Carson City has lost one of its longtime citizens.
The outdoor world has lost a true sportsman.
The local fly fishing community has lost one of its leaders.
The Outdoor Recreation Show on Carson Access Television Channel 10 and Carson Valley Access Television Channel 26 has lost a Co-Host.
His two children, Barry and Tamara, have lost their father.
Their children have lost a grandfather.
Elaine has lost her husband and her very best friend.
And Don Q has lost a very close, long-time, personal friend.
At 2:30 a.m., May 31, Jim McGee lost his gallant fight against a rare disorder.
He first noticed something was wrong in February, when he began to experience a slight loss of balance. At first, he thought that it was just an inner ear infection. However, the condition persisted and quickly worsen.
After a number of visits to doctors in Carson City, the Bay Area and Phoenix, and a series of different types of tests, his condition was finally pinpointed and the news was not good.
He had developed a very rare, fast-developing and ultimately fatal disorder known as "Kreutzfeldt Jakob."
Some medical literatures state that Kreutzfeldt Jakob only affects one out of every one million people.
Jim was that one.
That disorder attacks the cerebellum and the body's central nervous system and it adversely affects the motor movements of the arms and legs, causes double vision, difficulty in speaking and difficulty in swallowing. It has no treatment and causes no pain.
Through the entire period of time until his death, Jim was very brave. He knew what was wrong with his body. He knew the ultimate outcome. He never once complained. Not once.
In the early stages of his illness, he once told me that his three biggest disappointments were that he could no longer play golf, fly fish or serve as the television show's Co-Host.
The two of us had served as Co-Hosts on the Outdoor Recreation Show on a weekly basis for approximately seven years. And I can honestly say that during all those weeks and years, we never once had one disagreement over anything. Not once. Not one disagreement. That is truly a remarkable achievement.
The closest he would ever come to complaining would be whenever I would come up with some new mad-cap adventure involving the two of us, that he wasn't too sure about. Then, he would say to me, with a twinkle in his eye, "It's another fine mess that you're getting us into, Ollie."
One example of that was when I "conned" him and Elaine into signing up for swing dance lessons with Pam Graber and I, about a year ago. He wasn't too sure about what I was getting him into, he said: "It's another fine mess that you're getting us into, Ollie," but he agreed and signed up. And, he was a great dancer!
Most interestingly, the two of us complemented each other, perfectly, both on our television show and in the real world, by being so completely different in so many different ways.
- Here are some examples of those differences:
Jim was the ultimate fly fisherman. I am a "bait dunker" and spincaster.
He carried his fishing items in a neat fishing vest. I carry a huge, jam-packed tackle box.
He used brand new expensive fly fishing reels. I use an old, beat-up, Mitchell 300 spinning reel.
He fished from a float tube. I fish from an inflatable raft.
He loved to fish at North Pond. I love to fish at East Lake.
He hunted pheasants and chukar. I do not hunt birds.
He had a huge motor home for camping overnight. I have a sleeping bag and my little, bright-red, pickup.
He liked to take long, vehicle trips. I like to go backpacking in the mountains.
He was a downhill skier. My love is cross country skiing.
He used to be in private business. I used to be a state employee.
He was a Pop Warner Football referee. I was a Pop Warner Football coach.
He grew a beard. I shave every day.
He would not wear an "ear bug" on our TV show. I always wear one.
He loved to cook gourmet food. I love to eat gourmet food.
He ate garlic. I am allergic to garlic.
He drank many different fine wines. I only drink Manhattans.
He smoked cigars. I do not smoke.
He went to Hawaii on vacation. I went to Alaska on vacation.
He always won raffle prizes. I never win any.
And the list goes on and on.
- Ours was truly a remarkable friendship and relationship and through the years, we shared a whole multitude of memorable activities including:
Sightseeing and fishing in Alaska, all the way from Fairbanks to Homer.
Vacationing at Granisle Resort at Babine Lake, British Columbia.
Taking a float plane trip into remote No Tell Um Lake in British Columbia.
Fishing together at many different places like: Alpers Owens River Ranch, East Lake, Hinkson Slough, Lower Kinney Lake, Lundy Lake, North Pond, Pyramid Lake, Shasta Lake, Stampede Reservoir, North Lake Tahoe, Nutter Lake, Topaz Lake, Lower Twin Lake and Winnemucca Lake.
Camping at a number of different locations in his motorhome.
Photographing Jim pheasant hunting at several different hunting preserves.
Photographing mule deer along the Carson River.
Hiking into Winnemucca Lake to see the wildflowers and to fish.
Attending the annual Carson Valley Chukar Club fund raiser.
Helping out at the annual Kids' Fishing Derby in Gardnerville.
Helping to create the Carson Flyfishing Club.
Jointly hosting an outdoor barbecue each summer for the crew of our television show.
Eating steak dinners at Jack's Bar and Grill in Redding, Calif.
Enjoying an occasional Manhatten at Adele's in the late afternoons.
Having a daily cocktail hour at his business, The Sierra Fly Shoppe.
And the list goes on and on.
-Everyone will tell you that Jim is now gone. I disagree. My friend and co-host, Jim McGee, is not gone.
I prefer to believe that he has just "gone fishing."
I can clearly see him fly fishing from his float tube, with one of his own hand-tied flies, with a big grin on his face and with his battered cigar sticking out of his mouth. And he is having a ball "catching and releasing" huge rainbow trout at some lake in the sky.
- Finally, even though Jim McGee is now physically gone from this world, he is still very much alive and well in my memories. And he always will be.
He is just gone fishing.
