The Bluegrass Special
This is the story of a special rod and a special place and a request made by my father. Adam Trahan and Mike Shay worked on this bamboo rod for me. I wanted something special to remember my Dad. He was ill with alzheimer's disease and had been in a weaking state for a number of years. Adam started the rod and Mike agreed to finish it for me. My Dad passed away back in october and my family planned a trip to Wyoming to spread his ashes on his favortie stream, the Bluegrass.
My wife, Joy and son Luke travelled with me to Denver and then up to Wheatland, Wyoming, my Dad's home town. We stayed with my cousin and looked at Chug Creek. It flows through my cousin's ranch, but the water was high and dirty. Luke told me, "if you put your Dad in here he will be really pissed!" So we decided it would be best to honor his wish and put his ashes in the Bluegrass. We drove to check out the conditions and it was high, but was clear enough to fish. We stopped and I made one cast and got this brown right away.
It was a good omen and we made a call to our friends who own the Boyd ranch and we made a trip up there the next day to check out the conditions.
We drove up and stopped at the Joy hole, named after my wife who loves to catch trout in the easiest places. She proceeded to catch the first trout out of that hole even before I was rigged up.
Here is the nice bow she got. Luke got started and hooked a nice one that took him down stream and into some willows. It was a three person job, but Luke eventuall landed the nice healthy bow.
I finally got rigged up and tried out the new TFO BVK rod. Wtih the high water we fished heavy buggers and streamers. I got some nice fish that day.
We had a great day on the Bluegrass so after a nice cigar and a cold one we decided this would be the perfect place to spread Dad's ashes.
That evening my sisters joined us. Ashley from San Diego, she is named after a nearby creek, ashley creek. Kai from Virginia, she is named after the ocean, Kai. and me well I am named after my Dad, Don Sr. We all went back up to the ranch and the Joy hole and had a nice picnic and fished some.
Ashley's husband Marvin and my two nieces Kalei and Lauren joined us for the day. Every one caught fish and took pictures and enjoyed the beautiful day. I got to finally fish the bamboo rod for the first time.
Here is the first fish I caught on the rod. It cast like a dream and fought the bow like a champ. The rod was deeply bent and still had the backbone to land the healthy bow.
I caught many more nice trout with the rod and was very pleased, but it was time for lunch. I found some of my favorite beer, Leinenkugels at the store, so I was pretty stoked.
Then it was time for the business at hand. We all gathered at the bank and took turns spreading my father's ashes and saying some kind words to remember him and this his favorite spot in the world.
It was a sad but beautiful experience for us all.
Here I am with my sisters, Ashley and Kai.
After the nice funeral it was back to fishing!
Kai had a broken wrist, so I helped her a little. She got this nice brown on Dad's rod.
It was a beautiful day and a lovely memory. I hope Luke brings his son here one day. I hope I will get to share that memory as well. Thanks Adam and Mike for a fine rod and a great way to honor my father, Don Memmer Sr.
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