Camp Sherman celebrates with Judy

Fisherman, skier, writer... and above all, teacher.

In a career spanning four decades, John Judy has taught untold hundreds of people how to fish the rivers and ski the slopes of Sisters Country. Folks in Camp Sherman gathered last Saturday as part of the annual Labor Day barbecue to celebrate Judy's legacy, as the beloved fishing guide and ski instructor moves into a new phase of life with his new wife, Sheila.

Judy sat at a picnic table on the deck of the Camp Sherman Store, signing books and talking with visitors, sharing old stories and new plans. Sheila was an ebullient presence at his side, assuring everyone that Judy is as well-loved in his new home in Sherwood as he has been in Sisters Country.

Judy first arrived in Sisters Country in 1976 to take a job at Hoodoo Mountain Resort.

"I actually came up to be the mountain manager - which was a disaster," he said with a wry grin.

It turned out that Judy was not mechanical enough to handle a job that entailed keeping a lot of mechanical things running. So he left the position, coming back a couple of years later to a much better fit - as a skiing instructor.

"That's really my passion in skiing all along - the teaching," he said.

Judy became a ski-school fixture. He worked in food services at Black Butte Ranch for a time, before plunging into a second career - one that would help him make his mark in Central Oregon. He became a fishing guide.

"I saw an opportunity and grabbed it," he said. "Started at The Fly Fisher's Place, then went out on my own."

Judy developed slackline fly fishing techniques and taught them to clients, eventually writing a book on the subject. He also wrote a weekly column for The Nugget titled "Flylines," which he maintained for some 15 years. He recounted his relationship with his home river in "Seasons of the Metolius."

John Judy Flyfishing became a highly regarded outfitting service. Not every fine fisherman can make it as a guide. It requires a particular temperament and a broad skill-set.

"Patience, of course," Judy said. "You've gotta be able to set a good camp; you've gotta be able to cook; you've gotta have whitewater boating skills."

Sheila identified another trait: "I bet John's sense of humor had a lot to do with everybody having a good experience."

Judy has had a rough time over the past few years. He suffered crushed ribs when a skier ran into him on the slopes. Typically, Judy joked about it.

"I've thought about getting (the ski brand) Salomon tattooed right there," he said, holding his hands up to his sternum. "The triangle of the binding."

The guide also suffered a couple of heart attacks.

The physical ailments and the advances of age led Judy to recognize the need for a change. When a mutual friend introduced him to Sheila, a new course was set.

Sheila, like John, is a writer, and also a traveler on the path Judy had found.

"I've really connected with the spirit of the universe - call it the Great Spirit if you want," Judy said. "And Sheila has deepened the connection over time."

He said he and his bride plan to "live a spiritual lifestyle and set an example of joy and peacefulness in life."

That joyful, peaceful life already includes fishing. The Judys have been up to Astoria for some salmon fishing, and John is enjoying fishing new waters.

"One of the things John is going to do now is fish for himself like he's been helping everybody else," Sheila said.

And after Saturday's events, hosted by Roger and Kathy White, he will know that he is embarking on this new journey with the warmest wishes of his Camp Sherman community.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

• Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
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