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I was chatting about an old friend with Doug Duncan at the shop the other day. While casting through a run the next morning a few good memories came back to me. A lot of you probably knew Larry, the American just aint the same without him.
http://powfly.org/2012/01/10/the-eternal-cast/
Thanks Aaron; well written! Larry was special in many ways.
T.
Nice job, Aaron! I was fortunate enough to meet Larry too. Your words and memories are heart-felt and will, no doubt, bring you much good karma! It must be nice to have a spey casting angel watching over you.
I was fortunate to meet Larry in 1985 when float tubing Rancho Seco. It was the thing to do in the winter. I fished with him and Mark (hey Mark, hope all is well) and Larry wasn't interested in moving water at the time. As time went by he became interested in shad fishing near his house on the lower American River. I would fish with him for shad in the early 90's as he was fun to fish with, awesome fly tyer and designer and I thoroughly enjoyed his company. He took his first spey lesson with me in exchange for marketing advice (I learned a ton! He was one of the top professors at Sac State in marketing, true genius) around 2000 and wasn't interested (probably my teaching) then came back again a few months later and quickly took to the art of spey casting. I viewed him as wanting to learn spey casting as a form of Tia-chi or meditation because he wasn't concerned about catching fish (although, I saw him catch many and occasionally talked him into catching some with me). He, like most of us was on the water just enjoying and appreciating life... outdoors. Once, he hooked an incredible summer steelhead above watt bridge in front of a group that I was teaching single handed casting to. I told them to watch as Larry made a beautiful 80+ cast just after a large fish rolled in the tailout. He hooked up a 6-8 lb hot summer steelhead that cartwheeled and put on a 5 second air born show before breaking off and continually jumping as it quickly swam downriver under the bridge with Larry's fly. We all applauded in fascination and at Larry's huge smile of just hooking the fish. Larry helped to design several of my custom long belly lines that I still use today that have also influenced some of today's top selling spey lines. I'll never forget him and miss him every time I see the river flowing by without his reflection. Thank you Larry... miss you always!
Good stuff Jeff, thanks for that.
Larry was a kind gentleman, who was more than willing to share his vast two handed knowledge or just to past the time with.
I will remember how he and Doug Duncan would effortlessly and with great style throw those beautiful casts below the Watt Ave Bridge.
One spring day, I was below the Watt Ave Bridge and Larry came up. I had my new Sage ZA6126 wrapped and finished by Gary Anderson. A group of kind people had matched a Rio 6/7 AFS line and the 15' Versi tip at the recent Speyorama, and I had that combo with me. This was my first time to cast it on a river.
As usual Larry asked what was new, and I told him about my new rod and line.
He had that grin on his face which I had learned was his way of saying "Can I try it!"
So I asked him if he wanted to try it, and he said yes. I handed him my rod, took his rod, and backed away so he could cast, and I could watch.
After a few effortless casts, he was up to my meager distance. Slowly, he kept stripping the shooting line and casting until he was with his smooth casts, casting and shooting the line well over a hundred foot.
After one of his great casts, he handed my rod back to me, grinned and said, "It seems to work!. You should have a lot fun with this rod."
Thanks Larry for sharing sometime with me/us!
Quote:
Originally Posted by aaron
Learning as much as I could about the world of spey casting, I frequently ventured to Watt Avenue, watching all the regulars, talking to them and just enjoying the art of this remarkable art form of fly fishing...
Larry welcomed my questions, taught me as only an experienced instructor can do, and luckily, took a liking to me...
Every time I drove from Lodi to Watt Avenue, I was rewarded to encounter his engaging personality and style and to be tutored because of my enthusiasm far more than my promise or skill...
I grew to love the man and his innermost being- always gracious and accommodating, though sometimes I wondered how and why he would entertain all the questions I posed...
Larry became a friend, in the truest sense of the word and when he shared the details of his battle with cancer, I admired him all the more.
I was deeply honored when Jeff Putnam informed me Larry was making ready for his passage to the great beyond and offered his CND "I-Spey" and Abel reel with matched Carron and NextCast lines to me...
I accepted under the condition that we be photographed together as I humbly accepted the legacy of his cherished possessions.
Larry's memory lives on in my heart and soul...
I miss him and the memory of sharing time on the river enjoying what is truly important in our world- friendship and sharing under the blue skies and pulsing river currents- a bit of knowledge and the fact that we have shared it with a friend.
Thanks Aaron for reminding us to honor him.
Yours was a beautiful and heartfelt tribute...
I am pleased at the responses...
Once we are gone, we are not necessarily forgotten...
Especially if we have touched people's souls as I know Larry did after reading all the posts in this thread.