Article Written by Brooks Robinson. Learn More About the author below / Article Read Time: 4 Minutes
As this weekend quickly approaches, it is easy to forget the meaning of this Holiday. Bar-B-Ques and Fireworks can sometimes overshadow the true reason for celebrating. As employees of Cortland Line Company, celebrating Independence Day means a little more to us than just a day off from work. During WWII Cortland was contracted by the US government to make goods for our brave Servicemen and Women who were valiantly fighting to maintain our freedom and standing up against tyranny. Our machines switched from producing braided silk fly lines and conventional fishing line to parachute rope, boot laces, bomb cord, and candle wicks. Supporting the United States Military during WWII is something we will never forget and remains a key part of our company history. Our dedication to the Red, White, and Blue can be seen in the products we make right here in the United States.
Even though our office and plant will be closed for the long weekend our braiders will continue to run, and many fishing trips will be taken. Fishing is not just the industry we work in but an integral part of our lives. I know most of our employees have a day or two set aside to fish during the holiday weekend, and some have an entire trip planned. Dedicated, hardworking, super fishy employees is the main reason our company has thrived since 1915 and I expect that to continue for many years to come.
The anticipation for this weekend’s adventures has been at an all-time high. When the office and plant open back up on Tuesday morning the stories of everyone’s trips will last well through the morning. I’m confident we will end up with a ton of great content for you all to see on our social media pages for weeks to come. More importantly we will share notes amongst ourselves on tweaks and changes for current products as well as ideas for new items. After all, everything we do here and outside of the office is dedicated to making sure you have a more enjoyable and productive time on the water.
Today as I sit here and write, I’m also planning on where to take my wife and two girls fishing for a long 4th of July weekend. It’s hard to say what will be the best option for us as there are so many choices in New York to choose from. The endless options of clean rivers, lakes and ponds make committing to just one body of water a difficult decision. I ask myself, should we pack the spin reels with Master Braid and throw soft plastics and top water plugs for bass, or maybe we toss in the fly rods rigged with our Euro Nymph Lines and drift nymphs and dries for trout? How about grabbing one of our new Cold Salt Series Striped Bass Fly Lines and heading to the coast to target Striped Bass or Bluefish in the surf? Thankfully, those are the hardest decisions I will have to make for this holiday weekend because we are lucky enough to live in an independent and free country. Stay safe this 4th of July weekend and God Bless America.
About the author
Brooks Robinson was born in Cortland, NY and grew up on a small lake just 10 minutes north of the Cortland Line Office. He started working at Cortland Line 10 years ago in fly line production. Currently he is part of the product development team and an inside sales rep covering Maine to Maryland for both conventional and fly fishing products. In his free time you can find him fishing the Upper Delaware for trout or fishing saltwater for tuna and striped bass. Brooks currently resides in Syracuse, NY with his wife Rianne and two girls who love to fish and spend time outdoors.
