Stolen! I want my #^$%*@& hat back!

[ChezJfrey]

Buddy and I were at the Wilson yesterday, and were fishing a spot near Lee's. I had left my fishing vest on the ground, we were about 15 feet away from it. Fished the hole for 15 minutes or so, turned to grab the bag and my buddy noticed it was gone. "They got you," referring the vehicle we had seen parked near ours that was now gone. They freakin' snuck up while we were focused on the water and grabbed my vest; all the gear is gone. But my iconic blue hat, that I've had since 1986...was tucked inside and that's probably what fries me the most. I got it at Larry's Sport Center, and it was a WigWam brand wool hat...remember them?

Well, that and I just got back from spending about $250 and only have a fraction of what I lost...that kinda chaps me too.

If anyone sees my hat, kindly ask for it back...or don't ask so kindly...either way

 

[Raincatcher]

Awww, shipoopy! I hate when a low life rips off good people. I hope you get at least your hat, but maybe all of it back, but I feel like it's a slim hope. :sad:

 

[troutmasta]

I saw that on FB :mad-new:. If I see the hat or the car....:beaten:

 

[OnTheDrop]

That ducking HwY 6 crowd! Unbelievable. As we all know, the likelyhood of receiving your valuables is slim to none, but I will keep a sharp eye out. There will be no asking my friend. This chaps me as well as I've been a victim. ( Mciver, 2009 ). Good luck buddy my eyes will be on alert.

 

[Big3d]

Sorry to hear that man. I guess I better avoid getting too far from my gear too. I am probably not going that way in the near future but I think if I saw someone in your hat I'd be inclined to retrieve it for ya.

 

[TimberTodd]

Man that SUCKS!!!! Hope some karma is headed the dirtbags way!

 

[C_Run]

Sorry. I've been ripped off but never while fishing. So far so good.

 

[hobster]

Man that SUCKS!!!! Hope some karma is headed the dirtbags way!

For sure! This makes me mad as well, some people have a lot of nerve! Ripping you off so close, man that is gutsy. Bummer

 

[jamisonace]

Sorry Chez. That sucks. What did the car look like?

 

[troutdude]

That really bites! Hope you get it back.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Sorry Chez. That sucks. What did the car look like?

That's the thing...since we saw the car prior to any known theft, we didn't pay much attention. Don't remember make/model, but it was a small sedan similar in style to something like a Neon. Black with dulled finish, and a non-matching driver door. That's about all I remember.

Oh, and Raincatcher...nice to know my social status has somehow made it to 'good people'. Who knew? LOL

 

[OnTheDrop]

That's a great description, really. I'll put a line out there to a few folk.

 

[Gulfstream]

Those bast$%&s must have some pretty big b$lls to pull of a stunt like that!

 

[ChezJfrey]

For sure! This makes me mad as well, some people have a lot of nerve! Ripping you off so close, man that is gutsy. Bummer

No joke, huh? They literally had to creep up the back of our necks.

I'm not counting on anything coming of this, but apparently I've got a decent posse now...people I don't even know remember me and that hat on the winter rivers, and are on the lookout. LOL

And just think, a little wool ski hat born in the bargain basement of 1986 Larry's, has now made local internet fame. Never saw that coming

 

[ChezJfrey]

That's a great description, really. I'll put a line out there to a few folk.

This is a funny coincidence...we were driving back up the hill, passing Elk Creek, discussing this situation, when I see a small blue sedan, with a black non-matching driver door. Though I was pretty sure it was supposed to be a black car, we were unsure enough, and that was quite a striking coincidence of another small sedan with a non-matching door so soon after, that we U-turned and drove to the gravel lot. Buddy was saying if we see your vest in the car, I'm breaking the window..."Uh no, I've got no qualms, I will break the window and grab my own freakin' stuff!" There was no vest, but on the way back, we got quite a laugh thinking of the karma if it had been the thieves' and they would then get to contemplate how they ripped someone off, then themselves got ripped off and have to deal with a shattered window.

 

[OnTheDrop]

Hhahahahaha. That would have been epic. Where is this internet sensation of your hat? Some fishing group?

 

[ChezJfrey]

Hhahahahaha. That would have been epic. Where is this internet sensation of your hat? Some fishing group?

I guess my buddy posted it to Facebook and said it's getting forwarded around. I'm not much on FB outside my NW Killer contest Dec-Feb, so I haven't yet seen it.

 

[playhooky]

One of my fishing partners had a brand new salmon rod and reel walk away one recent fall chinook season. Just like you Chez.....back turned intently watching his gear go through the slot as we tend to do while waiting for the magic. I'm not mentioning the river or brand names of the rod and reel for a reason. Let's just say we've become more alert in mixed company. Oh....and the thief is extremely fortunate to have slipped away. One consolation is that those types are usually greedy and at some point end up facing a very painful experience. Sorry to get your post and that you got clipped but thanks.....it actually is beneficial in raising all of our awareness.

 

[ChezJfrey]

Oh....and the thief is extremely fortunate to have slipped away. One consolation is that those types are usually greedy and at some point end up facing a very painful experience. Sorry to get your post and that you got clipped but thanks.....it actually is beneficial in raising all of our awareness.

Yeah. It sucks, but I've been ripped off before (though it's been a long time since the last time), and just wind up having to shell out for replacements...and like my stupid hat of nostalgia, some stuff you just can't and gone is gone. That painful experience for them may come, or may not, though I'm sure many of them burn themselves eventually; they make stupid choices, play bad odds so though I may never know about it, some consolation in knowing they are begging for it and makes it more likely.

 

[ChezJfrey]

OK, this is funny...

Got off the phone with my mom...told her the story. After the inevitable, "Remember to be careful out there...bad/crazy/dangerous people...yada, yada, ignore most of it..." She moves on to, "You mean that hat we got you at Larry's back in high school?"

"Yeah."

"You've had it so long...all these years. Sad it's just gone. Well, if I see it, I'll make sure to get it back."

LOL...good ol' mom. But can you imagine this as the closing? My kids asking how I got my hat back. "Oh, grandma got it back from the guys who stole it. We're gonna start calling her Triple G." (pop quiz: place that reference )

That would be a hilarious response to everyone asking how I got it back: My mom

I'm still laughing and seriously hoping that could somehow happen because I would never get over how funny that would be to envision how that retrieval scene played out