William Rumley "The Gift"

Some fly fishers are not generous. They keep secret what’s working for them on the stream. However, most I have encountered are generous. I remember the first time I was given an anonymous gift—and it happened while fly fishing, from another fly fisher.

I was on a small Pennsylvania stream in the early days of my fly fishing journey with my wife at the time. We went our separate ways—me fishing upstream, her hiking downstream.

That day, I was using some of the first flies I had ever tied. I wasn’t having much luck—not a single bite. I began doubting whether tying my own flies was worth the effort, wondering if I should just buy them from a trusted local fly shop instead.

A while later, my wife and I met again. In her hand were three flies. During her walk, she had met an older gentleman who was also fishing. When she mentioned that I was up the stream, he handed her three flies he had tied—trico  patterns—and said, “Have him try these.”

Skeptically, I tied on one of the gifted flies. Almost immediately, I began catching fish.

The gift did more than just lead to a few successful catches—it restored my confidence and excitement in tying my own flies.

My mystery mentor taught me something more enduring than technique: the importance of generosity. Sharing knowledge and flies with others on the stream spreads joy and deepens connection. Since then, I’ve always carried extra patterns to share, hoping to pass on that same quiet gift.