If you have not taken 25 minutes to watch this fishing video, you have missed a very important and magical 25 minutes of your life.
Stan Bogdan wasn’t a man. He was a legend in the history of Atlantic Salmon fishing! His name was synonymous with the most sought-after fly reel in the world. Kings and princes bowed to this blue-collar machinist from New Hampshire. That’s what angling journalist Kathryn Maroun knew about Stan when they met. It was the prism through which she viewed their relationship for years. Even after Stan was diagnosed with terminal cancer, to Kathryn Stan was a mythical character in the narrative of her life; not a scared old man with regrets, passions, embarrassments, and character flaws just like every other friend anyone has ever had. A bitter fight during a visit to her home in Bermuda followed by an apology letter from Stan dispelled the myths and ripped away Kathryn’s super-human illusions about her friend. She realized that she had become Stan’s best friend, not his student, his customer, admirer of his work, or even a journalist covering his life. She knew that Stan needed her to be a friend – a true friend.
Filmed in the waning months of Stan’s life, “Stan and Me” is a bittersweet chronicle of Kathryn’s reconciliation with the legend who had become her friend…and the healing power that comes from looking beyond our pre-conceived notions about others to accept them for who they actually are, and the magical times we share together in this new light.
Beautifully filmed and narrated by Whatacatch TV’s Kathryn Maroun, “Stan and Me” is one of the best fishing films you will see this year.
Posted on July 14, 2012