| |
|
|
 |
|
More 2009 E-mails...
George,
I would like to thank you once again for a great weekend
filled with lots of action. Fighting steelhead until your
arm burns and your hand goes numb is a feeling that everyone
needs to experience! I know I shook your hand after landing
my hardest-fought steelhead but I have to admit that I
couldn’t feel a thing!... Also,
watching you work with Chad Drawbaugh fighting and landing
his monster steelhead from wading and then seamlessly to
your boat was nothing short of impressive! Great memories!
It is a privilege to fish with you and learn from you. I
look forward to the next trip!
Dave Maldonado,Nov.6/7th trip
Frank and I want to thank you again for a terrific day on
the Salmon River. It takes 2- crazy guys and 1 - crazy guide
to endure the weather that we did! By 7:45 am, you had me
into my first Steele Head at a balmy -9 degrees, I think I
saw the first drift boat come by us about 9:30. I talked to
other guys who fished with guides that day and did not get
into as many fish as we did, plus when we told them we had
hot breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers, Hot Chocolate and
coffee thru the day, they were in envy of our trip and swore
they were going to book their next trip with you! Thanks
again for a great trip. We'll be calling you to book another
trip soon!
John Zargiel and Frank Buccheri
George, what can I say, Thank you very much I had another dream
weekend. I wanted a rewarding weekend with my brother and I got
it many times over! I really appreciate all the time you gave us
this weekend, I truly hold an enormous amount of respect for
you, we were absolutely wore out come Sunday afternoon. Chris
has been infected with the fever and thinks you’re the best
thing since sliced bread; he truly had a great weekend, thanks
to you. It was a great weekend with a great friend, a great
brother, LOTS of fish, good food, many laughs’ and the typical
unpredictable Pulaski weather. I added more photos of just
awesome fish to my album but the real reward is all the great
memories I will have of this great weekend. I look forward to
learning more from you and I am counting the days to my next
trip. Chad
George,
We had a wonderful time and look
forward to going out with you again. I have passed the word
on to several of my other fishing friends, including a
couple of total fly fishing purists, in hopes of convincing
them of the merits of your approach and setup. I really
enjoyed the day, and what the heck, we also caught some
great fish. Thanks for the pictures. I don't think Jim's
feet have touched the ground yet.
Joe Costello
Thank you George! We talked the entire trip home with 85% of the
conversation being about our weekend. I believe the introduction
of you
and the river to Jeff made a real impact, he really enjoyed
himself. I
as always enjoyed myself, I do admit that with the time up until
I
caught I was having mixed feelings, super excited Jeff was able
to catch
but somewhat depressed I was not able to enjoy a little head
action, I
am only human. But as I settle back into the work week and
telling
everyone of my weekend, I realize I have a memory of a weekend
that will
forever be with me that kind of set's itself apart from the
others; not
that I will forget about the great day's with big numbers.
This weekend had high's and low's which has made me realize how
fortunate I have been, we may have not caught large #'s of fish
but for
me one is all I really ever need to make me happy. I witnessed
and
enjoyed some great experiences this weekend, great friends,
Jeff's first
catch, a seagull catching a juvenal steelhead, a spawning
female, great
weather, learned a great amount of how to fish higher water,
witnessed a
beautiful clear morning with the moon and the reflection off the
water,
I absorbed all kind's of scenery, I was able to relax as always
(not
thinking about work)and within the last few hours it was all
capped off
by my friend and my guide with two great fighting and absolutely
stunning steelhead.........................................My
enthusiasm
in explaining this past weekend has been just as elevated as a
double
digit day...................................I had a very
rewarding day
on the river!!!
Chad Drawbaugh
Hey George, It's Chris. I'd just like to thank you again today for
helping me and for mostly helping my dad learn the correct way
to land a steelhead. He's been trying for such a long time now.
You should of heard him in the truck on the way home, he wouldnt
shutup about it. I havnt seen him this happy in a long long
time. After many trips up to the DSR, i almost lost faith in
this kind of fishing, But after today and with the tips you
taught me, Its going to be apart of my life from now on. Thank
you for that. We will be back up there in the Fall. We want to
go the wensday after labor day. Not sure on what date it is
exactly but definetly that wensday rain or shine! You can send
the pictures back to my email.
