A little over a week ago, I lost a most special friend and sportsman to cancer. Adrian (Andy) Bisson and his wife, Aline, had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Andy was 74 years old. He was such a vibrant guy who stayed actively involved in camping, fishing, fly-tying and hunting. We enjoyed those hobbies together and I will have those memories forever in my mind, articles I wrote about us and photos that I took of those wonderful times together.
I met Andy during the 1970s when we were both communicating with C.B. radios. His nickname or handle was "Coffee Mug" and mine was "Royal Coachman", taken after a well known and popular trout fly pattern. In those days, you could talk to someone for years yet never meet - the way folks now send e-mails to stranger/friends.
But, Andy and I hit it off right away and decided to meet. Fishing and fly-tying was our instant bond and he was always eager to try some fly that he or I would create. An example was during the years when New Hampshire had a coho salmon program. These are sea-run salmon that spawn in freshwaters. The young spend about a year in freshwater rivers before migrating to sea. After about two years at sea, they return to the river of origin to spawn. I had received some special shoe-lace material, that came in colors of bright orange and green, and developed two flies I named the Orange Sleeve and the Green Sleeve. That fall, Andy and I went to the Exeter River to see how effective this new pattern would be on the coho salmon. On his fifth cast, Andy hooked a beautiful eight pound coho, which he released. We caught several other coho on both the Orange Sleeve and the Green Sleeve patterns that day.
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Although
he enjoyed all fishing, Andy
Bisson also enjoyed fishing for black
crappie. Here, he displays a catch from
Massabesic Lake. (Bob Harris photo) |
Andy
and wife Aline Bisson on their 50th wedding anniversary. |
We did our share of saltwater fishing together for shad, striped bass, cod, haddock and flounder and greatly enjoyed freshwater fishing, too. Landlocked salmon, trout, bass, pickerel, white perch, black crappie and other freshwater species. One of our most productive trips took place on August 9, 2006. Fishing Hopkinton Lake, we caught and released 212 black crappies, 14 bluegills and 6 yellow perch for a grand total of 232 fish. Our last outing together was on October 4, 2007 at Turtle Town Pond, Concord. We caught and released 21 black crappies, 3 bluegills and 2 yellow perch. Our total time on the water that day was 6 hours 21 minutes.
Being a sales representative for Interstate Restaurant Company for 37 years, Andy had the opportunity to travel. He found endless fishing site possibilities in and beyond the state of New Hampshire. He mostly loved fly-fishing, but believed in using other legal methods in order to enjoy any available fishing. He also believed in and practiced ‘catch and release’ so that others could share the wonders of the rod and reel. He often stated, "There’s nothing wrong with keeping a few fish for a good meal, but releasing the majority of your day’s catch will assure good fishing continues."
Andy was a longtime member of the Manchester Fly-Fishing Association and the South Fitchburg Hunting and Fishing Club, in Massachusetts. He enjoyed taking his daughters, Linda and Pamela, and his granddaughters to the club’s annual trout fishing derbies. He was an active member of Salmon Unlimited back when New Hampshire had a viable coho salmon program. He was law-abiding and outspoken for causes he believed in and encouraged passage of laws needed to ensure good fishing and hunting opportunities would benefit current and future anglers and hunters.
We shared wonderful days in and out of the fields and waters. Years ago, Andy had a beautiful Britney Spaniel named Sheba. Sheba was a great hunting dog and trained to hunt woodcock, partridge and pheasant. After her loss, Andy continued to hunt, but it was never quite the same. We would walk through woodlands and fields looking for pheasant and partridge. We did have some fantastic days when we would fish for half a day and then hunt for the other half. Even if we came home with empty hands, our memories were full of treasured moments.
Andy was a very special man. He will be greatly missed by his family and anyone who knew him. He lived an exemplary life and leaves a legacy to be admired. For a couple of years he fought cancer. He did it with grace and determination, but it was a battle he could not win. He may be away on one level, but he will always be with me in spirit and remembrance. A U.S. Army veteran, his ashes will be buried later in the New Hampshire Veteran’s Cemetery, in Boscawen.
As the country-western song goes, "There’s a hole in the floor of heaven and he’ll be looking down on you". Know that you will always be loved and remembered by your family and friends Andy, and our memories of you and the great times we shared will live on forever.
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