Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Thanks Dad

My Dad holding my brother Bruce, and me with the fly rod on an un-named Ozark stream in the early 50"s.

Yesterday Trout Unlimited, on their Facebook page, wanted to know how their readers got hooked on trout fishing. They asked for stories and here's mine...re-posted from two years ago.

After being weaned on Bluegills and Smallmouths my Dad introduced my brothers and I to the Rainbow. Dad grew up in SW Missouri, just a few miles from Roaring River State Park and he spent his early years casting a fly to the ancestors of the trout that we were introduced to.
Many of my earliest and fondest memories are of watching Dad expertly lure these gorgeous creatures (with a casting stroke that would rival the best of the FFF Master Casting Instructors), and the year that I was turned loose on them is etched in my memory. I don't recall the exact year...I must have been 10 or 11, but I'll never forget that summer of learning. We must have spent at least eight weekends camping there and I know that I spent from dawn to dusk slingin' flies at those trout. I believe my first rod - the one that I was using - was a white fiberglass Shakespeare model with an "automatic" reel, and I recall that I caught a lot more trees than trout. In fact, it was the last weekend of the summer before I managed to hook and land one of them. I remember the pool - it was the one below the bridge right in front of the lodge - and the fly was a red and yellow Woolly Worm. (Back then, in the Ozarks, they were Woolly Worms - not Woolly Buggars!) I'll never forget the feeling I had...and even if he were still with us, I could never thank Dad enough for that introduction
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Friday, April 1, 2011

VEDAVOO

A while back I was contacted by Scott Hunter, a young entrepreneur with a line of rock climbing bags and packs about the possibility of him incorporating my illustrations in a new product line of T-shirts and Hoodies. Well, after a few phone calls that convinced me of Scott’s good character and business savvy, I agreed to his plan and I’m proud to say that the products are now available AND THEY LOOK GREAT!

We narrowed the illustrations down to four…my Snake River Cutthroat, the Cherokee Rainbow, the SoHo Brown and the Brookie.
The 100% organic t-shirts are made using 4.5oz. premium ring-spun organic American cotton, earth friendly dyes, and each design comes in a variety of colors that really complement the individual trout. The water-based ink prints appear bold and will not fade as the shirt ages and the tags are removable for lasting comfort, and all shirts are preshrunk.
The hoodies are made with material that’s woven using pill-resistant Air Jet yarns, with just the right blend of cotton and poly fiber to keep it comfortable but sturdy. The manufacturing is focused on building a shirt to last, with double needle stitching on the hood, pocket, neckline, shoulders, armholes, cuffs and bottom band. Each 80/20 shirt has a two-ply hood for added comfort. And like the t-shirts, each design comes in a variety of colors.


So there you have it. Check out the Vedavoo website and place your orders!
Here’s a link to the VEDAVOO website. Link to the Shopping page and as you scroll around you'll see the trout. Or you can visit my main web site to view details and ordering information. Clearwater Memories Vedavoo Page.
HAPPY SHOPPING!