Thrive: One Less Lawyer
From July 2007
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"I never would have been able to come here without my wife's emotional support," says Blackman. "A lot of spouses don't want to give up the lifestyle, but Carol is happy driving around her old Volvo." Sitting on his desk is her photo, a shot of a smiling brunette in a blue dress. 'Peter's Best Catch Ever' is written on the frame
Shelves Full of Flies
About 4 feet away from Blackman's desk are shelves full of manmade flies: the insects, rodents and other little critters that fish love to eat. While few fish would turn down night crawlers, fish eggs or worms, a fly mimics a specific type of fish's very favorite food, increasing the chance of a bite.
"They're like me when I open the fridge," says employee Al Bunch, contrasting the merits of live bait with flies. "I'm looking for a bottle of Heinz, but my wife bought Del Monte so I don't see any ketchup."
n addition to picking the correct fly for the fish, an angler also has to know how an insect or fish moves through water.
"There is a kind of science to fly-fishing," says Blackman. "Sometimes you will take a minnow and make it look like it's injured and struggling near the surface of the water. This will trigger a fish's response to bite."
Blackman isn't the only one at the American Fly Fishing Company on Fair Oaks Boulevard who spent decades toiling away in the professional world. His partner Eplen spent years as an executive with Sears & Roebuck before opening the 2,000-sq.-ft. shop. Employee Al Bunch dreamt of a house on Folsom Lake. After success as a car salesman, he bought his house and has spent the last 14 years working at the shop.
"There are a lot of fugitives from previous lives here," says Blackman, joking about the shop's 11 full- and part-time employees.
When Blackman first started, he was in charge of the some 1,000 yearly trips the shop sponsors to local fishing spots and farther afield. A guided day trip to nearby locations runs about $375. Trips out of state start around $1,500 and can go up to several thousand dollars for more exotic destinations such as Alaska and South America.
Continued...Prosperity Icon: Career
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