Steve and Neil were old friends in Sacramento, California.

Steve Chappell and Neil Hansen were both very serious veteran fly fishers of the Great Generation, both gone now

They were some of the founding members of the CFFU (California Fly Fishermen Unlimited) in Sacramento, California.


I think Steve worked at Aerojet in Rancho Cordova, California and Neil was a controller for Brandenburg and Davis.

During the Moon landing era, Steve moved to Cape Canaveral, FL for a while.

Later Steve moved to Marathon Key, FL where he was a building contractor and Tarpon chaser.

In 1988, Steve Chappell and famous Keys guide, Nat Ragland, won The Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament.


Attachment 18870


Every year Steve would have a big party at his home around mid-April to kick off the big Spring Tarpon migration.

Neil was invited in 1985 and he took me with him.

Besides going to the big all-day party with fished for two weeks around Marathon as well.

Lots of the most famous old Keys fly fishers and guides were there like Billy Pate.

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