Sam's One Bug

  Gas South District Duluth GA February 3rd-5th, 2023 It has been roughly twenty-one years since my last attendance at a major fly-fishing show. Shows were something "Sam" always looked forward to being a part of when health allowed him to be there. The fellowship of fly fisherman and fly tiers from all around the world made my father giddy with excitement. A childlike glow of anticipation could be seen even weeks before the shows as he prepared for his next opportunity to share the Sam's One Bug and the L-EYE-BEE.  After dad passed away in 2005, I may have attended a few fly fishing show or FFF Southeastern Council event, but not as a fly tier or artist. Something in me just could not bring myself to sit down and tie in front of crowds without getting very emotional. My first event as a featured Fly Tier was March of 2022, at the Cahaba Brewery in Birmingham, AL. I was asked to be a part of a larger group to help raise funds and awareness for the Coosa Riverkeepers and...

 If you search the web for Sam's One Bug, you will likely come across the Fly Angler's Online article titled The fly of the week, posted by a friend of Sam's shortly after his death in 2005. It was a tribute to honor Sam and the bug. It can be found here: Fly anglers online - Sam's One Bug   Since that article was published, years and people have passed away. Warren Patterson the author and friend, dealt with troubled teens, crazy fisherman, stubborn fish, students at Motlow State, and various health issues. I was saddened to hear he had passed away as well. He had some great stories about fishing with my dad, and I wished I had spent more time talking with him about those events. As I grow older I find myself recollecting on the days my father and I had on the water. This post is a starting point for me to get these memories down on paper or at least documented. There were only a few things my father loved more than fishing. My mother, his family, the dogs, boats, fast...