You mean there is another TONY SPEZIO??? I don't think the world is ready for two !! Sounds like a very worthwhile and poignant trip. I am glad you shared this. A lot of the younger tiers may not recognize the names of Mary Dette, or Poul Jorgensen. Thanks, Tony
Larry Johnson Springville, Utah >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9/14/2005 11:01 AM >>> Well, I am back home after three weeks . Real tired but we had a real nice time. Visited with my daughters and grand kids. The last week was spent at the Catskill Bamboo Rod makers Gathering at the Catskill Flyfishing Center in N.Y.. The highlights of the trip was meeting a number of list members from the Bamboo rod making list that I am on, talking to some VFB members as we drove through their areas. No, I did not call Alan Fish at 5 AM while going through Indianapolis. The biggest highlight was going to the Catskill Flyfishing Center in Livingston Manor in N.Y. and to the Dette's house in Rosco. One disappointment was that Mary was in Long Island with her sick husband. I did not get to meet her but I did get to spend some time with her grandson Joe. I left some flies with Joe for Mary. I will be getting some flies from her when she returns to Rosco in October. Joe had me sit behind Mary's vise in her chair. For the new comers to flytying and fishing, this is the birthplace of flyfishing in the US. While I was at the Bamboo Rod makers Gathering at the Flyfishing Center, I was asked to tie at the Center after one of the directors saw the donation Woven Mayflies I tied for the Gathering. I did a presentation on weaving the Knitpikin Mayflies for a group of people including Joe, Mary's grandson. That was quite an honor for me. I donated the flies I tied to the Center and they were bought up on the spot even before I finished my presentation. It made me feel proud yet humble. I was asked if I would come back as a featured tyer for the next season. I got to spend some with Mark Romaro, Mark has shaved his beard and looks 10 years younger. In the museum there are sections set up that are the flytying tables with their tying tools and materials of some well known tyers as they left them on their passing. It just made my hair stand on end. There are display cases of the bamboo rods they used and loads of photos. I got a packet of Poul Jorgansons tying material from his tying material stash. Poul traded flies with me a long time ago at one of the East Coast shows. I took photos till my card was full in my digital camera. I finally got to meet the "other Tony Spezio" from N.J. at the Rod Gathering. He is also a fly tyer and bamboo rodmaker. He turns out to me a distant cousin. I had planned on fishing the Battankill and the Willomomack (sp) but decided that I would pass on doing so. Lack of rain had the streams real low and real warm. I also was giving a presentation at the Gathering that took up some of my time. Time for fishing would of been short. While I was gone, I got a message from Hans, he will be here in October for the FFF Conclave in Mtn. Home Ar. Hans will be staying at my house for a few nights so we can chase that big brown living under my dock. LOL Now that should be some fun. That is about it for now, I am back on the list at mt netscape address again. Tony
