Wow, what a month! A tumultuous presidential election that is undecided as of this writing, a rising tide of Covid-19 cases in Oregon and most of the country, and continuing economic struggles for many individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic. And November has just begun!
A well-known Chinese proverb (curse?) says “May you live in interesting times.” Given the events of this year, I could do with a little boredom. Or at least some fishing. Unfortunately for me, November is usually the end of my fishing season, so I am using this down time to take stock of my year and make plans for 2021.
As some readers may recall, one of my goals for 2020 was learning Euro nymphing tactics so that I could properly use my 4-weight Echo Shadow instead of having it serve as my backup float tube rod. I was off to a good start with a group class booked on the Deschutes for April but the pandemic quickly scuttled those plans, so I am putting this at the top of my 2021 to-do list. I also added a nice 9’6” 6-weight Loomis rod my quiver and was able to put it to good use on a number of lake and river trips, so the year wasn’t all bad.
Despite having to adjust to a virtual meeting format for the time being, your club is alive and well. The club and foundation boards held a joint meeting on Zoom last month and I am excited to report that we are planning an online auction for May 2021 and what I hope will be an in-person celebration of the club’s historic 60th anniversary. To that end, Mark Metzdorff has graciously agreed to help put together a special edition of The Creel to recognize our sixty years of angling history.
Holiday celebrations likely will be smaller than usual this year but there is still much to be thankful for, including family, friends, and the bounty of outdoor recreation we enjoy in the Pasific Northwest. My best wishes to each of you for a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and the promise of better times to come.
Tight lines,
Jim
