Getting away from it all

By Ed Godfrey, Outdoors Editor

Published: November 14, 2008

For Jeff Hartmann, fly fishing keeps his life in balance.

The Oklahoma City attorney represents insurance companies. Most of his cases involve allegations that insurance companies have failed to deal in good faith. It’s a job that is often hectic, stressful and unpleasant. To get away from it all, he goes fishing.

“It’s a lonely journey through life if you really didn’t enjoy something,” said the 66-year-old Hartmann, at attorney for 42 years. “Fishing is the thing that just gives me a lot of relaxation.”

Hartmann carries a fly rod most everywhere he goes. If he goes out of town on litigation, he brings his fly rod along, and somewhere along the way he will find a public lake or stream where the trout, bass or bluegill are biting.

Even if the fish don’t bite, his time outside is therapeutic. He is at peace when a fly rod is in his hand.

“It’s where my soul is comfortable,” he said.

Hartmann is the father of 10 children – seven of whom are adopted.

His best fatherly advice. Find something in life that you are passionate about. “In my mind, I am still young because I have a passion about being outdoors,” he said. “I love to fish. I love to take kids fishing. I love to teach kids how to fish.

“There is no question you have to do something to make a living. I’ve told my kids, do something you enjoy. But you also need a passion, a release, something that when the dogs are nipping at your tails you can go do and not hear the dogs.”

Hartmann made this point as he cast a fly rod on a small city lake in Vian, another quick stop to fish and relax on a recent trip.

“I’m sitting on a bench watching the sunset,” he said during a cell phone interview. “I would venture to say there are not too many people in a better place right now.”

Hartmann says he won’t live long enough to fish all of the waters in Oklahoma. But one thing is for sure. He is going to die trying.

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