In Memory of Paul_G

[Maurice]

Our good friend Paul G passed away December 13 after a long battle with health issues including cancer. I will miss him dearly even though we hadn't fished together for some time.

He was a kind gentle soul who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. His presence on the water was that of a stealthy heron. His patience and dedication to a pool would drum up fish where nobody else could. Often with the Orange Ant, a Crowe Beetle or on Clarks his favorite, the Colonel, the Bi-visible. I logged many miles in the seat next to Paul and always enjoyed his company. For an older gent, he liked listening to the Bus, a State College Rock and Roll station. Often breaking into an air guitar riff.

I first met Paul in 1999 at the First Jamboree where he welcomed me into his camper. I had a weekend shift gig and he was retired so our schedules jived well with fishing during the week. And boy did we ever! The Gunpowder, Yellow Creek, Muddy, Codorus, Clarks, Cumberland Valley Limestoners and of course the streams of the State College area where he and his wife Sally had a camper.

I will miss his sharp whit and humor as well as the most graceful cast I have ever seen. We're all gonna miss you buddy, See you around the bend.

I know he has touched many on this site and invite others to share their memories with Paul and any pictures you may have taken.

 

[FarmerDave]

Truly sad news.

I only met him a couple times, but can say without hesitation that he was a great guy.

A small group of us tried to go visit him a couple years ago during the Spring jam, but the flood waters kept us away.

Sorry for our loss.

 

[afishinado]

Thank you for the tribute, Maurice.

Paul was a real gentleman in every sense of the word. God rest his soul.

 

[JackM]

At a loss for words, but here goes:

What a great guy! Sally, please know that Paul was well-loved by people like me that only met him a dozen or so times. My real-life first encounter was my first Jamboree. Morning coffee was at your trailer and I and my son and nephews were welcomed as if it were our home. I have at least one picture from maybe the second or third Jamboree I attended. Maurice was most certainly still asleep:

 

[pcray1231]

RIP,

I only met him in person a few times. But he did come across as a great guy. He will be missed.

Pat

 

[JF_]

I also first met Paul at the initial Jam and have been lucky to be his friend ever since. Whenever I headed to my camper I would first stop at his and have a beverage with him.

I remember in 2004 Paul calling me to let me know about a camper for sale in Hemlock Acres. I bought it within a week.

At nearly every football home game at PSU that I attended I would always give Paul a call before the game, while tailgating, and we'd discuss PSU. He was a great fan of PSU.

I will miss him.

And I'll never forget his immortal "words":

"FPC"

 

[JackM]

Speaking of Paul's musical tastes, I was pleasantly surprised of his fondness for the Rolling Stones.

 

[Rolf]

Maurice we have all lost one of the Good Guys. I never met him but first heard about him through Tim Murphy. After hearing the stories you, Tim and others shared, I viewed him as a friend though never seeing him. God bless……….

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Maurice,

I was lucky enough to fish with Paul and Padraic several times. Tim B and Tony C were along on a few of our trips to Clarks. I can still remember Paul standing on the bank of the Yellow Breeches pointing out fish to me and watching me cast and catch them using my South Bend 359. That had to be well over 10 years ago. Paul said he hated bamboo rods, but he was really impressed by what I could with that one.

We made a few trips together to fish Spring Creek too. My dog Sidney went along and Paul and Sidney really liked each other. Paul had a lot of respect for Sidney because she stole the last steak off Jeff F's brother in law's plate at the first Jamboree. I was terribly embarrassed by that but Paul was proud of Sidney. He never failed to ask me about the steak stealer whenever we met and Sidney wasn't around.

He was a great guy, and he will be missed.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[MD_Gene]

Paul was my "introduction to PAFF". I met him in person at the first jam that I attended in 2001. Maurice, your description of Paul is spot on. He was a kind soul. The morning coffee at his place at the jams were great places to get the day started. And his campfires at night were a nice place to recap the day.

Paul and I shared a passion for Penn State football and we talked about it for hours.

Paul will be missed big time.

The world is truly a lesser place now that he is gone.

 

[Fishidiot]

A sad day for the PAFF community. We have lost a friend.

I'd like to believe that the Great Trout Stream in the Sky looks a lot like Clarks Creek and the many trout respond to small red fire ants. A new guy is wading into that stream right about now.

