So You Won the Lottery?
So you win the Powerball drawing and come into a cool $400-million give-or-take, after Uncle Sam gets his bite. What would you do with it?
First, and much to the chagrin of my Lake Kiowa, Texas, friend, I would start looking for a lakefront house on Lake Kiowa, just north of Lake Ray Roberts, here in North Texas. And just for grins, I would buy as close to my friend as possible (neighbors if possible). I’d probably blow all my leaves into his yard just for a laugh. The Lake Kiowa Hillbillies have arrived! That would use up a couple mill. I figure if I have to live here (in North Texas), I may as well live there. You’re invited up to fish anytime you want, but you have to go home! Lake Kiowa is such a great little secret.
From our new lakeside home, I would book fly trips like those offered at Tailwaters – http://travel.tailwatersflyfishing.com – starting with the first calendar date, and on from there. Just for good measure, I would take a look at Steve Hollensed’s trips – to Montana’s Healing Waters Lodge http://www.flywaterangling.com/healing-waters-lodge.html and probably doubling down on Belize – El Pescador Lodge http://www.flywaterangling.com/el-pescador-lodge—belize.html. And since our other local Orvis Endorsed Guide Rob Woodruff spends a lot of time and effort guiding at Bend-Bow (Beaver’s Bend) Oklahoma, I might as well foot the bill to have all the bridges, roads and fly fishing infrastructure repaired, replaced and/or upgraded to the point where it will withstand future flood events (that are sure to come). If I don’t take care of these two great guides, I figure it’s just a matter of time before one or the other of them will start slumming … for carp on Ray Roberts. Those Bend-Bow repairs will make a dent in the funds though.
I would probably have to look at a few new homes along the Gulf of Mexico as well. We could start at South Padre Island and Port O’connor. Maybe I am still thinking too small? How about a house in the Keys and one in Belize too? All I need is a place to hang my Kammok, and I’m set. Where would you buy?
Now you have to realize; I would have already taken care of any family matters, done my tithe, and set up a few perpetual scholarships at my alma mater, donated to cancer research for men’s HPV – all before the spree. The wife gets whatever she wants (of course).
Obviously there would be all new camera gear starting with the new Nikon D5. My underwater housing would be an Aquatica for the D5. a I’d probably need a drone, maybe a helicopter instead? The new Nikon Key Mission 360 camera? Yes, of course. You think fly fishing is expensive? Try being a professional photographer sometime! What would you buy?
It would be hard to load my old fly gear on a chopper for Kamchatka, so there are a handful of rods and reels I need to get my hands on. All Hatch reels of course, but in pink/clear and engraved with a unique symbol of some kind. Rods? Every weight of the G Loomis NRX Saltwater line http://www.gloomis.com/content/g-loomis/us/en/home/fly-fish/rods/saltwater/NRX_SALTWATER.html of course, and in one http://www.gloomis.com/content/g-loomis/us/en/home/fly-fish/rods/saltwater/NRX_PRO1.html and four piece. Still the “fly frugalist” – I have no interest in bamboo, but some sensitive Sage trout rods and a couple custom Epic glass rods would make the new quiver. What would you buy?
Boat? Well, there would be a new Panga to go with the Lagoon, but I am not interested in going all the way down that road, even if I could. My boats will just become part of the journey, and travel to where they’re needed.
I would finally have the time to start a new fly fishing club … or maybe just buy up an already existing organization and clean house – top down? No, good old capitalist competition should take care of those guys. Common sense says I’d have to host the F3T here in Denton this year for sure. The new club-organization would offer annual college scholarships to high school age fly fishers who show their passion for fly fishing by doing and writing (an essay).
By now, my family would have me committed and would have taken control of the rest of the money, so I would just enjoy the works and sit back on my porch in the Keys, or Port O or Belize …
Oh yeah, did I tell you how many multiple lottery winners there are? I know how they do it. So I would have to keep playing the lottery too! What would you do?
Remember! You have to play to win! 57 | 61 | 4 | 29 | 10 | 25
Category: Adventure, Complimentary Reading, Culture on the Skids, Destination Fly Fishing, Equipment, On The Road, Writing
