure. This year, the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival made me provide not one but two raffle prizes at $100 value for each of the tables I purchased. Despite my concerns that I had never done that in the past, I was told that was the way it was supposed to be. So, I paid $300 per table (x 2 = $600) and had to pony up $200 in retail items for a total of $800 to attend the festival this year. I drove 3 hours each way and used over $100 in gas pulling my trailer to the event and stayed in a hotel on Saturday night. I sold just over $800 worth of merchandise for the two-day event and even at a whopping 100% profit margin (which no one ever really does), I only made $400 for the trip and a negative $500+ weekend. I might note that the first time I attended the festival, I made almost $4,300 in sales and it has continuously declined, as annotated in the chart below.
The green line depicts my sales from 2009 till present at the festival. The blue line depicts my sales at the NCTU Show in Maryland for the last 6 years and the red line shows our sales at the Rapidan TU show for the last 6 years. I must note that the NCTU show charges me $285 and a $50 raffle item for attendance and the Rapidan Show charges me $100 and a $50 raffle item to attend the show. The NCTU and Rapidan show are one-day events. I get to eat breakfast at my home, drive about an hour or so to the event and return the same day and eat supper at my home.
In comparing ratios, I spend 3 times the amount to attend the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival than I do at the NCTU show and almost 8 times more than the Rapidan show. For the returns, I have consistently made almost 8 times the sales as my entry fee at NCTU and almost 14 times the sales as my entry at the Rapidan show. So, for me to spend one day at the NCTU show at the cost of $335, I will average over $2,300 in sales. I averaged over $1,400 in sales at the one-day Rapidan TU show for a $150 entry fee.
Why do I spend $800 and two days travel and a hotel fee at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival to net Zero this year? Attendance! At any of the other shows, there are people at the events! The aisles are crowded, I never get to sit down all day. At the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival this year, I took pictures of empty aisles. I sat in my chair most of the day, there were no customers to speak of.
When I asked Virginia Fly Fishing festival officers about the attendance, I was told there were 1,500 tickets sold. Funny, when talking to other vendors, they were told 1,200 and 900. So, what was the true gate and more importantly, how many went to the fly fishing side of the event as opposed to the wine tasting? For years, many of the vendors have explained to me that they cannot afford to go to the event because it just doesn't make financial sense. I understand that, when you are in that line of work as your income. I donate my proceeds, so I have a different model than those other vendors. However, the same goes with me as them when it comes to financial sense. I could have stayed home and not lost any money or time.
Why spend the money and time on an event to lose money? What makes me more concerned is the fact that something happened a few years back at the Virginia Fly Fishing festival that changed the demographics of the clientele. We started getting more wine tasters and less fly fishers. Once, the show was well attended and sales were great, I think there is a .99 correlation coefficient to the raising of the ticket (double the price) to get entry to the festival grounds, whether to drink wine or go to the fly fishing vendors and tents. That is when I noticed the steep decline in sales for me and it has gotten worse instead of better. I don't see those trends correcting upwards until they make the tickets separate again. Charge $12 for the fly fishing side and $12 for the wine tasting side and offer a combined $20 deal to those that wish to do so. Then give us vendors a tally on the ticket sales again.
I might note that I am listed in the vendors list at both the NCTU and the Rapidan Shows each and every year but I wasn't this year at the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, despite paying my entry fee before the deadline. Another sore subject for me. The Director told me he had mentioned that I was attending on their FaceBook page but I couldn't find it anywhere. The few people I have talked to that used to attend the festival explained that it was too far to drive for a $20 entry fee and they felt that they were not getting their money's worth on the ticket costs, mainly because they could care less about the wine. They stopped coming. It was evident to me and it was evident to many of the vendors. A new vendor (first timer at the festival) was right next to me and they repeatedly asked me if this was the usual volume of foot traffic at the show. I said no but I did point out my facts above and they indicated they would not return next year. They spent a lot of money to attend the festival and there were very few customers for them.
My final observation of the Virginia Fly Fishing Festival for 2014 was a sad one too. Bob Clouser and Lefty Kreh were in attendance this year. They spent most of their time with their host TFO and Rick Pope. Neither Bob or Lefty spoke this year at the event. Lefty did have a free casting class but to have these two greats at this event and not have them speaking, is like going to the Masters and having Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer sit in the locker room. And I heard it was all about speaking fees!
