Thread: flyfisher111

Hello, everyone. I'm Carey Mitchell, AKA flyfisher111, here in NW Georgia of the USA. I retired in 2014 (actually, pushed out the door for a cheaper model) at age 70. I started my own consulting company the next day, and am still doing some expert witness work and also have a federal contract to audit a couple of laboratories per year. (consulting for lawyers (barristers?) for my old company; at twice my old salary!)

I started knocking around woodworking about 45 years ago but got serious about 15 years ago. My current interest is 18th century furniture. I am currently working on a federal style cellarette in sapele, with fan inlays and stringing. After the frustrations on this piece, it may well become firewood. I have built 2 in the American southern style, which are simplistic compared to this.

Other interests are photography and fly fishing. I am currently working with 2 groups, assisting veterans who want to learn fly fishing. One group, veteransflyfishing.org, has access to a private waters on a mountain stream, owned by a vineyard. The fish are well fed and some are huge; I landed a 29 inch rainbow last month on a 4 weight rod. The vineyard normally charges US$350 per day to fish, but allows us to bring up to 8 veterans on 2 Mondays per month - free! We supply all equipment, waders lunch and a personal certified guide, of whom I am one. Great opportunity. The other group, the Cohutta Chapter of Trout Unlimited, teaches fly fishing tor veterans (disabled get preference), beginning with "this is a fish." Classes culminate with a day on the water at the vineyard.

We also started a fishing club here in our retirement community of 840 homes (AKA, the "wrinkle ranch"). We hoped for 10 members,but 52 showed up and still growing. I am teachinf fly casting, fly tying, rod building and whatever else crops up.

I was truly worried about retirement, as I have known too many who went home, sat down and were dead within a few years. Now, turning 79 tomorrow, I am too damn busy to worry.