Frank From Cleveland

[Driftless]

A dozen or so years ago Frank and Erik drove all the way up here from Cleveland Ohio to fish the driftless with me. This was back when I guided. They came back a couple times more and I guided them then too. When I stopped guiding about 8 years ago they were disappointed. I just picked up a rod and went with them fishing. I really hated guiding anyway. It was like going to a gold mine without a shovel. Frank has been a regular here yearly. Erik came about every other year.

The phone rang last September and it was Frank. He and three friends were making a pilgrimage to the heart of the driftless and it was happening soon. Erik was flying in later and the wayward "buckeyes" were going to pick him up at the airport.

I didn't hear from him for a couple days. It was noon and there was a knock on the door. Three anglers clad in waders all shuffled into my house. They were trying their dangdest to get me out fishing. My knee had not rehabbed completely and I declined. Before they left I marked a few places on their gazetteer to try.

Two days later I called them and stopped by at their campsite. They were all tired and a little downtrodden. They were catching lots of trout but no big ones like they were accustom to from prior trips. Frank was admiring my hat pine and I thought what the heck and gave it to him for luck. I fine tuned a couple areas on the gazetteer and Frank and his crew were off on their crusade. Frank was sporting a new hat pin and a renewed charge in his battery.

The next morning my phone was ringing at 7am. It was Frank on the caller id. He was blathering on the phone. He went in exactly where I told him to go. He was throwing a giant black articulated leech. He told me to check my email for photos. He thanked me profusely for the good luck hat pin. At the end of the conversation he asked me for my net makers name. Frank said his net was woefully inadequate.

I went back to bed and rolled out about 9am. I went to my emails.I am pretty sure Frank and his crew will be back in 2015.