Merry Christmas to all

[Charlie Gonzales]

Wanted to take a minute and thank everyone for a great year and looking forward to the year to come. Made some great new friends this year and had fun with the old ones.

Thanks Bill for the help and support this year and this great forum.

I hope everyone has a great holiday and hope to see you on the American after the first.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hi Charlie

Heard you have been busy with some big tile jobs.

You need to get out on the Lower American River and hook some of those big winter-run Steelhead.

Scott Kranhold hooked two big fresh ones yesterday on a Spey rod and Gold Comet.

Jason Hartwick has hooked some nice ones in the past few weeks too.

[Ed Wahl]

Merry Christmas Charlie. Glad to hear you're working.

When are we going fishing bro?

Ed

[mems]

Aloha Charlie, mele kalikimaka, still have your hat and cherish it. Hope you have a great holiday, Don.

[Bluegrass Bill]

Hi Folks,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our fellow fly fishing friends out there! Another year has just about come and gone, hard to believe. This was a wonderful year for Dana and I, our 30th year of marriage and we became grandparents for the first time! Our daughter Jennifer gave birth to a healthy baby boy on September 22nd! Our new grandson is Aaron Joshua Reeves and what a blessing he is to all of us.

Another highlight this year was our band Western Lights released our 2nd CD, “Bob Played Here”! Our Son Jimmy did all the recording and mixing, Dana did all the art work and design of the CD package and all three kids each had a song where they were a guest artist for the band. Wow, I am so proud of this project, the band and the whole family.

Work has been really been tough on me this year. We have had lots of fires throughout the State so lots of emergency projects to work on in anticipation of potential mud slides and erosion. I will be retiring at the end of 2009 and am very much looking forward to it. With all this work I have had very little time for fishing for me this year with only a few trips, way below my normal average.

Following are a few of my favorite pictures/memories from 2008. Hope you enjoy!

Best Wishes and tight lines to all!

Bill and Dana

(Ie, Bluegrass Bill and the Silver Lady )

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n12/BluegrassBill/christmas%202008/NanaWard.jpg

Dana enjoying her new role as Nana Ward with Aaron about 1 day old!

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n12/BluegrassBill/christmas%202008/thanksgiving08.jpg
The Ward family at Thanksgiving 2008!

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n12/BluegrassBill/christmas%202008/aaron2120508.jpg

Aaron Joshua Reeves at 2 ½ months old!
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n12/BluegrassBill/christmas%202008/Billfrontcoverforcd.jpg

Front cover of our new CD. A delightful path through Bluegrass, Western Swing, Old Fashioned Gospel and old timey Music. (From our liner notes)

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n12/BluegrassBill/christmas%202008/billsbigfish064.jpg

A nice pyramid lake cutthroat from one of the few fishing trips I managed this year. I will do better in 2009!