So, in retrospect, I will continue to support the local shows the best I can but I will make sure that when I do attend one, I attend the one that treats me like a vendor they want to be there and keep coming back. I will attend the ones that charge me a fair entry price, include me in their advertisements and acknowledgements and bring fly fishing patrons to the event in numbers that exceed the vendors! I will attend the shows that the director of the show will personally greet me and ask me how things are, even for those one-day events. I will attend the shows where I feel wanted and can make a contribution to the event and not someone that just writes a check to attend.
Monday, March 3, 2014
The Rapidan TU Show 2014 - The Aftermath
Well, from our perspective, the show was reasonably well attended but the gouge we got from some people was the weather had scared off the out of towners! The weekend originally called from some bad weather that eventually missed us to the north. So, for planning purposes, I can see how some people that were going to drive a couple of hours to attend the show, might have decided earlier in the week to bag it, when they saw the projected weather. Unfortunately for us show attendees, the weather was fine and the turn-out lower than we anticipated. No official word from the staff at Rapidan TU about the head-count at the door.
Hopefully, next week's National Capitol region TU show will be well attended. It usually is but that is the operative word these days, usually.
Hopefully, next week's National Capitol region TU show will be well attended. It usually is but that is the operative word these days, usually.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Well, it has been a long time since we posted. Things at the FFB household have switched gears of late and we are trying to re-focus our efforts to bring FFB to the forefront in the fly fishing community. We moved last year and have another imminent move on the horizon, that coupled with taking a new job and watching Evie grow bigger and smarter everyday has taken a lot out of our focus.
My little princess is almost 4 years old now. She has been a sheer joy for my wife and I and she continues to astonish us with her personality and intelligence.
For 2014, we will be attending the following shows:
Rapidan Chapter TU Annual Show - on March 1, 2014 at the Warrenton Fair Grounds.
National Capital Angling Show - on March 9, 2014 at Bethesda Maryland.
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival - April 12-13 at Waynesboro, Virginia
Project Healing Waters Annual 2-Fly Event - April 27, 2014 Rose River Farms
Casting for Recovery Annual 2-Fly Event - October 26, 2014 Rose River Farms
Come see us at one of these shows!
My little princess is almost 4 years old now. She has been a sheer joy for my wife and I and she continues to astonish us with her personality and intelligence.
For 2014, we will be attending the following shows:
Rapidan Chapter TU Annual Show - on March 1, 2014 at the Warrenton Fair Grounds.
National Capital Angling Show - on March 9, 2014 at Bethesda Maryland.
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival - April 12-13 at Waynesboro, Virginia
Project Healing Waters Annual 2-Fly Event - April 27, 2014 Rose River Farms
Casting for Recovery Annual 2-Fly Event - October 26, 2014 Rose River Farms
Come see us at one of these shows!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
FFB PRO STAFF
Fly Fishing Benefactors (FFB) is proud to announce our PRO STAFF page. We have teamed with professional guides to bring our products and services at FFB, to the public, through the expert tutelage of these expert fly fishers. Photos and staff introductions will be completed in the coming days.
Tom from Team7X
Everett from Team7X
Tom and Everett are professional guides in CT and RI and have a site here:
http://www.team7x.com
For a great fishing experience on the Natchaug, contact these guys!!!
We are proud to announce that Ms. Kiki Galvin from Ms. Guided has joined the FFB Pro Staff Team!
Kiki has a great website at: http://www.msguidedflyfishing.net/
Kiki has been guiding for many years and spends a lot of her time supporting groups like Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery.
You can call and book a guided trip with Kiki here: 703-899-6793 or visit her website for more details.
Fly Fishing Benefactors is proud to announce the addition of Steve Moore (SwitchFisher) to the FFB Pro Staff Team!
Steve Moore has a terrific website at: http://www.switchfisher.com He provides up to date fishing information for Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia venues with diagrams, directions, tips and snapshots of the actual locations. He is also the author of the CatchGuide fishing books. His expertise and knowledge are welcomed on the FFB Pro Staff Team!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
New 2012 Aluminum Benefit Boxes are in!
Our new Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery Aluminum Fly Boxes are here! We have been making Project Healing Waters Fly Boxes for 4 years and this year, we built the first Casting for Recovery set of aluminum fly boxes. This year, the Project Healing Waters boxes sport a purple logo and lettering, while the Casting for Recovery boxes sport the familiar logo in pink!
The boxes are designed, built, transported, and marketed with the sole purpose of raising funds for the programs. In addition to the build, transport and marketing costs, we have to pay the import duty and Federal Excise Taxes (F.E.T.) on all sales and basically, the proceeds from the sales of all boxes are donated to the respective programs.
