Finally. An Interview with Fishboy

Gabe is 14 years old. I met him a handful of years ago when he charged into the fly shop. In skipped this stringy little kid with a wide smile and reeking of fish guts. He was fresh off the river and immediately, we were deep in chatter about where the fish had been holding that day. He peeled open his backpack to show me his magical jigs and then proceeded to pepper me with wisdom that seemed strange to of fit inside a boy of 9 or 10 years. It was easy to tell where his passion lay. It lay in the water with the fish, but also with people, in order to share and learn more about his craft. As the years slid by I came to know Gabe, as everyone else did: As a passionate, generous and utterly exuberant young angler. He is still hard at it. Fishing hard and dreaming hard. Recently Gabe started a fishing club at his school and I thought an interview was in order to highlight this Fishboy, a mountain of young inspiration.

George Cook Talks Sage One Spey and Switch Rods

If they are anything like the Sage One single hand rods, the much-anticipated arrival of the Sage One Spey Rods and Sage One Switch Rods are sure to set the bar in the two-handed and switch arena. Industry professional and renowned fly angler, George Cook, was on the phone to deliver me the skinny on the new line-up, as well as to educate us on their uses.



Sage Spey and Switch Rods

GFS: So what’s all the excitement about?

GC: Well, I’m fresh off the 2012 Sandy River Spey Clave where folks overran the booth trying to get their hands on these rods that, previously, had only been rumor. To be sure, these rods are a revolutionary jump in spey rod design and performance. And they are incredibly light.

GFS: You talk about weight reduction? Why is this important?

GC: There are a number of reasons why… A light rod really reduces fatigue on the angler, increases over all line-speed and feels light in one’s hands which inherently inspires confidence and eagerness to get on the water.

GFS: One of my favorite attributes in a fly rod is agility. The time it takes to get the fly from brain to target. How would you describe the agility of these rods?

GC: While not as agile as say, Westbrook or Durant (For those tuning into the NBA Playoffs), these rods, like their single hand cousins, redefine accuracy. Directional acuity is at the highest level ever witnessed in a spey or switch rod. These are next-level rods, with much thanks going to Jerry Siem and his technical team at Sage.

GFS: What the hell is directional acuity?

Interview With George Cook

I like to think of George Cook as a sort of beloved spine to the sport of fly fishing. Few others in the industry possess the degree of experience, passion and the willingness to share knowledge for this beloved pastime. George also has a personality that could rival any stand-up comedian, so it was only natural that I was looking forward to our chat.

Resident Alaskan Bow Bow!

First, just a little background on George’s professional career: He got his start working at Kaufman’s Fly Shop in Washington and worked there from 1982-1987. During that time he was also a fly fishing guide in Western Alaska (1983-1985) and he taught a fly fishing class with Dave Engerbretson at Washington State University (1980-1984). After leaving Kaufmans in 1987, he moved on to an in-house position at Sage as Director of Schools and Sporting Shows (1987-1990). From there, he became the Sage product rep for Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. He now sits before me with over 22 years experience as a tackle rep in the fly fishing industry.

The first time I met George, I was a greenhorn up in Western Alaska working for a sport fishing lodge. He arrived for a week of fishing and he immediately took me under his wing to show me some of the secrets of the river. I remember how he made me feel significant and how he helped to pave my route towards a guiding career of my own. That was 14 years ago. I can only imagine the number of lives he has touched since then.

He slipped into his seat wearing a cool yet friendly confidence – resembling a man at home in a fly shop.

The Interview

GFS: You are a traveling man, no doubt. Where does the road typically end on a given day?

GC: I make the rounds. Often it ends somewhere in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. I’m currently on number eight of twenty two in Oregon. You know, seeing dealers, giving talks on Spey lines and teaching some Spey classes on the weekends. I just had a class with 11 students on the McKenzie River just the other day. It was a hoot.

GFS: Where is your mind at this very moment?

GC: Well talking to your dumbass. (He laughs – gets a little red faced) Well let me think… uh, yup my mind is right here with you my friend.

GFS: Great. Now that I know I have your attention…Do you recall your first fishing experience?

GC: Sure. I was 6 years old. I was fishing this little creek in Texas with a lure and a Zebco spincasting reel. I must have made about 300 casts before hooking and landing a pretty impressive Warmouth.

GFS: Warmouth?

GC: Yeah, it’s Brim or Blue Gill type of critter. I was with my dad. The first trout I ever landed, I was with my dad on Henry’s Lake in Idaho. It was great… He said, “Alright son, you’ve got 3 more casts and then we're leaving.” Well on my 2nd cast I hooked and reeled in a rather large trout with my Mitchell 300 spinning reel.

GFS: What about fly fishing? How did that take shape?

GC: My first day fly fishing was pretty dreamy. This local guide by the name of Sam Good dropped my 11 year old ass off in Last Chance, Idaho with 6 Green Drakes. My rod was this Shakespeare Wonder Rod - was about a hundred dollar rod built in the 1950’s. I waded out into the Henry’s Fork and that was pretty much the turning point.

GFS: What happened?

GC: Well (he pauses), I most certainly caught some fish that day… And by about 5pm, I had lost the last of my Green Drakes. I had 3 bucks in my pocket so I eased over to Will Godfrey’s fly shop where I bought 2 more Parachute Adams so that I could get back in the game.