Thanksgiving seems to be ever-present here in the Roaring Fork Valley. I’m not talking turkey and gravy, I’m speaking to the gifts we receive constantly, throughout the seasons. I try to remember to give thanks every day I spend outside, whether it be floating the Colorado or Roaring Fork, fishing an epic dry fly hatch on the Fryingpan, or teasing up tiny brook trout on a remote lake or stream. We’re spoiled rotten here, so it’s easy to be thankful.
I am thankful to know so many talented guides and inspired anglers. Fly fishers are on the front lines of conservation every day, and I learn something every time we fish together. I am thankful for the clients that come here to fish with us, ranging from itinerant trout bums, local yokels, household-names and first-timers as well. Over the last forty-four years at Taylor Creek we have had the pleasure of fishing with many wonderful people; now we are on the rivers, lakes and saltwater flats with their children and grandchildren. When fly fishing is shared down through the generations, it pulls those guides and families closer together.
I am thankful to live in a country where fishing is a right, not a privilege. My parents put a rod in my hand at a very early age, and for this I am very thankful. A youngster with a spot to fish, a can of worms, and a close faced reel is Americana as it gets. There are fish I still remember today that I caught as a boy, and I’ll bet the same goes for you.
It may sound silly, but I am most thankful for water. As far as we know, water is required for life to flourish– and flourish it does here in the Roaring Fork Valley. Skiers, paddlers, farmers, flora, fauna, and anglers alike absolutely rely on it. Water is the lifeblood of this Valley; we all owe thanks for it and need to do what we can to preserve this most precious of resources. When you went around the Thanksgiving table (or family Zoom call) this year sharing what you are thankful for, I hope the people, relationships, wildlife, water and amazing landscape we call home made your list!
This column is provided by Taylor Creek Fly Shops in Aspen and Basalt. Taylor Creek can be reached at 970-927-4374.
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