Please supoport Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery with a purchase of any branded gear we build and sell. Project Healing Waters page is here: PHW and the Casting for Recovery page is here: CFR.
Here are some shots of the new boxes:
Come take a look at the boxes and support our organizations.
The boxes are designed, built, transported, and marketed with the sole purpose of raising funds for the programs. In addition to the build, transport and marketing costs, we have to pay the import duty and Federal Excise Taxes (F.E.T.) on all sales and basically, the proceeds from the sales of all boxes are donated to the respective programs.
Please supoport Project Healing Waters and Casting for Recovery with a purchase of any branded gear we build and sell. Project Healing Waters page is here: PHW and the Casting for Recovery page is here: CFR.
Here are some shots of the new boxes:
Come take a look at the boxes and support our organizations.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
The spirit of giving
Fly Fishing Benefactors builds and badges gear for Project Healing Waters (PHW) and Casting for Recovery (CFR). This gear is sold and the proceeds from the sales is donated to the respective organizations. Fly Fishing Benefactors also supports Reel Recovery in any way that we can. In addition to these groups, we provide gear and support to the Trout Unlimited Annual Trout Camp in Virginia (and sometimes Georgia). Fly Fishing Benefactors is also trying to provide assistance to the Friends of the Rivers of Virginia. This is an effort to defend public fishing from age old grants that seem to be causing problems all over the United States.
We offer the opportunity to donate to these organizations on our website. Please consider sending a dollar to these organizations. It all adds up and it helps the cause.
In recent months, I have had numerous people offer to send gear and donations to the programs that Fly Fishing Benefactors support. I'd like to recognize these people who have sent in donations and equipment for our benefit groups. First, we have Jason Filbert from Kansas. Jason donated a huge lot of fly tying materials. Evelyn Applebaum from Georgia sent in some great artwork to donate and use for the cause. Caroline McCallister from Arkansas sent in some cash and equipment to support the causes. I'd like to extend my personal thanks to these great fly fishers and supporters of the Fly Fishing Benefactors support groups. These are the people with the same spirit that we have and we welcome them to our team!
We offer the opportunity to donate to these organizations on our website. Please consider sending a dollar to these organizations. It all adds up and it helps the cause.
In recent months, I have had numerous people offer to send gear and donations to the programs that Fly Fishing Benefactors support. I'd like to recognize these people who have sent in donations and equipment for our benefit groups. First, we have Jason Filbert from Kansas. Jason donated a huge lot of fly tying materials. Evelyn Applebaum from Georgia sent in some great artwork to donate and use for the cause. Caroline McCallister from Arkansas sent in some cash and equipment to support the causes. I'd like to extend my personal thanks to these great fly fishers and supporters of the Fly Fishing Benefactors support groups. These are the people with the same spirit that we have and we welcome them to our team!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day 2012
I remember as a young boy thinking about the year 2000 and how I would be 44 years old when the millennium arrived. How distant and far off that seemed at age 13. I wondered what it would be like to be a father and a member of the military. Being a brat overseas, I only knew one life, a military one. My life was shaped and molded by many important people. My family had a lot to do with that. Being a "Jr", I had a "Sr" making his impact as a father and a Japanese mother who always insisted on being the best that you could be. Anything less than perfection was a failure in her eyes. I was never perfect and of course, never will be but there was one person who seemed to always make me feel as close to perfect as I could be. That was my Godfather John Montville.
John was a quiet and gentle man. He had an incredible and uncanny ability to make you think about things in a way you never thought about before and he always seemed to find the brighter side of any situation. I guess that is why he was a decorated veteran. I can imagine that in combat, he showed an intensity and fierce tenacity to get the job done. He won medals. His citations talked about his bravery and valor. Yet, he was calming and gentile in his manner. You would have never known he was a warrior had you spent 20 minutes talking with him. He would have never discussed his awards and recognition by his country, as that would have been something that he thought was expected of him.
My Godfather died on April 28, 2012 and I knew this Memorial Day weekend would be very hard for me to get through. You can never miss someone more, when they are gone forever. John Montville inspired me, comforted me, instructed me, and guided me to be someone that would contribute to a world in need of contributions. When I was a young officer I didn't understand why the military was the way it was sometimes. John would explain it in a way that made sense, as an older sage enlisted man would know. He saw the big picture when I was still focused on the little things. He helped me navigate those times where it seemed that my family became a lower priority to my job as an officer in the military. He mentored me to become a better soldier and patriot. In doing so, he made me a better man and father in the process as well.
