Garret & Jake

 

Its odd how things shake out some times!

In October I wrote a response to a question regarding First Trips to the Brule River in Wisconsin  I remember having some fun with the story because of the emotional roller-coaster this river has put me and my friends through for so many years. The lure was too great, and I answered with the same honesty and sincerity deserving of the question.

This last weekend The Men of Big Balls (some of them anyhow), made their final trek to fish the Brule River for the 2014. The Goat was unable to attend, but the visibility of “The Goat Herd” A Drinking Association With a Fishing Problem continues to attract attention among the fly angling community. I received this email and  the above photo, this morning from the winner of  The Men With Big Balls contest this year.

“My highlight was walking up on the Pie Hole, when I first got there and there was a fish on. The two guys there had a net but the Steely at the end of the line would have tested its limits. So I offered to net the fish with my (larger) net and eventually the Steely was in hand.

The two guys were brothers, Jake and Garret,  and this was the first Steelhead they had landed. They had a camera malfunction so I also took some photos and am in the process of sending them to the email address they gave me.

We crossed paths later at the parking lot for tailgate beers and discovered that this is the “Jake” who asked you for advice on Steelhead fishing earlier this year and you responded on your blog. Jakes brother Garret caught the fish I landed and it is my understanding that Jake took one out of the Pie Hole later in the day. They have both lost their Steelhead virginity. I expect we will cross paths again.

I remain the man with two big balls. A 25″ male out of the Transition Wood Hole. Jeff also landed one from the Goldstein Hole. I hooked another one near the Pampas Grass, on a Big Ugly – it broke me off.”

Congratulations Jake and Garret, small world ain’t it?

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