In the same boat
These are difficult times. This pandemic has all of us on edge. Millions of us are under lockdown. Millions more are isolating themselves and practicing social distancing, limiting their personal contact with others. It’s a global pandemic, and it’s serious business. In communities across the US and around the world, we’re all experiencing it. This is a time for us to support each other. After all, we’re all in the same boat.
I’m glad to say that we’re in that boat with the crew at Shannon’s Fly and Tackle Shop in Califon, N.J. This is one of America’s great fly shops. Les Shannon established the shop in 1973. From the beginning, his intent was to serve his customers with the best knowledge, flies, tying materials and products possible. Always a man ahead of his time, Les was a lifelong student of the game, a catch and release angler and an innovative fly tyer. He not only understood entomology and conservation, but he had a vision for the future of conservation in New Jersey.
The keepers of that vision are Jim Holland, George Cassa and Eric Hildebrant. Along with the great staff. at Shannon’s they have worked with the local Ken Lockwood Chapter and the New Jersey Council and partners like the Raritan Headwaters Association, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and New Jersey Highlands Coalition to fund and carry out a host of great projects. In addition, they have involved larger regional organizations such as Friends of the Upper Delaware and William Penn Foundation. Jim is quick to deflect credit from himself and toward others.
He’s right — it’s a team effort. Everything we do at TU is a team effort. We’re asking all 300,000 Trout Unlimited members and supporters to get behind our TU Business Members in these uncertain times. Buy some gift cards — in fact, buy a lot of gift cards. Buy some gear. If you can’t or don’t want to go in person, do it online or by phone. But do it. They aren’t nameless, faceless corporate entities. They’re real people with real families who depend on them. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring some of them here. And we hope you’ll support them all. We’re all part of the TU Team.
For a great look at Jim Holland in action, check out the video from our friends at Tightline Productions:
Jim Holland
Califon, NJ 07830
(908) 832-5736
shannonsfly@gmail.com
www.shannonsflytackle.com