Don's Bucket List

**Tony Buzolich** · 10-10-2012, 07:31 PM

A few years ago I joined the local fly club here in Yuba City and one of the first people I got acquainted with was an older gentleman by the name of Don Voigt. A lot of you guys up in Sacramento have gotten to know Don as he's been a weekly regular in all of the fly shops up there.

Don at the time was in his late 70's and is one of the most active members of the E.C.Powell Fly Fishers. He goes to every fishout, every meeting, buys most of the club's food out of his own pocket, and volunteers for everything.

He used to tell me though that it's been a standing joke with the club the he just never catches much of anything. Try as he may, he just doesn't have much luck.

Well, the fly club is mostly a "trout" club and the guys hardly ever do anything else. Don has been busted up for a long time with steel pins in his legs and can't stand very long in one spot let alone wade.

Feeling a bit sorry for the old guy I offered to take him out to do something a little different that most of the other club members hardly ever do,,,,,,, stripers on the fly. Sure enough, Don got his first striper on the fly and now was the talk of the club. He's been out with me numerous times since and has taken a good number of them.

Next came shad. As he can't wade in the Yuba's cold water I took him out in my boat where he could at least sit down once in a while. And sure enough, he catches the bigget shad I've ever seen at well over five pounds.

Don's starting get his ego back and he's beaming with pride and wants more.

A few years ago I talked him into going to La Paz with my group (Jay's group actually) and try for some saltwater stuff. This was right up Don's alley as no one in the club had ever tried the salt before I joined. Don had a ball and took just about every game fish there was down there from dorado to roosters to skippies and even a wahoo. Boy was he ever going to have a lot to talk ab

out now. I created a monter

Well, Don couldn't get enough and wanted more of the exotic. Warm tropical saltwater was in his blood. He was always reading about Central America and the Yucatan and billfish and then tarpon and kept referring to doing this before he dies. He created his bucket list.

It wasn't long before he was off to Zihuatenajo for sailfish and last year he took off for the Yucatan and Tarpon Caye Lodge where he took his first tarpon,,,,,,,,,,all on the fly.

The clock doesn't stop ticking though and Don is getting up in age by the day. He's now 82 and still wants to add to his list. We'd been telling him how great the redfishing is in Louisiana and that immediately got put on his priorty list of fish to catch.

Last week Don took off by himself to visit his brother in Orlando and planned on fishing the Mosquito Lagoon / Indian River area for redfish. Sure enough,,,, he did it again.

Don's first Redfish on the fly.

So,,,, what's next on the list Don ?

Good luck whatever you do, Tony

**Darian** · 10-10-2012, 08:13 PM

Great stuff there!! Gotta love it. Sounds like Don's a lot like Joe Shirshac. A real fish magnet. Only gets better with age. Keep it up Don....

**Rockman** · 10-10-2012, 09:45 PM

I wanna be Don!!
I don't know you Don, but man! YOU CAN FISH!!
Use it or lose it.
When I die someday, I hope my line is tight!
Fish On Don!!! And always have one in the bucket list to keep ya going.

Rockman

**Jay Murakoshi** · 10-11-2012, 08:55 AM

Don definitely has it. I believe the wahoo would have to be high if not the top of the species list. I've had two hooked up but never even saw fish. Let's see, I have a few more years to reach the 80's and hopefully I'll be able to keeping traveling to baja muchless walk through those long corridors of LAX.
You know, this pass season some of my groups averaged in age around 77 years old. I'm assuming it's because they have the time and funds. Like most of the younger group, they have to work and support a family, I remember those days "-(

Good going Don and keep the lines tight

Jay