Twisted_1in66
New member
Hi all. Just joined the forum. My name is Dan Gracia and I'm an old fart (74-yrs. old). My 3-loves are fly-fishing, muzzleloading, and performing music.
I've been shooting modern guns since about 1959 or so. Got my first hunting license in 1962 at the age of 12. Hunted ground squirrels to start on Grandpa's ranch then deer when I turned 12. Also learned how to hunt dove, and quail on the ranch. In the 70's to mid-80's I spent a fair amount of time hunting ducks and geese in Oregon, where I'd moved in 1976. Was transferred by Orvis to their home office in Vermont in 1998 and started attending reenactments. Next thing you know I've joined a group and am taking part in them. Had a Traditions flintlock at first that was far from correct for Rev War. It was styled after Golden Age guns. Then bought a beautifully made Early Lancaster .50-cal longrifle that is very correct for as early as the F&I war, but also seen during the Rev War. In 2005 they transferred me to their contact center in Roanoke, VA and I lived near Boones mill in the Blue Ridge mountains just south of Roanoke. Became active in the VA7th reenactment group and also volunteered at Explore Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains about half an hour from home. I could be found at the 1750's Vause stockade there usually one day out of each weekend. One of my main jobs there was teaching folks how to throw a tomahawk - was fun and not as hard as you might think.
I am also a died in the wool fly-fisher. Started fly-fishing and fly-tying in 1976 in Oregon. In 1987 moved back to CA to the SF Bay area. Next thing you know I'm managing the Orvis San Francisco Fishing Department and teaching the Orvis West Coast Fly-Fishing Schools. I was the schools coordinator handling the details with all the places we held our schools, as well as handling the reservations. Cool thing was that anytime there were 5 or more students, I would help teach the schools. I filled those schools up and would average 120 to 140-days a year in the field teaching fly-fishing. Managed to fish Alaska for Sockeye Salmon, trout, Grayling, and Northern Pike. In 1993 I traveled to the Kola Peninsula for Russia (borders Finland inside the Arctic Circle) for Atlantic Salmon. Was an amazing trip where I hooked 40 Altantic Salmon and landed 24 of them. In 1996 I went down to Ascension Bay on the Yucatan Peninsula to fish for Bonefish, Tarpon, and Permit. Caught a lot of Bonefish; the Tarpon had left the area two weeks before I arrived, and I got only one unsuccessful attempt at a Permit. Also caught a bunch of Jack Crevalle and Barracuda. Barracuda were surprisingly fun to fish for and catch.
I wrote the chapter on Hot Creek in Seth Norman's book "Fly-Fishers Guide to Northern California" which was published in 1997 and two article for fishing magazines that were published in 1998. First was "Close Enough to a Dead Drift" published in American Angler magazine in 1998 and the second was a fly-tying article called "Dan's Hopper" that was also published in 1998. I retired from the Orvis Company in 2015 after 27-years of working there and am now living and fishing in my wife's old stomping grounds here in Washington.
I started playing guitar in 1965 and soon after that picked up the bass too. I played in high-school bands in the mid 60's, in college in the late 60's and toured for three years from 1971-1974. Then played weekend gigs after that until 1976 when all my touring gear was stolen. Didn't replace my bass until 1985 but it was 1997 before I could acquire another amp and start gigging again. I was very actively gigging with a couple of groups from 2016 until June of 2021 when we played a farewell party to the local brewpub where we'd hosted Open Mic nights on over 40 Friday nights a year. Have played a couple of gigs since and even became an Endorsed Artist for DNA (David Nordschow Amplification) in 2019. Unfortunately DNA closed their doors in January of 2023 because parts they used in their amps and cabs were no longer available. The weren't just back ordered, the only company that made them went out of business. Still I do manage to play music and have bee found at Open Mic Nights myself playing guitar and singing. Pretty hard to sing along with just a bass, so I leave it at home and take ond of my guitars with me.
Done a lot over the years and I'm very active in the Muzzleloading forum as well as TalkBass Forum too. Looking forward to learning the ropes around here!
