As I approached the stream, there was a father with two small kids playing in the water I was planning on fishing. No big deal, they were there first, no reason to interrupt their hi-jinks. So I walked about 20 yards on the trail upstream, stood on the bank beside the water, and started to extend my telescoping tenkara rod when I heard...
"Mike..."
And I when I turned around I was immediately greeted by a gentleman (& angler) that I didn't recognize. Scanning through my memory banks trying to place the face, he introduced himself as Pete, a reader of this blog for about five years.
To say I was surprised was an understatement, as I fished Valley regularly for almost 7 years, wrote about the creek almost weekly a few years back, and nobody ever identified themselves (or me) from the blog while I was fishing there. So my chance meeting with Pete might have been the coolest thing like ever.
I have to admit, I was a bit caught off guard, and really didn't know what to say. I don't even remember what I said exactly during our brief conversation. I think I said something open ended like "I'm about to fish this run," as in if you'd like to join me...but I probably came off as lame or self-occupied, and hopefully not too much like a douchebag. Pete said he was heading downstream and thanked me for writing the blog.
So in closing, Pete, if you're reading this, sorry if I appeared a little perplexed on the creek yesterday. I was just really startled and my mind was having trouble synthesizing what was going on. If you have a chance, please pop me an email HERE; I'd love to send you some T! swag. After all, it's not every day you meet one of your awesome long-time readers in person.
Oh, and I hope you did better downstream than I did upstream. I managed a hookup, but brought none to hand. Fish were rising, just couldn't get them to take...
I'm really surprised this hasn't happened sooner to you. Years (decades) ago before I had my meltdown(s)(?) I'd run into people all the time in the strangest places. They'd ask if it was me. I'd confess it was after making sure they didn't want to strangle me. Once on a Marta train coming from a Braves game. Once someone followed me in their car for miles up a Forest Service rd to say hi. Once in a small town in middle NC, and once (and just once oddly enough) on a trout stream in Tennessee. Standing in the river, someone drove by and yelled "oooooowwwwlllllll" out the truck window. Never stopped. LOL Again, I am amazed that this hasn't happened to you sooner on your "home water." And like Pete, I and I think hundreds ( thousands?) of others would also thank you for writing this blog. Maybe blogs aren't as big as they once were, but Troutrageous! will always be one of the top three fishing blogs ever written. Now bring back Wednesday nibbles, or else.
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda shocked, too, that you haven't been recognized sooner. Even before Howard, the Patron Saint of Angler Bloggers, pushed me into the light and sent me readers, I was recognized by one guy on my "home water."
DeleteI once referred to Howard as "The Godfather of Angler Blogging," and he declined the title. I believe he said it belongs to you. :)
Owl, yeah dunno. Maybe us Yankees are just more antisocial...
DeleteI'll see what I can do about the nibbles, I really like writing those...
Fading Angler - Beats me,however I'd be careful listening to anything Howard says...
DeleteGood thing you're not a Leo (you aren't are you?) because encounters like that tend to make your head swell and that makes it difficult to get through a door way haha. Always cool to be recognized.
ReplyDeleteNope Gemini. Don't really know what that means though. That's twins or whatnot...
DeleteDid you hit on him like you hit on me? I'm jealous.
ReplyDeleteDub shhhhhhhh! I didn't, but only because he didn't offer me booze and to come to his basement to play with his Star Wars toys like you did...
DeleteGood to see you're still lurking out there.
Geez, it is about time! You would think with that face and all that "T" decal stuff everywhere someone would have put two and two together. Fish on my friend...................
ReplyDeleteI should probably wear some of my T! gear when I go fishing. I never do. That'd probably help.
DeleteI did have a guy recognize me once in a restaurant. It only turned out to be my lunch "date" but it still felt pretty good. The biggest compliment is when I walked into an unnamed fly shop in Boulder one time and Jay Zimmerman said, Hi Cameron!
ReplyDeleteHi Cameron, HA!
DeleteI really hope to meet with Jay and Erin some day. I hope even more to fish with them.
DeleteThat is too funny. I have had that happen on a few occasions. I can relate some what. If you follow a blog and have been for a while you do feel like you know that person. Even if you've never officially met them. I've had a few people talk to me using my name like they have known me for years. I feel embarrassed for not recognizing them at first but usually they mention the blog or I ask where we met before. It's strange when it happens on a stream because your mindset is focused on the fishing or what you're about to do. When someone starts talking to you like that it takes you out of your element a little bit. There are times I have a fear of having to live up to some expectation this person has especially when they talk to you like you're Lefty Kreh's son. I'm just a guy that likes to fish and writes about it occasionally, I'm no expert.
ReplyDeleteI like the Lefty Kreh's son comment. Spot on. :)
DeleteFunny. I ran into someone from the Tenkara Angler forum twice on different random streams in CT and now we fish together sometimes. Its fun when that happens.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool. I agree, fishing with folks you've "known" online is a blast. I've done that a bunch, but always was pre-arranged.
DeleteThat's funny, Mike. I can totally relate to this story. It's happened to me a few times, as well. I don't wear any Carf Outdoor's gear, but people recognize my white sunglasses. Kevin said exactly how I feel every encounter that I'm caught off guard while out fishing. I'm just a guy who likes to fish, and write about it.
ReplyDeleteThe most recent encounter I had was at the end of April, I was working the beer tents at a beer festival in NW Indiana at Three Floyds (Dark Lord Day), and this guy recognized me... "you're Carf, right?" Yep, that would be me. Ha Then he explained that he follows my blog and instagram. I completely forgot his name, because, it was so busy, but I honestly believe his name was Pete, too. haha
Perhaps if I had "trademark shades"...
DeleteI'm thinking a top hat. Think they make those in snapback truckers?
Ya didn't call
ReplyDelete...and I guess apologies to Spurky too. Sorry Mom.
Delete