I miss John. A month before he died, I was with him during a chemo session. I left him, with the intentions of returning in a few weeks or a month to help out again. I missed him by a couple of days. He died suddenly to complications, not to the cancer that was attacking him like no enemy he has ever encountered before. The last time we were together, I hugged him and I told him I loved him. Sadly, that was the only time I ever said those words out loud to him in the 55 years that I knew him. I look back on that and hope that he knew, before I told him that day, that I did love him and respect him my whole life. I tried desperately as a wing man to help my flight leader through the battle. Unfortunately for me and my family, I couldn't succeed. He finally faced an enemy that he could not defeat but he didn't for a minute let up his resolve or his determination. He fought to the last minute. He left this world a better place and I will do my best to honor his life and to carry the colors in his place.
To all veterans and families of veterans, I thank you for your service to our great country. For those of you that have finished your watch, we'll take it from here and thank you for your service and sacrifice. We will honor your memory today. Know too, that we will honor your memory every day.
John was a quiet and gentle man. He had an incredible and uncanny ability to make you think about things in a way you never thought about before and he always seemed to find the brighter side of any situation. I guess that is why he was a decorated veteran. I can imagine that in combat, he showed an intensity and fierce tenacity to get the job done. He won medals. His citations talked about his bravery and valor. Yet, he was calming and gentile in his manner. You would have never known he was a warrior had you spent 20 minutes talking with him. He would have never discussed his awards and recognition by his country, as that would have been something that he thought was expected of him.
My Godfather died on April 28, 2012 and I knew this Memorial Day weekend would be very hard for me to get through. You can never miss someone more, when they are gone forever. John Montville inspired me, comforted me, instructed me, and guided me to be someone that would contribute to a world in need of contributions. When I was a young officer I didn't understand why the military was the way it was sometimes. John would explain it in a way that made sense, as an older sage enlisted man would know. He saw the big picture when I was still focused on the little things. He helped me navigate those times where it seemed that my family became a lower priority to my job as an officer in the military. He mentored me to become a better soldier and patriot. In doing so, he made me a better man and father in the process as well.
I miss John. A month before he died, I was with him during a chemo session. I left him, with the intentions of returning in a few weeks or a month to help out again. I missed him by a couple of days. He died suddenly to complications, not to the cancer that was attacking him like no enemy he has ever encountered before. The last time we were together, I hugged him and I told him I loved him. Sadly, that was the only time I ever said those words out loud to him in the 55 years that I knew him. I look back on that and hope that he knew, before I told him that day, that I did love him and respect him my whole life. I tried desperately as a wing man to help my flight leader through the battle. Unfortunately for me and my family, I couldn't succeed. He finally faced an enemy that he could not defeat but he didn't for a minute let up his resolve or his determination. He fought to the last minute. He left this world a better place and I will do my best to honor his life and to carry the colors in his place.
Master Sergeant John Albert Montville - Born June 24, 1932 - Died April 28, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival Aftermath
I hate to say it but this year's festival was absolutely awful for us. The gate was extremely low and the weather was not very cooperative either. The entry fee was raised to $20 this year and we are not sure of the impact that had on the gate but it seemed that there were hardly any people at the event (or at least in the main tent). Over the years, we have had a steady increase in sales at the festival but this year, we had sales far less than our first year's visit. That, coupled with the rising entry fee, donation item(s), gas prices, and hotel and meal expenses to stay down in Waynesboro for the weekend, will make us think about returning next year!
We were supposed to be at the Project Healing Waters 2-Fly tournament today but got word last night that my godfather passed away rather suddenly. I was already slated to head down to Columbus, Georgia to see him tomorrow but now my mission has changed. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at the military cemetery on Ft. Benning. He will be buried next to his wife Shimako, who pre-deceased him in 1993. John Montville was a retired Master-Sargeant from the US Army. He was the recipient of the Combat Infanry Badge, twice in Korea and Vietnam. He also received the Bronze Star and the Silver Star for bravery and galantry in combat. John never missed a birthday or important event in my life for all 55 years of it! I loved him very much and he will be sorely missed. Another of my great mentors has passed onto the afterlife. He was a proud member of the US Army Signal Corps.
