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Hey Guys!

Welcome to the 26th Issue of Guys Fishing Weekly!

Thanks for spending even just a little of your week with us. We are grateful for you!

Enjoy,

- The GFW Boys

What is GFW? Well, imagine a sleeve of Oreo’s, some jelly, and six guys out getting wet with our rods, in the search for better understanding of ourselves and our fellow friends. But if that didn’t give you the right imagery, here is the summary:

An extended weekend away from the regular trials and tribulations of daily life, for you and your fellow men to connect and bond around a common adventure. In our case, this adventure is Fly Fishing.

But we assume you want more than that, because, well it is a lot more than that. So, here we go.

“GFW” stands for Guys Fishing Weekend, probably not shocking, as you are reading this on a website named the same. Now fundamentally, our GFW is just a group of men, who at the core are considered friends, meeting for an extended period of time away from family and the rhythm of everyday life. During this regularly occurring meeting (our main event is annually, but that doesn’t stop us from getting together for other outings throughout the year), there are a handful of activities that are traditionally done. Our days consist primarily of fishing during the day, bookended with family-style breakfasts and dinners, with a nightcap of poker.

Beyond that GFW devolves into a bunch of inside jokes and strange-to-outsider traditions that have been organically grown over the last 27 years.

However, this is a simple description; like an onion, there are deeper layers to GFW that hold much more meaning and are more difficult to explain.

Life’s Measuring Stick

When we first started GFW, we didn’t think what we are about to say next was evident or even something that we would eventually be yearning for. In the world we live in today, being a man around other men is a behavior that is ever evolving. When you first get together, many relationships are pretty surface level or transactional. But as these relationships mature and true experiences are had together, things change.

There is something about being a man around other men for extended periods of time. Maybe it is a coming-of-age thing. Or a right-of-passage. But when men get together in groups away from their routines, it becomes a safe space, where insults fly, secrets are run through litmus tests of other’s opinions and mentorships are formed. In this place you know that you can speak in confidence.

GFW is a type of annual measuring stick for your psyche, to show you aren’t crazy, and life is just as much of a struggle for the next guy. It is true connection.

In a world of social media highlight reels and many people (especially men) incapable of vulnerability, it is easy to float through life unsure if you are the only one who has it tough. We look around and see everyone else seemingly happy with a smiling family dressed in matching outfits and a perfectly combed golden retriever by their side. But in my world, just getting my daughter to school everyday and putting a home cooked meal on the table instead of Chipotle, feels like a Jedi level accomplishment.

But when we get together with the guys, some of whom have those beautiful highlight reels, we are able to level-set and realize we are doing fine. They too put their pants on one leg at a time.

Conversations

In real life, many of the conversations with your buddies happen in 15 minute increments, averaging 30 minutes and run up to an hour in length. Not sure why this timing nomenclature is a thing, but I blame the lawyers of the world.

During these brief conversations we typically have a very surface level conversation. “How are things?” and “How are Stacy and the kids?” make up the bulk of the conversation. Then you lean into what upcoming trips everyone has planned, and then things turn to “How is work?” and “Is there anything I can help you out with?” After that, the conversation is over. There is no depth, as all the answers are usually a front to show that you are a strong man with his house in order.

But when you have a GFW, conversations are different; conversations get real. A question as simple as “How are the kids?” turns into an hour long diatribe about how little Billy is struggling at school and you feel helpless and unable to help. Your conversations show the cracks in the highlight reels. You realize we all have struggles. And sometimes you find out that you truly can lend a helping hand. “Have you ever tried this or thought about it this way?” The depth of learning from these conversations have played a vital role in making all of us who attend GFW better at the roles we take on in life.

Camaraderie

For us, the days of sports teams and Friday night lights are long past. Or maybe you are no longer active in the military and have lost your crew. Or maybe you recently graduated college and no longer have your roommates to play video games until the wee hours of the morning. Whatever the case, life evolves and pulls us in different directions; your world can start to feel pretty empty. Loneliness is one of the brutal realities of life because it sneaks up on you. Once you notice it, it feels like a ton of bricks you can’t get out from under. It can become dangerous.