Thanks again George,
Chris
George, what can I say, Thank you very much I had another
dream weekend. I wanted a rewarding weekend with my brother
and I got it many times over! I really appreciate all the
time you gave us this weekend, I truly hold an enormous
amount of respect for you, we were absolutely wore out come
Sunday afternoon. Chris has been infected with the fever and
thinks you’re the best thing since sliced bread; he truly
had a great weekend, thanks to you. It was a great weekend
with a great friend, a great brother, LOTS of fish, good
food, many laughs’ and the typical unpredictable Pulaski
weather. I added more photos of just awesome fish to my
album but the real reward is all the great memories I will
have of this great weekend. I look forward to learning more
from you and I am counting the days to my next trip. Chad
P.S. Don’t forget to look up the model # of the Coleman
stove you want! We laughed and talked the entire ride home
about our adventure but we must of laughed the hardest
talking about your ESP on the bite of one my fish at the
barrel, Chris and I both think you truly have ESP!!!!!! LOL
Feb.21,2009 Char and Chris Drawbaugh
Hi George,
A few years ago you guided my
son, Woody, my husband, Pierre, and me on a one-day trip on
the Salmon River. It was a great day and an introduction
for us to that type of fishing. Since we live in the
Adirondacks we were more used to backwoods fishing for brook
trout. In fact Woody's passion for fishing as he grew up
here prompted us to give him that trip with you for his
birthday.
Well Woody is now 19 and his
passion for fishing remains strong. He is now a freshman at
SUNY ESF in Syracuse, majoring in Aquatics and Fisheries
Biology. While he is enthusiastic about the college, his
coursework, and his future goals, he is not quite at home in
the city of Syracuse. We are pleased to report that he has
been spending quite a bit of time fishing at the Salmon
River. The techniques you showed him have helped him to be
successful catching some beautiful steelhead. As parents we
are thrilled that his interests are in the river, and his
"needs" are new wading boots and a different fly rod! His
stories of parties, drinking, and hanging out are of other
students, not him. Since you may not always be able to
realize the influence you have on the lives of folks you
guide, I thought you'd like to hear of this good news.
Best wishes!
Carolyn Cyr
|
| |
We had an amazing time despite the Arctic conditions, we'll see what our wives say about a spring trip but there definitely will be another one. This was the first time we ever had a guide in all the years we've been fishing and I just want to tell you that you were nothing but professional, courteous and very knowledgeable. We learned a lot from you. Thanks for catering to our needs and letting me throw your fly setup around. Oh yeah, you also got us into a lot of fish!
|
|
 |
|
|
George,
Thanks again for a great fishing experience on Saturday. We had a great
time and really appreciated your advice and help. We fished where you suggested, using the rigs you recommended
and once again proved the adage that 10 percent of the fishermen catch
(well, at least hook 'em when it comes to steelheads!!!) 90 percent of the
fish.
We fished from about 6:45 to 11:30 this morning. I hooked seven and landed
three, PJ had a more difficult day, hooking seven, but only landing one.
However, he got beat up by two very large steelheads, who both decided to
head toward Lake Ontario when he hooked them!!! Our day was by far the best
day at the parking lot. Thanks again for the tip on where to fly fish.
(Actually not really sure that the "chuck and duck" techniques we were
using, especially with your weight system, would make into Fly Fisherman
magazine, but we did catch steelheads!!!)
I think PJ and I graduated from George O'Brien's Steelhead High School after
this weekend!!!! Looking forward to "graduate work" in January or February
and "Post Doc" work in April.
Take care and have a great Thanksgiving and wonderful holidays, especially with the new grandbaby!!
Jeb and PJ. |
| |
|
| |
I love your reports! It's great to get outdoors and be part of God's great creation, whether the fish are biting or not.
I thought I'd share this with you cause your name came up at the dinner table last night.
My son and I will never forget you and talk about you often. Five years ago, we were fishing above you in the DSR when my son, 14 at the time, landed his first steelhead. Then he released it. You came up and shook his hand and said great job. That fish and you made his day. You pulled me to the side and said that we should get fly rods and give them a try for salmon and steelhead. Well...I took your advice and now my spinning gear is covered with dust.
You never know when you're going to change another's life.
Thanks for all that you do,
|
|
|
| |
HM (George)Most of the time it's best to be humble. But today requires extra special acknowledgements and sense of pride. Your approach and abilities in sharing your knowledge of fishing and life were very evident today. You are commended, and will be forever remembered, for this special day. And, yes, I am proud of my son. Once a rebel, he is now coming around to appreciate nature and the people that love nature.
Thank you for being a role model of his maturation.
It was very nice to talk to Caitlin today. She is silently, yet clearly, thankful for what you do for her. And, she ties a very nice fly.
Mike |
| |
|