So...HOWDY everybody!!
I've been shooting modern guns since about 1959 or so. Got my first hunting license in 1962 at the age of 12. Hunted ground squirrels to start on Grandpa's ranch then deer when I turned 12. Also learned how to hunt dove, and quail on the ranch. In the 70's to mid-80's I spent a fair amount of time hunting ducks and geese in Oregon, where I'd moved in 1976. Was transferred by Orvis to their home office in Vermont in 1998 and started attending reenactments. Next thing you know I've joined a group and am taking part in them. Had a Traditions flintlock at first that was far from correct for Rev War. It was styled after Golden Age guns. Then bought a beautifully made Early Lancaster .50-cal longrifle that is very correct for as early as the F&I war, but also seen during the Rev War. In 2005 they transferred me to their contact center in Roanoke, VA and I lived near Boones mill in the Blue Ridge mountains just south of Roanoke. Became active in the VA7th reenactment group and also volunteered at Explore Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains about half an hour from home. I could be found at the 1750's Vause stockade there usually one day out of each weekend. One of my main jobs there was teaching folks how to throw a tomahawk - was fun and not as hard as you might think.
I am also a died in the wool fly-fisher. Started fly-fishing and fly-tying in 1976 in Oregon. In 1987 moved back to CA to the SF Bay area. Next thing you know I'm managing the Orvis San Francisco Fishing Department and teaching the Orvis West Coast Fly-Fishing Schools. I was the schools coordinator handling the details with all the places we held our schools, as well as handling the reservations. Cool thing was that anytime there were 5 or more students, I would help teach the schools. I filled those schools up and would average 120 to 140-days a year in the field teaching fly-fishing. Managed to fish Alaska for Sockeye Salmon, trout, Grayling, and Northern Pike. In 1993 I traveled to the Kola Peninsula for Russia (borders Finland inside the Arctic Circle) for Atlantic Salmon. Was an amazing trip where I hooked 40 Altantic Salmon and landed 24 of them. In 1996 I went down to Ascension Bay on the Yucatan Peninsula to fish for Bonefish, Tarpon, and Permit. Caught a lot of Bonefish; the Tarpon had left the area two weeks before I arrived, and I got only one unsuccessful attempt at a Permit. Also caught a bunch of Jack Crevalle and Barracuda. Barracuda were surprisingly fun to fish for and catch.
I wrote the chapter on Hot Creek in Seth Norman's book "Fly-Fishers Guide to Northern California" which was published in 1997 and two article for fishing magazines that were published in 1998. First was "Close Enough to a Dead Drift" published in American Angler magazine in 1998 and the second was a fly-tying article called "Dan's Hopper" that was also published in 1998. I retired from the Orvis Company in 2015 after 27-years of working there and am now living and fishing in my wife's old stomping grounds here in Washington.
I started playing guitar in 1965 and soon after that picked up the bass too. I played in high-school bands in the mid 60's, in college in the late 60's and toured for three years from 1971-1974. Then played weekend gigs after that until 1976 when all my touring gear was stolen. Didn't replace my bass until 1985 but it was 1997 before I could acquire another amp and start gigging again. I was very actively gigging with a couple of groups from 2016 until June of 2021 when we played a farewell party to the local brewpub where we'd hosted Open Mic nights on over 40 Friday nights a year. Have played a couple of gigs since and even became an Endorsed Artist for DNA (David Nordschow Amplification) in 2019. Unfortunately DNA closed their doors in January of 2023 because parts they used in their amps and cabs were no longer available. The weren't just back ordered, the only company that made them went out of business. Still I do manage to play music and have bee found at Open Mic Nights myself playing guitar and singing. Pretty hard to sing along with just a bass, so I leave it at home and take ond of my guitars with me.
Done a lot over the years and I'm very active in the Muzzleloading forum as well as TalkBass Forum too. Looking forward to learning the ropes around here!
So...HOWDY everybody!!
