02.02.25 History repeats itself in the Potomac...

      In a purely striped bass way when I think of the Potomac River I think of one of the natal rivers that are a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Sadly, this week the Potomac River was the site of a plane crash between and American Airlines passenger plane and an Army helicopter that killed 67 souls on board. The mid-air collision occurred near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

    It was just a few weeks past the 40th anniversary of Flight 90 that crashed into the Potomac after striking the 14th Street Bridge. Both incidents occurred on the water's boundary between the states of Virginia and Maryland. In that crash 69 people were killed with only one crew member and four passengers surviving. 

     In 1982 there was no cable TV, no social media, and the coverage was only extended beyond the local or national news broadcasts. During major events they would break into local television programming to bring live coverage. 

     During the rescue efforts in 1982 a civilian on his way home from work stopped to see what was going on. it was during the dead of winter and rescuers on land and from the air had been trying to save the five survivors who were trapped and frozen in the Potomac. 

    Lenny Skutnik watched from the shore and later said he couldn't stand to watch the woman struggle and suffer anymore. He decided to jump in the river and swam to save Pricilla Tirado, whose husband and infant son died in the crash. While the efforts of the first responders can't be minimized the actions of Skutnik cannot be overlooked. 

I think the true heros are the everyday people who stop and act, and risk their life, to save another. 

     In addition to the Potomac crash Philadelphia had a crash last night that killed seven. In that crash a medical airplane carrying a 6-year old and five others perished. Sadly, the girl had just completed life-saving medical treatment at the Shriner's Hospital and was returning to Mexico. A woman on the ground perished in that incident. 

It's during these times we must think of the people that are deeply affected by these tragedies and thank God, or whoever our higher power is, that it wasn't you or your loved ones, that have endured such a horrible event. 

02.01.25 And the show must go on...

     Last Sunday I was looking through my stash from The Fly Fishing Show. I wondered if other attendees had a similar take. While I am sure some guys and gals were sitting down in front of a new vice, or maybe making some casts in their frozen yards with their new rod set ups, most of us had things tucked into our pockets or in small bags as we left the show. But those small purchases can add up. 

     What I realized after last weekend that stickers have become the new brochure and business card. Stickers are cheap, especially if buy them by the 1,000s. Just a quick online search found a company that'll do 1,000 stickers for $300, which includes the initial set up. 

     My collection this year wasn't impressive. It was like a disappointing Christmas morning when you were a kid. Some things I scored from the show are, a Jeff Currier striped bass mug that Theresa surprised me with, some AHREX hooks, of course some BUZFLY tails, some Squimpish materials, a Joe Nicosia fly, and some straps I won at the AFFM afterparty. Tom Lynch split his two beer glass winning's with me so I have a HMH leather wrapped glass for when I like to sit and sip a Guinness. And of course I fell for the fish measuring orange balls, more on that in the future. But then I also got a little somethin' somethin' that I'll see if it works before I break it out for all to see. One of those great idea zero chance of it working things. 

     While I'm not a freshwater fly tier many at the show were and jumped to the Tightlines booth where there were tons of Collins Hackle Farm saddles and capes to choose from. From the 

sounds of it this was a Holy Grail kind of find and I saw several people with long stringy things drapped over their arms as they looked through the bins. The above collection was posted by Jersey guy John Collins, who I know as one of the Catskill method fly tiers. 

     During this week, while I was in the trenches at school and at the hospital, I thought of those folks who take their fly fishing traveling show on the road. While "Having a good show" is great if you're a one day and done person, like me, several "do" the circuit. They either follow The Fly 

Fishing Show around or jump in and out of shows that are relatively close to home. But let's look at Brad Buzzi. His bucktails are a major draw at every show. Yes, you can get them elsewhere but it's hard to find a more consistent and affordable source. Each year I see lots of activity at his booth but this year I noticed less and less bucktails as the days wore on. He told me he had a great show which also means his stock gets depleted. So this week he was busy down in the BUZFLY basement finishing up tails for the upcoming Atlanta show.

      Above is Joe Cordiero's, of Flatwing fame, car which he must put 50,000 miles a year on as he goes from Maine to Florida and other points east and west. And at each show he sells he wares, as well as online. While selling is good keeping up must be another thing. I mean how 

many naked chickens can there be at these feather farms? Do they kill them and take their feathers, saddles and capes? Or do they give them haircuts and it all just grows back? 

     This weekend is the TFFS at Atlanta. Many of the vendors and tiers that did Edison make the 850 mile trek south. That's a lot of time, miles, and money to do part of the circuit. A guy on the perimeter of the show floors selling high end flies may make enough to cover his costs and might be able to give his wife a few $20 bills when he gets home but really how much do you make. I kind of liken it to when I guided up on the Delaware River. Driving from New Jersey, gas, tolls, lodging if I didn't sleep in my truck, lunches, shuttles, and the guide fees really cut into my bottom line where I had to question was I running a business or supporting a hobby? Thank God for the tips, which I really don't like, as I think it is just an expected thing and awkward at the end of the day, especially for those don't have it like that. Do nurses get tips? Teachers? How about a box of donuts or an apple. Just shut up. 

     The Edison show was big to the eye but as I discussed was made up of a lot of vendors packed in a single 10 x 10 or 20 x 10 foot booths. There were a lot of destination and guide operations and not all that many suppliers and shops that made picking and shopping part of the show.  

     Thankfully shops like Tightlines from New Jersey did the hard work which satiated those who attend the show as their yearly one-stop shopping event. And while there was always attendees at their booth, and at the register, there is such a huge investment in time, work, and overhead to be able to bring it all to the show. Sadly, the internet and online sales have taken such a big chunk of the fun of attending these shows to the point where a ShopRite bag grabbed from the truck is all you need to carry home those stickers and the few items you may have purchased. 

     The Atlanta show is in day two of the three-day weekend. You can see the size of the venue compared to the Edison show. While I have never been, it looks like it could be a one-dayer. I matched up the booth numbers with the list and saw several vendors who were at Edison

so they have seen a market, or a business need, to take the show on the road. Again, gas, tolls, lodging, food, beer, staffing, and don't forget the initial costs of the products they are trying to pimp out. It's a hard-knock life this fly fishing industry and everyone is competing for their slice of a very niche pie. I see those in charge don't spring for the show floor carpeting. Guys, it does make a difference. 

      The Fly Fishing Show tour heads to Washington, then Denver, and California, before finishing up in Lancaster, PA, which I might attend this year. The only other show that I do over 

the winter months is The Long Island Fly Fishing Expo which this year is held on March 8th in Hauppauge, Long Island. If I can couple that show with a stop over at our friends house in Nesconset that weekend then I might see if Theresa is down for it. Otherwise it's a long drive there and back for a single day show. 

     We're a month away from some of the opening and closings of waters where striped bass are known to haunt. Down south we will see parts of the bays and tributaries close while up north here in New Jersey our back bays and rivers open March 1st. If you are dialed in to a fishery 

then you know a lot of it is all about water temps and flows. Looking at the early predictions they are calling for a wet February, either snow or rain, with higher than normal temperatures. Perfect. Give me good flows and tolerable air and water temps and I'm happy and ready to kick off 2025.