 

[JackM]

I think this is him:

 

[TimB]

Thanks Maurice. I'll dig through my photo archives this evening and post a few pics. I have several onstream portraits I did of Paul many years back. Thinking back on it, he turned me on to so many streams it's amazing: Clarks, YB, Manada, Muddy, Yellow, Penns, White Deer, BFC, Gunpowder.... He was willing to take novices like me under his wing and in a very quiet and unassuming way, impart some wisdom (and humor). I have so many fond memories of fishing with him and learning a ton about patience and presentation. He was also kind to my daughter, and commissioned her to tie some flies for him when she was just 9 or 10. I'd like to think that I returned the favor by getting him to fish streamers and large terrestrials and fly fish for "those stinky bass"! Although filled with great memories, today is a sad day indeed. He will be missed.

 

[Will]

I had the privilege of fishing with Paul a handful of times and the pleasure of his company a few times more than that. He was an expert angler and a true gentleman. As others have observed, he was extraordinarily generous and welcoming to rookies and to strangers - an especially admirable trait in sport sometimes unfairly maligned as elitist and insular. So shines a good deed, and a good man, in a weary world. Caps off.

 

[krayfish2]

Never had the pleasure of getting to fish with him but we chatted via PM a few times. Seemed like a great guy. RIP Paul.

 

[albud1962]

Maurice wrote:
Our good friend Paul G passed away December 13 after a long battle with health issues including cancer. I will miss him dearly even though we hadn't fished together for some time.

He was a kind gentle soul who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. His presence on the water was that of a stealthy heron. His patience and dedication to a pool would drum up fish where nobody else could. Often with the Orange Ant, a Crowe Beetle or on Clarks his favorite, the Colonel, the Bi-visible. I logged many miles in the seat next to Paul and always enjoyed his company. For an older gent, he liked listening to the Bus, a State College Rock and Roll station. Often breaking into an air guitar riff.

I first met Paul in 1999 at the First Jamboree where he welcomed me into his camper. I had a weekend shift gig and he was retired so our schedules jived well with fishing during the week. And boy did we ever! The Gunpowder, Yellow Creek, Muddy, Codorus, Clarks, Cumberland Valley Limestoners and of course the streams of the State College area where he and his wife Sally had a camper.

I will miss his sharp whit and humor as well as the most graceful cast I have ever seen. We're all gonna miss you buddy, See you around the bend.

I know he has touched many on this site and invite others to share their memories with Paul and any pictures you may have taken.

This really bums me out, thanks for posting Maurice. I was thinking the other day about his dedication to the Fire Ant and I planned on reaching out to share about my recent experiences with said fly on our local waterways, especially on the Breeches. He will be missed.

 

[afishinado]

I went back and read some of PaulG's posts. Here are a few that really summed up his love for PAFF and all the guys on here he called friends.

PaulG wrote:
First of all, Im a troutsnob and a die hard dryflyfisherman. I don't like nymphing, so I have never been good at it, I can do it if I have too. The last few years I have been fishing with streamers, and do catch some fish.

At one time I considered myself a pretty darn good dryflyfisher, but never a all around flyfisherman. These days because of my wading abilities(not so good) and health reason my fishing has really went down hill. I still like to get out there, just have to pick my spots and be careful, it's not about numbers anyway.

My favorite things are fishing new streams and fishing with friends and good people. One of the things I have enjoyed most about my many years at this great sport is, helping other people.

One of the best things, was finding this site, many years ago. I have fished with and have made so many friend. For that I thank Dave Kile!

It's been a wonderful, 30 some years!

PaulG

PaulG wrote:
Isn't it great that we have a site like this to go too. We have these get togethers, we meet new people(good people), make new friends and have a great time.

Im sure glad I found the site many years ago. I would have to say it's one of the best things that happen to me. Over the years I have made many good friends, and continue to do so!

Thanks to Dave and the rest of you people...it's been great!

PaulG

 

[DaveKile]

One of my favorite days out on the water was with Paul and Pad at one of the early Jams. We hit the Little J on a real warm afternoon about 1:30 just above Spruce Creek. There was a lot of sun, but we were under the canopy of the trees. About 2:30 a hatch came out of the some of riffles we very well with some BWO imitations. An afternoon I'll never forget. Sad news indeed about Paul.

 

[rrt]

Also, I am sorry to hear of his passing. Though I never met him, he occasionally calmed me down on here when I was on my high horse. He did it on the board and with a PM or two. His passing is a great loss for everyone who knew him and for others, like me, who knew him on the board. I express my sincere sympathy to his family.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Kray, same thing. We talked about fishing Clarks but never made it happen. I knew his health went downhill over the past few years. So sorry for everyone's loss of a friend.