NFR Has anyone heard from Old Man Jim? Update: RIP OMJ. Give ‘em hell wherever you are!

Non-fishing related
Pretty easy to see from the 12 pages of this thread that Jim is indeed "still kicking." Don't know, however, if that would make him smile or really piss him off. Most likely both.
 
Chadk said:
When it was time for him to move to Montana, we met one last time and he gave me 2 things .....Second was the real treasure. His marked up map/guide of WA state showing all his favorite skinny water areas with notes and all. I was honored to receive it, knowing it was something he was immensely proud of and it represented so much of his life and passion - yet passing it on to the next generation, knowing he'd never be back and never see that skinny water ever again.
Click to expand...
In the world of WA state internet fly fishing history, that marked-up-map is like the Magna Carta. Or the Declaration of Independence. I'm picturing it getting stored along with the arc of the covenant in this place:
raiderslastscene-magnum.jpg

Worst case scenario it ends up on Antiques roadshow and the appraiser bombs it and deems it useless cos all they're interested in is like hand-carved striped bass poppers, big game reels, stupid wicker creels and atlantic salmon flies.
 
Last edited:
Wadin' Boot said:
In the world of WA state internet fly fishing history, that marked-up-map is like the Magna Carta. Or the Declaration of Independence. I'm picturing it getting stored along with the arc of the covenant in this place:
raiderslastscene-magnum.jpg

Worst case scenario it ends up on Antiques roadshow and the appraiser bombs it and deems it useless cos all they're interested in is like hand-carved striped bass poppers, big game reels, stupid wicker creels and atlantic salmon flies.
Click to expand...

Boot,
Just one small correction since this is OMJ related. “deems it usless“. 😉
SF
 
Last edited:
I missed this thread in my absence over the last little bit. I was curious as I hadn’t seen any correspondence. Josh informed me of the sad news.

I met Jim once at a WFF outing probably 10-12 years ago. I had a beer in one of those Yeti can coolers. He asked me what it was. I said “It’s a can cooler. It’ll keep a beer cold for 5 hours.”. He replied, “What kind of an asshole takes five hours to drink a beer?” Cracked me up. I know I’m late to the party, but R.I.P, OMJ. Tight lines wherever you are.
 
He was a bonafide legend. I only came close to meeting him in person once, but I did converse with him here on occasion. Many memorable group conversations but what stands out were pics of him napping “on the rocks” on a Skagit bar. I miss him too.
 
I bumped into him on the NF Stilly years ago. What a character. He introduced me to the old forum and told me who he was and to look for his posts there. I would’ve asked for his autograph had I only known 🤣
 
I wondered why this showed up again . OmJ went on a gentle hike that we won’t hear about until we catch up with him. I had always hoped he would get out there with the restored boo rod I sent him but did not come to be. So be it. Someone got some use out of it. Hope he is fishing a small creek somewhere in a forever place.
 
Capt Insano Emeritis said:
I wondered why this showed up again . OmJ went on a gentle hike that we won’t hear about until we catch up with him. I had always hoped he would get out there with the restored boo rod I sent him but did not come to be. So be it. Someone got some use out of it. Hope he is fishing a small creek somewhere in a forever place.
Click to expand...
That was the bamboo rod you gave him Capt…..I just Hotrod’d it for Jim!
 
Man, you guys got me going down memory lane so I had to go over to the old site and look up a OMJism. One of my favorites from Feb 11 2003-
"I used to know it all---but now that I'm older I seem to forget it all."

He was only 67 when he said this. He said "68 next mo." He was old forever! :ROFLMAO:

There were so many times I wanted to just stop working, get in my truck and drive to Montana to get him out of the house. One of my biggest regrets... RIP Old Man Jim
 
Capt Insano Emeritis said:
I wondered why this showed up again . OmJ went on a gentle hike that we won’t hear about until we catch up with him. I had always hoped he would get out there with the restored boo rod I sent him but did not come to be. So be it. Someone got some use out of it. Hope he is fishing a small creek somewhere in a forever
Click to expand...

I hadn’t seen him post in a while. A search of his name yielded nothing. I DMd Josh asking about him. He directed me to this thread. Glad he did. Sad and heartwarming at the same time.
 
I reread the entire thread. It left me with sorrow, laughter and most of all, gratitude. OMJ was a gift.
 
I have so many funny Oldman stories and spent so much time driving his fat, stinky self all over the state! I still have a gazetter of his, all marked up! NO, you can't have it. And he made me an OldMan Hat, baby blue..

The funniest story, was only the second time we fished together of many, many trips! Up on the Stilly. I was early on my two handed career and was doing my best to scare the damn fish away while swinging an intruder or whatever.

Smoking my cigar, big surprise there, when I turn around and see OMJ laid out on the rocks. Now I've never been that fast, and have fished with Leland for decades and have learned, don't wake Leland up from a nap in almost any circumstance! Maybe for a bear or meteor shower.. not much else.. and for active fish it's actually required to wake him up. Do it gently.. "Lee, I see fish.. in a soft tone with work!" - ask me how I know.. the Leland may wake up a bit confused, just point him to his rod and he'll finish rebooting and beat you down to the water!

So OMJ is laying on the rocks, I've reeled in and am hurrying up to check on him. I'm about 30 or 40 feet away and say, hey Oldman, you okay! He struggle to sit up, flips me off, of course and says "Fuck off! My back hurts and laying on the rocks helps!".. okay Jim, you fuck off too.. I'll go back and fish! Peace! LOL!

The truly funny part was what I was thinking as I walked up to check on him.. If he had been dead or having a heart attack, I would have had to call 911 and explain to the cops that I met this oldman on the internet! His first name is Jim, I didn't really know anything about him and wasn't gonna do a wallet biopsy.. I'm not digging into his OMJ stinky waders! Hell to the NO!

Just makes me miss the old fucker more! And all the other that I've lost and remember over the years! Cheers to OMJ and his stinky waders and gruff exterior! I'll drink some Jim Beam in your honor!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top