Life Lessons from a Fly Fisherman’s Daughter

Dedicated to my dad, Bill Carnazzo: Master Fly Fisherman, Master Fly Tyer, Master Dad

* Life is like a river, it ebbs and flows with patches of rough water that will always be followed by smooth.

N. Yuba, July, 2007

* The best things in life are lying in wait behind large obstacles, tough as rock or tangled like tree roots.

* Don’t bait or lure your target, use your knowledge and skills to persevere and land your prize.

* If what you are trying to achieve is stubbornly out of reach, change your approach and try something new.

* Listen, look and observe your surroundings; try turning over a few rocks before you make decisions…what lies underneath may reveal a greater truth.

* On relationships…remove the barbs. Yes, it’s a challenge but the reward is oh, so sweet!

* Don’t wade too far into fast moving water or venture onto slippery territory without support or preparation; the consequences may be far greater than the temporary reward.

* The diversity of life is inseparable from the unity and connections we have together; like the ecology of a river…we cannot exist alone and must achieve a balance to survive.

Thank you Dad, for teaching me how to throw & hit a ball, how to add fractions & find the square root; for showing me how to pitch a tent & start a fire, how to tie on a fly and catch a fish; for showing me how to be patient and kind, how to work hard & set high standards for myself; for making me tell the truth and confess my sins, how to love my mother and respect my family and most of all for teaching me to think and be a real person. I love you Dad and hope my life makes you proud.

~ Regina Christine Carnazzo Dvorak, Jan. 16, 2013