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Fishing Stories from Ned Kehde |
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Submitted by Ned Kehde - Nov. 22, 2000 When the phone rings and it's a member of the Flack clan on the other end, we except to be bowled over with glee from listening to their stupendous tales about incredible catches of fish or fabulous duck hunts. But this one floored us with woe and turned our tongues to lead. Upon hearing of Flack's death, Blair Flynn of Overbrook was silenced for a spell. Then once Flynn recovered from that initial sadness, he said it was even more pitiful that Flack died before the cold weather finally pushed the last batch of big red-legged mallards out of the Platte River region of Nebraska towards John Redmond Lake. For in Flynn's eyes, it would've been a consummate sight for Flack and his sons to witness. The uninitiated can't comprehend the significance of Flynn's simple regret. But the reveries of all the diehard duck hunters hereabouts revolve around galaxies of these biggest ducks of them all, filling the sky as they finally wing southward on the cusp of the coldest weather of the late fall and early winter. To a duck hunter, being in the midst of that migration is heaven on earth. Flack wasn't just a ardent duck hunter; he was an extraordinary one. In fact at a gathering of family and friends prior to a rosary citation in Flack's memory, his sons told a friend that their father was the best duck hunter in the world. And the most recent manifestation of Flack's fabulous abilities occurred on many outings in November, when he and his sons shot more than 200 ducks in eastern Kansas. The Flacks always considered eastern Kansas, especially around Redmond Lake, to be the finest duck hunting spot in the nation, and the Flacks know such things because they have hunted ducks about everywhere in North America. It was at Redmond where Flack spent an untold number of days across his 63 years, pursuing ducks and teaching his sons how to be stellar hunters, too. And during this last summer, Flack led a heated campaign to improve Redmond's waterfowl habitat. If the managers at Redmond abide by Flack's suggestions, it will be even a better place for duck hunters of the future and a fitting memorial to Flack. Flack, however, was more than a duck hunter. It has been said that he wielded a fishing rod with nearly the same dexterity and zeal that he employed a shotgun. He and his family fished from Canada to Mexico, making dear friends wherever they traveled. For instance, nine years ago at the Kenora Bass International Tournament on the Lake of the Woods, Flack and several of his sons crossed paths with the Lindner clan of Brainerd, Minn., and In-Fisherman magazine and television. The Lindners are known around the angling world as the savants of smallmouth fishing, and they immediately saw that the Flacks possessed an incredible talent for catching the smallmouth that abide in the Lake of the Woods. Ultimately the Lindners asked Jim and Andy Flack to join Team USA, and at the 2000 KBI tournament, the Flacks lead Team USA to a gold medal. Next August the Flacks will be captains of Team USA. When Al Lindner learned about Flack's unexpected death, he noted that Flack's greatest legacy rests on his great love of his family and fishing. Thus it's likely that Team USA's quest for a gold medal at next year's KBI tournament will be accomplished in memory of Delmar Flack. |
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