"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin."
-- Linus in "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"
Of the many things I thank fishing for giving me, not the least is the time I have spent on the water with people, strangers and buddies alike. There is no better place than on the water to get to know someone or uncover something fresh and unpredicted about a friend, even if that means comparing notes after a day spent separated by half a mile of stream. Fishing is the ultimate equalizer. I feel more connected at the roots while fishing with my kids, and since I have spent time with movie stars and veterinarians and Secretaries of the Navy and trust-fund hippies and CEOs and trash truck drivers trying to catch difficult fish, I've gotten to witness how the good and the bad melts into a common and undeniable humanity. It is, as they say, all good.
So whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or the harvest moon or just taking time to call family or entertain neighbors today, we hope you're reminded of what good company is: not always what we expect, but often what we need. Everyone brings something to the table, sometimes even bait fishermen.
Marshall: Great sentiment and observation. Although I'd have to observe that some bait fishermen bring week old nightcrawlers to the table. Come to think of it, there are some fly anglers who manage to make a floaty toad smell like roadkill. Have a good holiday and thanks for the insights.