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4th Annual Herzer/Bryant Memorial Benefit Float What: Guided fly fishing trip When: August 14, 2010 Where: Missoula Montana rivers Benefit: Montana Trout Unlimited Donation: $475.00/boat or 237.50 for a seat (you can also sponsor a seat if unable to attend the event) Steve Bryant and Moe Herzer were both avid anglers and big supporters of maintaining our wild trout populations here in Montana - that is why we decided to donate this year's proceeds to Montana Trout Unlimited. As many of you know, we lost a fine friend in a single car accident; October of 2005. Ardent conservationist and fly fisherman, Steve Bryant, spent many days in the 1980’s hunting and fishing the upper reaches of the Big Blackfoot River. Steve’s love of Montana culminated in his building a riverside cabin near Ovando in the early 1990’s, and ultimately moving his family to Missoula in 1998. As if Steve’s loss was not shocking enough for our family and friends, my father, Moe, died unexpectedly in the early morning hours of November 15, 2006 – family by his side. The harsh life of a hard rock miner and smoker (in spite of his ending both nearly 20 yrs ago) quickly took its toll in lung cancer. Inarguably, my father shaped my life and personality more than any other person. At a tender age he taught me the outdoor skills of casting, shooting, fly tying, how to run a boat in heavy water and walk through the woods undetected. But most importantly, he shared with me an uncompromising work ethic, the importance of a strong family, and how to approach every day with a smile. Moe set a wonderful example to follow. For 7 years Steve Bryant would call to find out when my first trip of the year was booked, he’d then book the day prior. He dubbed it my “shake down trip” – getting me back into the guiding groove on the right foot. On a couple trips he invited my father to join us. That spring, I guided Steve’s great friends, Scott and Boo Brooke, down the Bitterroot in order to say our personal final goodbyes to our pal. We donated that day’s proceeds to the Big Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited, which Steve headed for some time. It felt good to give to back to the resource on Steve’s behalf and it got me thinking; why not initiate an annual fishing trip dedicated to Steve and his efforts. My father’s passing only solidified my commitment to some sort of endowment in their names. So, for three years now, we get together with friends and spend a day on the river on Steve and Moe's behalf. We follow up the trip with dinner, drinks and awards - almost as much fun as the fishing. The trip has generated $9,000 for local conservation efforts already and we are aiming for over $5,000 more this year. We hope we can count on you to join us in remembering Steve and Moe and help reach our goal on the August 14th - please call or email with questions or concerns. 406-542-7411 or trout@blackfootriver.com We're on Facebook and YouTube - check it out! We finally succomb to the pressure of the internet and boy are we excited. We've uploaded many videos and photos from years past on both our Facebook page as well as our YouTube account. You can become a "fan" on our Facebook page by clicking back to the homepage and clicking on the Facebook logo. Check out our YouTube videos by logging into the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/bulltrout&rclk=cti
