"hiouchibear" wrote in message
nk.net...
Ray Chandler, fly fishing guide who worked out of San Clemente, CA and
fished the salt waters to the south and into Mexican waters, died of
cancer a couple of weeks ago at 62 years of age. Ray was the consummate
outdoorsman and a true "man's man". He began his guide service on the
Klamath river in CA, later migrated to Alaska where he obtained his
captain's papers, guided there for awhile and then moved to San Clemente.
He specialized in fly fishing for all large game fish and guided many
clients as they entered a new level of fly fishing. I can still remember
Ray's phone call to me the day after he hooked and landed his first
sailfish on a fly. He was never happier than with friends or clients on
the water. He was a man of character who said what he meant and meant what
he said. You could trust Ray...with anything. He had moral and physical
courage and was always there for close friends and family. After Ray left
the Pacific North Coast, he and I met on the Klamath River to fish
together every Labor Day for over two decades.

We began our friendship in 1971, as young patrol officers in the same
police department...and fellow fly fisherman. We bonded quickly. We
caught a lot of salmon and steelhead on the Eel river during that river's
better years and we caught our share on the Trinity, Mad, Van Duzen,
Mattole and other west coast rivers before Ray was injured on-duty,
forcing an early "retirement" and the beginning of his guide service. My
last trip with Ray was Labor Day, 2004. That was to be our final trip
together, after being fishing partners for over thirty years. I will miss
Ray's opinionated banter, his sense of humor, his love of fine scotch and
good cigars and his passion for fly fishing. Aside from my father, he is
the only man I have ever fly fished with that fished with such focused
intensity. He will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know him.
I'm sure that both he and my father, who I lost a little over two years
ago, have already found a river full of fish and are standing chest deep
in the cold waters, side by side, fly rods in hand...and very happy. I
just hope they save a fish or two for me.

Barry Brown
Hiouchi, CA

Very touching,
Our warmth to you, his family and friends.
Thanks for sharing,
-tom