Maybe the best place to start � take a look at the autographs on the PB cap for a representative look at the PondBoss guys � celebrities, PhDs. MDs, DDSs, moderators, fishery folks and the rest of us good ole boys that all walk on common ground.
More about the cap later.
I picked up Bruce Condello at DFW airport shortly after noon on Thursday; a start to a great adventure was almost ended by an airport shuttle bus that decided that our lane was his - close enough to bump the side mirrors with no damage, and proceeded to deliver him to his hotel. Scared the bejabbers out of both of us so won�t have to worry about picking up Bruce again, unless he take away my keys...
I don�t drive well at night � if at all, so Dave Davidson picked me up at my son�s house in Bedford to go the Wyndham hotel for dinner for speakers, vendors and moderators (don�t have clue why I was invited) and back home later in the evening.
The dinner was a blast � sat at the same table with many of my friends that I had never met � a beginning of a great experience for next two days putting faces on PB forum friends.
Most faces fit the names/handles except two forum friends in particular -
Bill Cody and Theo Gallus.
Bill Cody has been along time mentor of mine, whether he knows it or not, and I had him visualized as a modern day westerner Bill Cody/John Wayne type, deadly serious with little to say except serious scientific talk with �it all depends� personality.
Was I ever wrong. Bill is a fantastic guy with a sense of humor and infectious laugh that was the life of the party.
Now Theo, a mind as brilliant as the sun with cutting edge wit � not so in person.
Theo is very shy and demure soft-spoken, introverted gentleman of the old school that would NEVER use wit and intelligence as a weapon...
A great time was had by all.
Friday is a blur � non stop, down and dirty fly tyin�, taking on all requests, mostly tying pellet flies and requesting donations for the scholarship fund. No time for attending sessions.
Since I had expended my entire month worth of energy in one day, Eric West suggested that we forego fly tying session for Saturday, and I was able to attend many of the technical session. My apologies for not being able to help folks with their fly tying, but in the future I will post pictures and instructions for tying some of the simple, but effective pond flies.
The last time I checked, at one table James Holt and crew were already tying flies on their own with no help needed�.!
Oh yeah, the CAP.
A silent auction was held for scholarship donations to Dr. Dave Willis�s SDSU fishery students for applied fisheries research.
A few weeks ago Dave Davidson gave me brand spanking new PonBoss cap that I saved it to get a few autographs for the PB Conference �silent auction�.
It went for $170 bucks � can you believe that�.?
So in jest I said I WANT MY CAP BACK�.
Can you believe during the general session Saturday afternoon, following Todd Overton and Bruce Condello�s excellent presentations on HSB and monster BG�s, Bob Lusk called Dave Davidson and Eric West to the podium, and an apparent afterthought asked me to join them.
I was stunned and embarrassed when the y presented my with a PB cap with every old and newly acquainted friends autograph.
Thanks a million guys � this was an experience of a lifetime.
I had previously tied about three dozen flies for the auction that went for an unbelievable price of more than $200.
If any one missed out on donating to this worthy cause, I�m sure there is someone that will continue this program.
I�ve run out of words to express how important this conference was to me.
I learned a lot, but the fellowship with folks with common interest and values will bring me back time and time again.
Thanks Bob and all the others � job well done.
George Glazener