I know because I have been there. Working 60+ hours a week in an office with people you enjoy and respect, then losing that to a working from home environment. Believe me, work from home has its perks, but that ton of bricks that sneaks up on you isn’t your house.

Ironically, you aren’t alone in feeling lonely; it is common. We all struggle with it. I would even venture to say, the people you think have it all together, who seemingly are always busy with a great social life, experience loneliness. People don’t like to admit it, especially men because we’ve been told all our lives loneliness is a sign of weakness. But without real camaraderie and connection, where you are seen and heard, it is difficult to avoid feeling alone.

GFW is something that lifts the fog of this feeling. Your crew of guys getting together to actually shoot the shit, the REAL shit, changes everything. This GFW place eliminates all hierarchy and where everyone is on the same playing field functioning as one. Everyone is seen and has some part to add to the team. For lack of a better word you feel “together.” WE feel “connected.”

Adventure

When was the last time you truly had an adventure. No, your week long vacation to an all inclusive resort in Mexico doesn’t count. And while your trip to Europe where you rode the train around to different countries is a little more adventure-ish, it still isn’t. Sorry not sorry.

Oxford defines adventure as, “an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity.” See why we said your train trip wasn’t an adventure? Adventure is meant to push the boundaries. And while getting out of your routine is a good start, it isn’t quite enough.

Now we wouldn’t recommend dialing up a summiting of Mt. Everest as a first adventure. It doesn’t have to be like that. It just needs to be a little bit hard. Whether it is something that you have never done before, or something that just has a slight chance of death, or even something that you would be proud to tell your grandkids about, it should push you out of comfort. These are the types of things you should be considering when you are trying to find adventure.

Sure your life insurance policy might get a little more expensive, but life is meant to be lived. For us, wading out into waist-high river water that makes you think “come on, get this foot down, I am losing balance, come on” is enough to get the juices flowing. For others on the trip, the new hobby of Fly Fishing is enough to stretch the boundaries of life. I personally like being so deep in the backcountry I feel like flight-for-life is my only lifeline, and every noise I hear causes me to look over my shoulder for fear of being some wild animal’s dinner. With a GFW you can dial up your adventure to meet your level.

Conclusion

All of this is why we do a GFW. It creates opportunities for us to live, to be in the moment, to connect, and to share. This is what we strive to create every time out, and we want to inspire you to do the same. It is possible to break the cycle of monotony in your daily life because we have done it. We are confident in that.

For those who already have a GFW experience, we want to hear about them; for those who don’t, we want to encourage you to create one. Whatever you need to help you get there, is what we are here for. We believe in the power of connection so feel free to reach out and connect.

Let us know what you need, but for your sake, just get out there! Let us know how we can help; the joy of GFW alone is worth it!!

Quote of the Week

What We Are Watching

Cache of Gold: Fly Fishing the Eastern Sierra for Golden Trout

Fish of the Week

@kornilovrus’s Fall Arctic Char

One Fly Pattern

@frank.bassard’s Egg Laying Caddis

One Cause to Learn About

The Mayfly Project

The Mayfly Project is a 501(c)(3) national organization that uses fly fishing as a catalyst to mentor and support children in foster care. The Mission of The Mayfly Project is to support children in foster care through fly fishing and introduce them to their local water ecosystems, with a hope that connecting them to a rewarding hobby will provide an opportunity for foster children to have fun, build confidence, and develop a meaningful connection with the outdoors.

Website | Instagram

Nuggets for Nibblin’

Productive = Time Blocking

Are we all going to own boats?!

Affirmation Workouts

Sugar Detox

Merch is Coming…

#River Thoughts

• Most animals have never burned the inside of their mouth. (Source: Reddit)

• People who don't lock their doors at night feel safer than people who do lock their doors at night (Source: Reddit)

• They only had to change the word ‘snake’ to ‘essential’ to get us buying these oils again. (Source: Reddit)

• Intentionally losing in rock, paper, scissor is as difficult as winning it. (Source: Reddit)

The World is So Cool

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