As I was searching thru some old stuff and came across a sloth or rag as we call them now.It's an old one built and designed by my good friend and fishing mentor Willie Williams formerly of McCleary no he resides in Heaven,I met Willie about 20 years ago on the shores of the Satsop,here was this guy next to me just pounding the silvers he must have landed 4 fish in the span of about 25 minutes,I helped him land his last one after untangling it from a snag ,we stuck up a conversation and a friendship began.He was using this fuzzy lookin contraption that I had never seen before,He called it a sloth ,in the years to follow we caught everything from steelies to sringers they are amazing.As I stand here holding this last one, I didn't even realize I still had 1 of willies last rags its all chewed on and faded but it's a thing of beauty to me this goes into the collection,I know Willie would say it was a waste not to fish it because it still has lots of fish in it.Willie lost his battle with cancer 5 years ago ,He was one of the good guys, I will miss him ....fish on Budda ( Willies nick name) so when was the first time you saw a rag...thanks for letting me ramble
Tight Lines All....

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FISH ON ------<*)>><

[This message has been edited by Steelheader boy (edited 03-14-2000).]

Very special story!!! I think you should save the rag too!!!

I'm sorry you lost your friend Buddha! Sounds like he would have beena cool guy to know!!!

I STILL haven't made myself any rags! They seem so goofy...even though I KNOW all the stuff I read and hear tells me to get my butt into Eagle and get some fixin's for some!!!

I hope you're getting a chance to get out on the water! Thanks again for sharing your story!!! That crummy cancer tried to take me too!!! But I'm still here!!! Guess I still have fish to catch and friends to make!!!

L

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"Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds!" Albert Einstein

We all need mentors like Willie. I had the opportunity to befriend to older guys from Amanda Park a few years ago. Both are great outdoorsmen.One is a logger The other is an ex logger now fulltime fishing guide. I would always ask for information and secrets but I dont think I could have pried it out of George with a crowbar I think things like secrets are different when you depend on it to make your living. Thanks to Reeltruth also.
But one day Pat the logger came by my place of employment in Aberdeen and gave me this gallon size ziplock bag full of little white things with yarn and he said Dont tell George I gave you these". And he showed me how to make them and told me why the were so effective. The history behind the rag is that some costruction workers had some time off years ago so the were going fishing and one guy came up with the Idea about the foam backing and the original river that they were used on was the Humptulips.
Thank You.

SM- Thank you for the comment. Glad to contribte where I can.-- Steel.boy- I remember from close to 25 years ago a prominate guide that lived on the Kalama R. by the name of Rick Johnson. He also sold Alumaweld driftboats (I bought one from him) & some tackle. He had a Steelhead drift lure he called the "Sputnik". I remember it looking just like the rags of today, maybe a tiny bit smaller; they worked.- Sorry to here about your friend Wille. I just yesterday got a dianosis of early prostrate cancer- at only 51 years of age. It was discovered by the routine PSA Factor test & subsequent biopsy. I will have it removed in about a month, with a pretty good prognosis of beating it. A message for you men- studies show that too many guys shy away from getting prostrate & colon cancer screening tests by 50. DON'T BLOW THESE TESTS OFF! Catching it early enough provides good chances for a cure! Take care, Steve Hanson

REEL... Hang in there dude. My best freinds dad just beat it. I think his attitude was the cure. After he had his operation last spring we all flew up for a week at rivers inlet looking for kings in july. It was good to be with him because he had us pretty spooked but seems like everthing will be fine. Your posts sound like your the type to keep your chin up and work thru it. He asked that "us boys" all over 40 go and get it ourselves checked out, so we did. Good advice

R T
I think you`ll be okay, they`ve come a long ways towards beating it although catching it early is still the key. Sounds like you have
a good attitude and are a fighter from some of your posts. Get it taken care of and we`ll see you back on the rivers in no time.

Thanks guys and you too Girlie,I was diagnosed with skin cancer it was small but scary alls good now,this spring I had a wonderful thing called a rectal scope ( I'm not a virgin anymore ) things turned out negitive so life goes on ,But please people have a exam, early detection is the key, I just turn 40 even though I refuse to grow up having been a athlete my whole life Played softball for 20 plus years been to 4 world tourneys,won several state titles, but let me tell you this, father time catches up with all of us... men and women.As far as the rag goes I have yet to see a rag designed the way Willie made his ,this is my secret ,catch me on the river I,m the boy on the wing cataraft gray with red accents,fishing a rag you've never seen... I might share maybe...Well its time to take a trip up the Satsop to a special place with a special friend who will always live in my heart...Tight Lines All....

[This message has been edited by Steelheader boy (edited 03-15-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Steelheader boy (edited 03-15-2000).]

Thanks guys so much for the positive thoughts & encouragement. Steel., I had "The Scope" just a bit before the PSA test & it came out all OK. Painless, except I had a good looking nurse back there to assist the doc- I expained to her it wasn't my best side. Made no difference. My top end looks almost as bad (jk- I think). Keep hammerin' them with the rags. And yes, I will be back out on the river for a long while to come! - Steve