There we were zipping joyfully along from one part of the lake to the other, and Guy says: "quick, grab the anchor rope!" I popped my head up from behind the windshield and in a flash off flew my hat. We both looked around and there it was sitting in the foam line, briefly.
I've experimented with my hat before and I knew that given the chance it would sink like a stone. The sense of urgency must have reached Guy's consciousness and we did an on-the-spot one eighty. There is no messing about in one of Guy's boats. He is an extremely skilled boatie, of that there can be no doubt, and breakneck speed is simply part of the experience.
Guy said: "where's it gone?"
We both looked to the place were only moments before had been my hat.
I said:
"Guy, it has gone to another place. Never again will you see me below that hat. It is now well on it's way through 300 feet of water. That hat had been a part of my life for the last 7 years. He was like an old friend to me. Faithful unto the last.
"We found each other in the deserts of Western Australia. At once we had mutual bonding and respect. We were meant to be. It was both deep and meaningful. And although we both accepted the transient nature of life, we had not yet fully come to believe in it.
"Once he breathed; a part of some marvellous creature. A bull of great strength and of noble character. A leader of bulls. The bull of bulls.
"For a time, afterwards, he became connected to another man's soul. Together they did much together. That man is unknown to me, but I always felt him to be both kindly and benevolent, possibly a great explorer.
"True, I have been letting go of my worldly attachments and have had help in this matter only recently, by kindly people taking my things when I was unaware. Indeed all of my worldly attachments appear now to have gone and that hat was the last of them. It had to happen this way. It is for the best.
"Together we travelled as equals and were always there for one another, come rain or shine, storm or calm, hell and highwater. Fishing people only know me beneath that hat. Now I will become a man of mystery. "Who is that man with no hat?" people will say.
"What we had was beautiful. A unique and special relationship, outlasting all other relationships I have had, especially those with the womenfolk. Now he will find some other life, a life unbeknown to me. Some day when the world is turned on it's head and by some strange and marvellous coincidence, that hat will be washed up on the far shoreline and some other lucky dude will find it, mount it upon his head like a jewelled crown and their paths will merge and become one.
"And when he does so, he will find one of your Royal Wulff's stuck carefully in the side by the way"
Guy said: "The bastard".
And that was that.
The Life of the Booby
As I made very plain on the front page last week, Boobies could very well be the method for the South Island stream mouths. The fact that they aren't comes as no surprise to me in the slightest. Yes we caught fish. But it wasn't quite what I had in mind when I was busy tying a box full.
Still it was very pleasant to be doing something other than fishing dries to large browns. You can get too much of one
thing, even a good thing, or so I'm told, but never having had too much of a good thing I can't say for sure. Somehow I doubt it. I think whoever said that didn't know a good thing when they saw it, and actually mistook it for a bad thing. That happens quite often actually.
And in order to stop this happening to you, we have opened the…
Tackle Reviews Section
Yes, some of you worked out it was coming. It had to really. I mean this is a flyfishing website offering advice, selling the best flytackle in the world (with no delivery charges) and we give the friendliest and most efficient service anywhere :-)
So we've put BigPaul to work. For those of you who don't know, BigPaul is in charge of Kate Fleming's tackle shop (Kate is in charge of BigPaul of course since she is his mother) and we call him "BigPaul" because he is over 9 feet tall.
BigPaul is also in charge of the tackle reviews section and is currently outside in the Scottish snows giving some new flyrods the once over. I'd join him of course, but unfortunately I'm stranded in NZ having a "summer".
He is very dedicated and both Steve and I have asked for a photograph of him flycasting wearing his kilt, so we can use it for Pic of the Day.
Yes, it is true my American friends, all Scots are kilt-wearing giants, and soon we hope to be selling traditional Scottish fishing stuff, that you just can't buy over there. Stuff like haggis and bagpipes.
Humble apology
Talking of Pic of the Day I should like to humbly apologise for taking the piss out of Guy's hat and waders. It was very unfair of me. In the last two newsletters I suggested that he should be wearing face paint. This was a cheap remark and completely unworthy of Sexyloops. This camo-gear is hot stuff and I think that it looks really cool. Yes anyone who wears this stuff is definitely one very cool dude indeed matey. I'm definitely thinking about making my next pair of waders Camo.
So anyone offended by my stupid stupid stupid remarks please accept my sincere and humble apologies.
Out of respect to you I have made this short movie…
The Bulletin Board
My goodness so much has happened and I noticed that many sites were still celebrating Christmas last week. How long ago was that??
Anyway last week we introduced a new member to the Bulletin Board team. I'm very pleased to welcome Vegard from Norway. He's a mad keen flyfisher and Laplander who spends his time as a freelance writer and mosquito expert. It transpires that last week around New Year he had the 'flu for 3 days and this weekend he's with the same girl again.
That must be because it's so cold over there.
Forthcoming excitement
I'm not sure what's coming this week. Only that it's bound to be exciting. It always is you know. There's some advice stuff ready to go up, and I've been to a river, I'm also looking at getting my waders salty and have some new content for that section too.
I happen to know that this comes as a great surprise to some folks, but we don't actually plan what we are doing here at Sexyloops. We just sort of live moment by moment. This is either because are real people who have got this life thing completely, or at least partly, sussed or else because we've lost the plot completely and haven't a clue.
:-)
And finally…
An appreciation.
I should now like for you to give my hat one minutes silence (this worldly attachment business is serious stuff and I for one am never attaching myself to anything ever again - believe me)
Ta. Paul
I must not attach to my camera,
I must not attach to my camera,
I must not attach to my camera…
Tragedy at Mystery Lake X
thing, even a good thing, or so I'm told, but never having had too much of a good thing I can't say for sure. Somehow I doubt it. I think whoever said that didn't know a good thing when they saw it, and actually mistook it for a bad thing. That happens quite often actually.
Humble apology
Ta.
