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"It was also about this time that we became aware of the work a fellow VFS’er, Katya Bowen, was doing with a charity called Casting for Recovery..."It was at this meeting that a critical element of what is now known as the Clan was formed.

Jim Keough, of Keough Hackles, had a booth set up selling his wares. I wanted a Cree Hackle. Jim had a sign announcing that he was giving away a wader bag with every Master Tyer’s Grade Hackle (actually, back then he called them No. 1 Hackles). He also had a Cree Hackle. So I sauntered up to the booth, laid down my money and received a beautiful Creek Hackle and the butt-ugliest wader bag you have ever in your life seen. It was an extremely well made bag, crafted of cordura nylon with extra-heavyweight zippers, buckles and straps, but it was the gosh-awfullest shade of purple that has been seen outside a professional ‘rasslin’ ring since Gorgeous George hung up his boots. Ed Laine and Gene Langston were not kind in their comments regarding the peculiar hue of the bag. Jim Keough would not take the bag back. So I found myself stuck with it.

Later that spring, Ed Laine, Bruce Harang and myself met up in North Carolina to fish and a friendship was hatched…mostly over single malt scotch and snide comments about the ridiculous purple wader bag I carried around like a leper’s cloak. Ed and I fished together a few more times and then I came up with this idea to get all interested folks from the VFS board together for a fish-in. Ed and I worked on it for a few months and finally decided to put it together in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

It was also about this time that we became aware of the work a fellow VFS’er, Katya Bowen, was doing with a charity called Casting for Recovery (CFR). CFR, if you aren’t aware, is a charity that works with women who are suffering from, or recovering from, breast cancer. In essence, they take ladies fly fishing. I admit that when I first heard of it, I thought that it was a bit silly. These women were suffering from an often fatal disease. Why would they want to go fly fishing? But Seline Skoug of CFR relayed a story to me of one particular woman’s journey. The lady had terminal cancer. CFR took her fly fishing for the very first and only time of her life. She was in such pain that she was outfitted with a morphine pump and had to be helped into and out of the river by the CFR guides. The red gods smiled that day and the lady caught a fish. A week or so later, the woman wrote a letter to CFR thanking them for the trip and telling of what a wonderful time she had had. The letter went on to explain how that had been the first time in months that the lady had been able to focus on something other than her disease. The lady died some weeks after writing the letter.

Ed and I decided that what we were then calling the “VFS Camp Meeting” should help raise money for CFR. Ed Laine worked hard in setting up the auction and in soliciting and handling contributions of goods and money made by other members of the VFS board, as well as by merchants. When we all met in Bellefonte in June 2003, it rained pretty much the entire weekend. The CFR auction was held in a pigeon and bat dropping infested barn and an absolutely wonderful time was had by all, including our raising a significant amount of money for the charity, with the Orvis Foundation and an unnamed contributor matching the funds we raised. Charley Meck donated books, Fred Bridge showed off Pink Worms, Ed and I stole Mark Wendt's and Craig Lambeth's whisky, Dee Lehmann drank ours, Richie Farino started his work with manufacturers to donate stuff, Sante Giuliani made a mean red sauce and the finest collection of single malt whisky in the USA was assembled in one place…and enjoyed by a bunch. We even hosted our first ever knighting of a new member of the Olde Order of Purple, Tony Delaney.

The name “Gathering of the Clan”, or “GOTC” was authored by Edward Laine who borrowed it from an inscription above a bar in Scotland. Ed caught a rather large salmon one day from the cold waters of the river near by. The hoteliers that ran the bar and the hotel wrapped the fish in fine linen and set it out on a table in the foyer for all the guests to wonder about. An older Scot in the back of the bar asked "Who caught the fish?" "Ach, it was the big Yank!" came the reply.

We are a Clan, we members of the GOTC. The GOTC is a family of fellow fly fishers who understand their role in making the world they live in a better place…and who don’t mind having a helluva time while they do it. Being a Clan member ain’t easy. One must have a thick skin. You have to have a sense of humor. And you better love fishing and people.

Since that 2003 meeting, we’ve had Gatherings in New York, Virginia, North Carolina and soon, in Maine. And we are the single largest non-corporate, non-foundation giver to Casting for Recovery. Ed Laine and our members helped Joel Stewart start the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing to give our service members in Iraq an outlet for their fishing passions. We helped provide funds for a young Marine, the son of a Clan member, who was seriously wounded in Iraq.

The GOTC has now started its own website, thanks to the hard work of Greg Holland. We look forward to having you join us at one of the Gatherings. We look forward to helping you find ways that you can contribute to make the world a better place, not just for fishing, but for living.

Oh, and that purple bag? Well, it was the inspiration for GOTC. It was the inspiration for the Olde Order of the Purple (OOPS), a select group of members who are admitted based upon their generosity and hard work in supporting GOTC charities. And it was the inspiration for Fred Bridge to look up under my kilt one day in Roscoe, New York.

Did I mention Fred lost most of his hair that day?

See you on a stream somewhere!

Doug Gilmore ©2007

 About the Author...Doug Gilmore of Adaire, GA, was instrumental in the founding of GOTC gatherings and their support of Casting for Recovery. Besides fly fishing, Doug enjoys bird hunting, woodworking and fine scotch.