A Wee Willie Gunn Story ....

[Lewis Chessman]

A few years back I set about searching for a Victorian fly pattern, the Dusty Miller, and happened upon this tale by accident. In the late 1940s a chap called 'Dusty Miller' was tying flies for a tackle shop in Brora, N.W. Scotland. Willie Gunn, a local gillie, bought a few, caught six fish one day, four the next and bought some more of the magical fly. So, as there already existed a 'Dusty Miller' fly, this one was named after the lucky gillie, Willie Gunn, not its designer. Interesting enough, but the story went on .....

A few years later a very posh lady was fishing on one bank of the River Brora and doing rather well for herself, when a somewhat forlorn character trudged past on the far bank, rod in hand.
"How are you doing?" she called.
"Not very well, Ma'am." replied the man.
"Well, you ought to try a Willie Gunn." she shouted back, hoping to be helpful.
"Madam," came the voice, "I am Willie Gunn."



There's an interesting obituary here for Mr. Gunn by Bruce Sanderson from 'The Independent' newspaper, 1996.

 

[airborne 82nd]

Great post thank you for sharing

Airborne ( David )

 

[Lewis Chessman]

You're very welcome, Airborne 82, though credit really goes to Ard. I posted it before and it obviously tickled him enough to stick it here. :icon_lol:
I don't know quite what it is about it, but it somehow it epitomises our sport.

I love the tale in the obituary about him quietly letting another fish through his water - because he seemed to be enjoying himself. True Highland gentility.

All the best,
James.

 

[littledavid123]

Ok, something about these Scottish jokes is not registering within my own warped sense of humor. I read another Scottish joke here just recently and that too left me with furrowed brow in attempt to flesh out the humor. Have I been so far removed from the European roots of my ancestors? Why do these well proved humors bounce off my ears like the dull thud of a toad knocking flies off the walls of my house.

I never thought it possible to be pigeonholed into any particular group but now I am haunted by it. Knowing any moment an email from a political organization could be waiting, ready to capitalize on this deficit and stir me to anger towards anyone who gets Scottish jokes. The horror!

Scottish Joke Deficit Dave

 

[fredaevans]

LD you need what the Brit's would call a 'dry sense of humor.' Growing up in Canada I understand and get more than a few 'belly laughs.'

fae

 

[Ard]

I'll try to illuminate the hidden humor Dave,

The joke is that when the lady called out to the downtrodden fellow trudging upstream across from her he had just finished a day where he couldn't catch a fish if it were thrown to him............... She instructed him to 'Try a Willie Gunn' for success like she was having and the fact was that he was in fact Willie Gunn.

Did that help, I gotta leave if I'm gonna see water other than rain today