A Reflection on 2022

This reflection on 2022 shared by Hans Mylant, Angler’s Covey Guide and Floor Manager on the retail team, captures so much about the beauty of the sport and the camaraderie that can happen on the river.

The most impactful experience of my first season as a fly fishing guide was taking a gentleman with Multiple Sclerosis fishing. This gentleman, let’s call him Jim, is married, and his wife accompanied him on this fly fishing adventure. Before we headed to the river, his wife shared that she and her husband had discussed some mobility concerns before the trip. Jim responded, “What’s the worst that can happen? I sit by a river in Colorado for a couple of hours.”

I was assigned this lovely couple as my clients on a group trip. As it turned out, Phil Tereyla was on the trip as well, and his clients didn’t show up. I was fortunate enough to have this all-star guide, one of the best in the business, join me. As a new guide, I listened and watched as Phil created a fly fishing experience just as he would any other client. Phil wouldn’t allow Jim’s limitations to become a barrier to the best fly fishing trip that Phil could deliver.

I truly felt inspired.

Hans Mylant

We set a chair up in the middle of the river for Jim. With Phil giving instruction at his side, Jim proceeded to fly fish while sitting in the chair. After making a few drifts through a stretch of river, Jim and Phil would relocate the chair upstream a few feet. Jim made some casts into that run for a few more passes.

I took his wife slightly downstream and we worked that area of the river. Both of them caught fish that day.

This outing was an experience I won’t ever forget. I learned from both of them: Jim wouldn’t let the crappy hand that life dealt him get in the way of doing the things he wants to do. Phil problem-solved and met the challenges. I felt truly blessed to be a part of this day on the river.

These types of experiences are the reason I love what I do.