Over the last thirty years, Capt. Chris Phillips has become one of the most beloved members of the Texas fly-fishing community. For those of you who might not know Chris, he was one of the first anglers to chase the saltwater fishes of Texas with a fly rod, and he has been introducing new anglers to the sport of fly fishing for longer than many of us can remember. Chris is a past president of the Texas Fly Fishers, and he has been guiding fly anglers on the waters of Galveston Bay for well over a decade.

Even if you are not a member of the fly fishing community, chances are you have crossed paths with Chris at Fishing Tackle Unlimited, where he works when he is not on water. Chris has helped many an angler select the right tackle for his or her next big adventure, and he always has been available to share his knowledge and experiences with those wanting to learn. Few match his passion and generosity.

Not too long ago, Chris was diagnosed with a large brain tumor. He has found care at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and he will undergo surgery on February 11th. The potential complications of his surgery are significant, and his recovery time likely will be lengthy.

We ask you to join us in helping Chris through this difficult time.

A fundraising event is being held by his friends and colleagues to provide financial relief for our favorite Captain. There will be casting demonstrations, fun contests, fantastic auction items, and lots of good cheer. A “Who’s Who” of Texas fishing will be in attendance.

The event will be held on March 30th from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM at Blanco’s, 3406 West Alabama @ Buffalo Spdwy. in Houston, TX.

On behalf of Chris and his many friends - Thank you.
We look forward to seeing you there.

For more information, please contact:

Andy Packmore
Fishing Tackle Unlimited
(281) 481-6838
packmore@fishingtackleunlimited.com

Dave Hayward
Orvis
(713) 204-1855
haywardd@orvis.com

Note: We'll post additional information as it becomes available. Thanks

I'll do my damnedest to be there for this. Chris is a great guy.

Having known about this for quite some time, I have already reserved Sunday, March 30, for Chris.

If you don't know Chris, you should. He is a fisherman to the bone, and is one of the nicest people that you could ever meet. Chris knows fish, and he knows fly-fishing areas of the Galveston Bay system better than anyone else that I know of. He also one hell of an offshore fly fisherman.

Visiting with Chris at FTU is interesting. It seems like every other person that walks in the store knows Chris and stops by to visit with their best friend. Chris has thousands of friends.

The auction at this event is going to be incredible. An amazing amount of top-notch gear has been donated. Big-name guides from all over have donated guided fishing trips.

This event will be a lot of fun and is honestly something that you should not miss.

Andy and Dave have spent a lot of time getting this event organized. Thank you to Andy and Dave.

Wow. I'm a horrible saltwater flyfisherman, but Capt. Phillips was there at FTU to help me pick out an 8wt rod and flies for targeting reds in the Port Lavaca area last fall. He is certainly a friendly, passionate, and informative advocate of TX flyfishing. Best wishes to him and his family.

I've added this fundraising event to the TKF Calendar.

Heavenly Father,

Please be with Capt. Chris Phillips as he faces surgery on Feb. 11. Guide the hands of his surgeons as they seek to remove this tumor. Overshadow Capt. Chris with your healing power, that he may have a complete and speedy recovery. Let your presence be known. Show your kindness and your mercy in this situation.

Be with Capt. Chris and his family. Grant them your peace that only comes through knowing your son Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, the one who prepares us for life and for eternity.

Also please be with the fundraiser event to help defray costs of this surgery and hospital care for Capt. Chris. He is much loved, and I pray you'll make the funderaiser a great success to let Capt. Chris and his family aware of that love and concern for his well-being.

In the name of Jesus my Savior I pray. Amen.

Capt. Chris Phillips is one of the greatest guys I have ever met. When I first got my driver's liscense I would drive to FTU almost daily to learn as much about fly fishing as possible. Chris took me under his wing, and taught me everything I know about saltwater fly fishing. I'll never forget him standing patiently beside me while perfecting my double haul, day after day, in the parking lot of FTU. Anyone who knows Chris has a special place in their heart for him, as he is one of the friendliest and most generous people around. Chris, I pray God's protection over your life, and your body, in Jesus' name. May He bless you for the blessing that you've been in all of our lives. I love you buddy.
-Capt. Jarid Malone

Wishing the best for Chris tomorrow morning. He is scheduled for surgery at 7:30 AM. Let's all give him a prayer tonight.