We were supposed to be at the Project Healing Waters 2-Fly tournament today but got word last night that my godfather passed away rather suddenly. I was already slated to head down to Columbus, Georgia to see him tomorrow but now my mission has changed. The funeral is scheduled for Thursday at the military cemetery on Ft. Benning. He will be buried next to his wife Shimako, who pre-deceased him in 1993. John Montville was a retired Master-Sargeant from the US Army. He was the recipient of the Combat Infanry Badge, twice in Korea and Vietnam. He also received the Bronze Star and the Silver Star for bravery and galantry in combat. John never missed a birthday or important event in my life for all 55 years of it! I loved him very much and he will be sorely missed. Another of my great mentors has passed onto the afterlife. He was a proud member of the US Army Signal Corps.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival and the PHW 2-Fly are in April
Well, April is the last busy month in our show schedule. The Virginia Fly Fishing Festival in Waynesboro is the last big show of the year for us and we are expecting a great turn-out there as usual. We'll have a trailer full of stuff, including our new boxes, leaders and nets. Come see us on the 21st and/or the 22nd of April for the show on the river in Waynesboro. We are having a sale on ALL fly reels right now, so take advantage of the already low prices on our incredible fly reels!
The 6th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly Tournament will be held at the fabulous Rose River Farms. Doug Dear told me he ordered "Perfect" weather for the event again, so I am looking forward to it! We'll be there to sell PHW Gear and also support the troops with equipment needs. We have the new Teeny Blue and Gold PHW fly line as well as the new PHW rod tubes and of course, TFO PHW Fly Rods!
FFB supports the TU Trout Camp in Syria June 24-29 with gear donations for the students and staff.
We still have the CFR 2-Fly in October when we close out the year's show schedule.
The 6th Annual Project Healing Waters 2-Fly Tournament will be held at the fabulous Rose River Farms. Doug Dear told me he ordered "Perfect" weather for the event again, so I am looking forward to it! We'll be there to sell PHW Gear and also support the troops with equipment needs. We have the new Teeny Blue and Gold PHW fly line as well as the new PHW rod tubes and of course, TFO PHW Fly Rods!
FFB supports the TU Trout Camp in Syria June 24-29 with gear donations for the students and staff.
We still have the CFR 2-Fly in October when we close out the year's show schedule.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
NCCTU - The Aftermath
As fly fishing shows go, you have to be happy with the NCCTU venue and process, George Gaines and his crew do a great job on that show. The Georgetown Prep location has easy access and set-up, nice open venue, and of course, is inside from the weather. With food service and a lot of good company, it is a great show! We saw a lot of our old friends and also met a lot of new customers. It was a record sales day for us, as we continue to sell more and more each year at these shows. Thanks for coming by to see us and for those that didn't pull the trigger on that purchase at the show, we hope to see you on our website soon!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
NCC-TU Angling Show is on this weekend!
One of D.C. areas best flyfishing shows is the NCC-TU Angling Show this Sunday, March 11 from 10Am till 5PM. We'll be there along with Steve Moore from Switchfisher. Come see our newest gear and enter for our raffle prize. The show is held at the Georgetowm Prepatory Academy in Bethesda. Directions to the show are here: http://www.gprep.org/directions
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Rapidan TU Show - The Aftermath
The 2012 Rapidan TU Chapter annual show was OUTSTANDING! The new venue, which was a little off the beaten path, was still quite comfortable and accessable. Our POS system requires the INTERNET so we were dependent on Eastern Trophy Fly Shop's 4-G Hot Spot to maintain linkage, along with connectivity to our credit card processing system. Thanks Bill! The crowd was heavy and constant up till about 2 PM, when I could finally sit down and relax for a few minutes. Fred and his crew did a great job setting up and handling the show (as they always do). I like this show and have been attending as a vendor or a vistor for over 10 years! We made lots of new friends and visited with old friends as well. This show will be a annual stop for Fly Fishing Benefactors!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Rapidan TU Fly Fishing Show
This year, the Rapidan TU Fly Fishing Show will be held at the Faquier County Fairgrounds Facility on Old Auburn Road in Warrenton on February 25th. We expect a large crowd, regardless of the weather. So there, I said it, I jinxed us into good weather that weekend! Steve Moore will be there with his new Book - Maryland Trout Fishing as well as his other best selling books on Fly Fishing the local geography. Steve has a speaking stint as well. We will be stocked up with our new Teeny Gear and also our latest load of fly fishing boxes. Come and see us at the event and shop with all the other great vendors. This is one of the best 1-Day shows you'll ever attend in the Northern Virginia area! Doors open at 9AM with some incredible raffle prizes this year. Cya there!
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