We are at 4 generations of fly fishers out of our fly shop now.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

When I started working in the sporting goods business in Sacramento in the 1960s I met several dozen gentlemen from the Greatest Generation who I call "Outdoorsmen". I was about 20 and they were in their 40s back then. These guys hunted and fished all their lives because before WWII they grew up with it as a norm back then. They all fly fished and they were the founding members of the California Fly Fishers Unlimited fly fishing club in Sacramento. Some call them lovingly "the Geezer Patrol".

This group included Joe Patterson, Walt Bennett, Joe Shirshac, Chuck Campana, George Martin, Stan Inoyue, Wally Westlake, Jack Mclaughlin, Steve Chapell, Neil Hansen, Bill Lynch, Charlie Selover, and many others.

They were like fathers or uncles to my generation, "the Baby Boomers". This was myself, Al Perryman, Lew Palmer, Bob Long, Cal Guin, Jim Potter, Larry Cullens, Al Fong, Forrest Oldham, Bob Giannoi, Mike Ziem, Dick Kiene, Skip Orr, Don Rotsma, Ron Hayashi, Frank Pullen, Terry Thomas, Craig Ziegler, Jerry Lyerley, Gordon Langenbeck and dozens more.

Then we had the next generation which would be the age of our kids. This was Chris Kiene, Galen Geller, Amy Kiene, Andy Guibord, Paul Keel, Phil Romig, Kyle Keaton, Stu Heath, Chris Pasley, Mike McCune and many others.

Now our kids generation are having our grand kids who are coming along in the world of the beautiful outdoors.

We had fly fishing trips in Nor Cal with 3 generations of fly fishers in the 1970s and 1980s.

It is wonderful that this mentoring still takes place and I guess as long as we have the wild outdoors to enjoy it will keep going on.

.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

There were many more people that I did not list but they are coming back to my old mind now. Too many to mention.

We had lots of good days down on the Lower American River too.

[Larry S]

Bill,
Good thread. I know Gordon L was very helpful with Rogue info several years ago. It's always nice to see him
having those rewarding days. I consider him a "mentor" even if I have some years on him.
Best,
Larry S

[Dave Neal]

Bill, I remember walking into your shop, many years ago. I met Joe Shirshac and I told him I was headed to Kirman Lake. He told me to take some white Zonkers and Prince Nymphs. I remember him telling me, “Those fish just love white”.

Well, I went up there w/ some buddies and camped for two days. It was my first fishing trip in the Eastern Sierra. I had absolute confidence in the flies he told me to get. I didn't fish anything else. I cannot remember getting any on the Zonker, but they absolutely chowed the Prince Nymph!

It was perhaps a very pivotal fishing trip for me. I ended up moving to the Eastside not many years later… just from that one encounter, an impression was made forever.