I'll be bugging the hell out of Camille all day tomorrow for updates from the store. I'll let you guys know as soon as I hear something.

In addition to the fishing festival and benefit on March 30th, there will be an online auction for those that cant make it due to work schedules or space limitations. Mont is setting it up on 2Cool this week. Texxan1 (Thomas) and I (Kaylin) are running it and are collecting items. We will be setting up a paypal account just for this purpose. Chris is my neighbor and we all want to help. PM me if you would like to donate something to be auctioned.

I stopped by this afternoon and had a good visit with Chris and his brother. He was in good spirits, had a good appetite and ready for tomorrow.

Tight lines and following seas Capt. Chris!

Got a quick update from the hospital. Chris went into surgery just after 8 this morning and the procedure was completed by 11:30. Ruben and Andy are up there and they spoke to the nurse who stated everything went well. They're waiting to talk to the surgeon.

The best news so far came a few minutes ago when they wheeled Chris past Ruben and Andy in the hallway. He pulled his mask down and said hello to them. That is fantastic considering all of the possible complications from this kind of surgery.

I'll let y'all know more as I hear from the guys. Thanks for keeping Chris in your thoughts.

Hey thats awesome! Thanks for the update Scott.

We've put up a site where you will be able to learn about the Chris Phillips benefit.

http://www.chrisphillipsfishing.com/

Lots of people want to help out but cant make it to the fishing festival and benefit on march 30th, myself included. We had some requests for an online benefit so....there is now an online forum auction going over at 2Cool http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/forumdisplay.php?f=80 with items to bid on to help raise money for Chris.

Also, if you have items that you think would be good to donate, send me a PM here or on 2Cool. Or PM texxan1, his profile is linked in the auction rules sticky.

Thanks!

How is Chris doing? Is he home?

Looking forward to hearing some good news.

Yes, he is home. He had his brain surgery and went home 2 days later which is great!

However, they (the doctors) were very conservative during the surgery and it is possible that more may be needed depending on results of testing and biopsy.

I spent about 2 hours visiting with Chris yesterday and he seems to be doing well, bad haircut aside. He goes back in for his post surgery check up in a couple of weeks. I could tell he's getting a little antsy and ready to go fishing, but the 20+ kt wind blowing outside made him think about picking his day. He's getting out a little bit more each day and, depending on what the doctors find, he may be going back to work in some form in about a month or so. I'll pass along that you inquired and if you get a chance, you might drop him a card or an e-mail.

Tight lines, Chris

I've never met Chris, but I've heard and read a lot about him, suffice to say I learned everything I know about saltwater fly fishing from him through books. I'll try to be there.

You can now donate to the Chris Phillips fund using your credit card through PayPal. See the donation box on his site...

http://www.chrisphillipsfishing.com/

I didn't meet Chris until the past year, but his advice, passion, and talent were true to the heart. I can't thank him enough for the skills he taught me in just a few short sessions of fly-casting.

Moreover, it was his overall enthusiasm for teaching fishing that hooked me.

God Bless You....Chris

Kevin

You can have a 1 in 300 chance to win a rigged Beavertail BTX, or 1 of 2 other prizes, and help a friend out in the process. Check out the Beavertail site for details.

http://www.beavertailskiffs.com/

Tight lines, Chris

New updates about Chris at his site...

http://www.chrisphillipsfishing.com/

... Also, you can now purchase raffle tickets for the Beavertail Skiff and other prizes.

This was one kick-ass fun event. I was very happy to see Chris there and got to talk to him for quite a bit. He still has a tough road ahead, but it was just awesome to see so many of his friends turn out to help him along the way.

The other thing that was really fun was watching Capt. Scott Summerlatte getting shaved.

Yes - Scott raised $1500 on the spot by getting his head and beard shaved right there at Blanco's. I would really like to see his face the nest time he looks into a mirror.

I was gathering the money for Scott's shaving. The final tally was $2005!!!!! It was awesome. I'm not sure of the grand total for the event at this point, but I think it is safe to say it will be very impressive. That was one of the coolest events I've ever been a part of. A huge thanks to everyone who came out.