1. Troutnut Forum
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2. Fly Fishing
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3. Public apology

I admittedly can be egotistical and big headed when it comes to fly fishing and catching larger wild trout. I have rubbed many people the wrong way. I have sometimes inadvertently insulted other fly fishers and made less than flattering comments about how they fish.

My sense of humor has always been droll and over the last ten years or so become somewhat caustic. Perhaps it is because of the anonymous nature of fly fishing forums I feel I can ignite controversy with a remark.

A relative new comer to this forum had enough of my remarks and that I sent his way via more than one PM and made me aware of my offensive ways. I appreciate his candor and I would like to publicly apologize to him and to any other Forum member I may have slighted, or pissed off, over the past eleven years.

Matt,

I've been reading your posts for over a decade and "talk" to you via PM every now and then. I've never been offended by anything you have written.

You're a good man, a good angler and a true sportsman. If you nymph fished you'd be near perfect, but everyone has a fault or two...

Afishinado wrote;



If I nymph fished there might not be enough trout left for you guys!

Oh Matt, we have grown affectionate of your curmudgeonly ways. And as far as I can tell, you have always been generous with knowledge to those who ask (including myself). I hope anyone who was offended has accepted your apology and moved on.

"If I nymph fished there might not be enough trout left for you guys!" OK, at your age and experience level you can get away with that one! He he he...

Jonathon

I will say, the first time you commented on my video's I took the comments the wrong way. Its hard on the internet to understand tone of voice, and unless someone knows you, generally sarcasm isn't understood. You can say "good job" to someone and mean 10 different things depending on tone. Maybe if you find this happen a lot, tone down the criticism for a new person to the forum. At least until they understand your personality and humor. Don't get me wrong, I've offended my fair share of people as well online. Its just hard not to. And its also tough because there is a huge group of people that literally just want to fight with people online. They make stupid heckler comments on things. You are not one of those, but people are already used to this happening, so any time someone says something that could come across the wrong way, they will always take it the wrong way. So we all have to deal with that, trying to overcome other people's intended rudeness when we make comments even with good intentions.

Ive over the last few months have learned your personality, and since have enjoyed our little chats. I would say don't worry too much on who you offend, as long as your heart is in the right place, they can get over it, and at one point they will understand where your coming from and what your real intentions are.

Matt as one crusty older crumdegon to another I have always loved your responses, the kids in the hardware store I work at hate me because I'm scarastic ahole and there boss! 30 years at GM taught me some real lessons in human nature, get a thicker skin and grow up.
Mike.

I don't know you personally, Matt, so I can't comment on whether you are egotistical. I will say that you have been generous with me and sent me sample flies 2 times. I do appreciate that. Maybe someday I'll get to know firsthand if you're egotistical. Many guys I've fished with over the years border on egotistical. It must be a trait of fishers of the fly, HA! I listen, pretend I'm really dumb, and once in awhile I learn something. After 30 years of fly fishing I understand there's still a lot I don't know.

Matt seems like a fine guy , I haven't been here long but he reached out to me right away , we discussed some common areas we both fish and he was kind enough to to reach out to me and offered an opportunity to do some drift fishing , he didn't have to but I think that was pretty kind of him