If you've ventured this far in, thank you.. you must like fishing!
My grandparents leased a cabin on a
private lake outside Oakridge near Greensboro, North Carolina and I was
fortunate to tag along with my Mom & Dad and Uncle Bud & Aunt Sylvia when my
Grandparents invited us to spend weekends there. It was always an adventure.
We’d drive out past the airport and Uncle Bud would usually stop at his meat
locker to pick up some ribs or venison from his annual Maine hunting trip.
Sometimes Dad would let me sit on his lap as he drove and let me steer the car.
Sometimes when going down a hill he’d put the car in neutral and we’d coast.
What a thrill!
We’d turn off the main highway, just past
the fairgrounds, and drive through miles of tobacco fields as we headed to the
lake. I still can see the tobacco barns and remember the fragrant aroma of
curing tobacco leaves. Tobacco was a major crop in North Carolina in the 1950’s
and it seemed we’d drive for miles with the big leaves on both side of the road.
We’d make one more stop to pick up fresh eggs and buttermilk (yuk) and sometimes
a country ham from a local farmer. I loved the thick country ham and bacon but I
never acquired a taste for the buttermilk.
The lake was relatively small but the
cabin came with a small pier that was ideal for summer swimming. I was too young
to understand the arrangements that allowed us to enjoy the property but my
experiences over about five years of wonderful weekends had a profound influence
on my life.
While my relatives relaxed, talked and
played canasta, I spent many delightful hours with my head down as I walked the
plowed barley fields nearby, patiently searching for Native American arrowheads
and pottery fragments. I explored the surrounding woods with my Grandmother as
we sought Sassafras plants, the roots we chewed and used to make root beer
(non-alcoholic). She carried a double barrel shotgun in case we happened on a
Copperhead snake. Other times I’d ride in a boat with Uncle Bud and friends as
they went frog gigging at night. I just couldn’t bring myself to eat the frog
legs after experiencing the process.
The most lasting experience was my
introduction to fishing. As a curious six or seven year old, I’m sure I was a
bother to the ‘adults’. Seems that all ‘adults’ want to do is to sit around and
talk or play cards. I wanted to explore. To keep me from bothering them, they
decided to ‘teach’ me how to fish. Uncle Bud brought me down to the pier and
set me right next to the bank. He ‘outfitted’ me with, and I’m not kidding, a
fishing pole made of a tree branch, some braided line with a hook and added an
earthworm and a cork bobber. Please understand, the rest of the family were avid
fishermen and fisherwomen but they weren’t going to trust a seven year old with
an expensive cane pole that would probably be dropped in the lake. I was
instructed to ‘watch the cork’. That’s it!
Well, I watched in amazement as the cork
disappeared under the surface of the water (remember, this was in about 18
inches of water). I set down the pole and ran back to the cabin and explained
what I’d observed and ask for further instructions. I was told to go back and
‘pull it in’. Of course, when I returned and lifted the pole, the fish and my
worm were long gone. That was the beginning
of my love of fishing.
I learned that the local sunfish were
experts at stealing bait from inattentive young fishermen. I learned to ask more
questions to insure I’d know what to do in case my efforts are successful. I
discovered that I might like fishing if I could learn to catch a fish.
Since that day, I've "lifted the hook" and caught many fish. I
learned to fish for Largemouth Bass, Crappie and Bluegill on the same lake in
North Carolina. I've fished with Joe Olsen and Larry Szpila at Lake Sherwood and
Castaic and Casitas and Piru near Los Angeles and El Capital near San Diego. I earned the 1977 Field &
Steam Annual Fishing Award, First Prize for a 1lb 4oz. Bluegill caught in Lake Cachuma and an Honor Award for a 2 3/4lb Black Crappie caught in Lake El Capitan
(both while fishing for bass).
I joined the West Valley Bassmasters and fished tournaments around Southern
California from 1976 to 1979. I even won a couple of Big Fish awards for
Largemouth Bass caught in Lake San Antonio and Lake Cachuma. Thank you West
Valley Bassmasters for teaching me so much!
I was relocated to San Jose, California in 1979 but didn't pick up a rod again until 1993. I joined
the Santa Clara County Bass Classics and won 4 First Places and 4 Big Fish trophies
from 1993-1997. We fished the Sacramento River Delta, Clear Lake, Comanche, Berryessa, New
Melones, Tulloch and San Antonio. Thank you Santa Clara Bass Classics for
teaching me the Northern California waters!
For 40 years I've fished for Largemouth Bass in California with Joe Olsen,
Kokanee Salmon in Whiskeytown, Peacock Bass in Maui, Hawaii, White Bass in Lake
Naciemiento, Rainbow Trout in Eagle Lake with Dave Call & Rick Smith (both
excellent Realtors in Saratoga & San Jose, CA) even Dorado in Baja
California, Mexico. I've fished tournaments and won a few. Then, in 1996, I saw
the light!
I joined Contempo Realty in May 1996 and met Ed Cutler. Ed
was 25 years a Realtor and expert fly fisherman who befriended me and introduced
me to the wonder and glory of fly fishing! Ed took me to Upstream in Los Gatos,
helped me spend a lot of money to get properly outfitted (one does not set foot
in a 'Blue Ribbon' trout stream unless appropriately outfitted) and allowed me
to accompany him to his beloved Madison River, Montana.
Fortunately, having a lifetime of experience outsmarting fish, I did not embarrass
myself or Ed. And.. he invited me to the sacred waters in Idaho (I can't
tell you where, sorry).
Since then, Ed and his son Scott (who was my original webmaster and patient
HTML guru) and friend Steve Brown (who has more flies
than most fly shops) and I have explored the Saint Joe River in Oregon, Sugar
Creek and small streams in Yosemite and the Emigrant Area in California. We've
made repeat visits to the
Madison
River in Montana. Ed & Scott & Steve are dry fly enthusiasts while I
just like catching fish. I learned to fish nymphs 3 years ago and have caught
many fish on
a Bead Head Pheasant Tail while Ed was wishing the fish were rising to his
beloved Elk
Hair Caddis.
Thank You Ed!
I’ve enjoyed 50+ years of fishing pleasure. Yes, I’ve
caught many fish. Please check back at this site and come along with me and I’ll
share some of the highlights of those wonderful years.
Montana 1999
Montana 2001
Montana 2002
Sugar Creek
Robert W. Morgan
Going Fishing and Want A Buddy?
Call Me and Let's Chat!
808-371-1484
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