It’s going to be a fun and busy weekend January 5-6-7 at the Marlborough Fly Fishing Show. As you can see, I’ve got a full boat of talks, classes, and tying demos. Here’s a PDF:
And here’s a jpeg in case you can’t see the pdf:
I’m hoping for a strong turnout from you, my readers. And may I add a not-so-subtle plug: classes are a fantastic way to improve your fly fishing game. These are structured as if we’re doing a lesson on the water, only we have the benefits of video and protection from the elements, and they’re a fraction of the cost. You can register for a class here.
When I was a kid, I counted every fish. That continued for a few decades, along with a resurgence when I started fly fishing. Numbers was how I measured success.
As I’ve gotten older and more experienced, I find the energy has drifted away from “how many? and moved toward other questions. Were the people nice? Were there any people at all? Did I enjoy myself? Did I fish well? I think on a subconscious level, I still track numbers. Everyone likes catching a lot of fish, right? In the case of a dwindling supply of stripers, numbers tell a story outside of personal pride. But if it’s just about numbers, sooner or later you’ll be disappointed. If there is a state of Nirvana to be reached in fly fishing, surely it cannot be connected to volume.
Steelhead are different.
They can be maddeningly difficult to hook and land. One day they’re eating, the next day they’re not. You can do everything right during a battle and lose the fish (and that may be your only hookup of the day). The conditions under which you fish for them can be downright unpleasant, if not brutal. And, more often than not, you’re jockeying for position and territory, first finding it, then maintaining it, something that I do not enjoy.
It took me 40 hours of fishing time to land my first steelhead. Then it took me about 13 years to land the next 99. Astonishingly — at least to me — it took me just 2 and 1/2 years to get to 200.
Part of it was good fortune — being able to find and fish water that held a lot of willing steelhead. Part of it was a renewed commitment to steelheading, due to some very good runs in recent years. Part of it was branching out to new waters. A lot of it was newfound skill and acumen and careful observation and study, thanks to guide friends Bob Packey and Row Jimmy, who present a master course in steelhead fishing every time I head out with them. Gentlemen, I have learned so much from you!
And so, dear reader, you’ll forgive me for counting each and every steelhead. In fact, I hope you’ll celebrate along with me. 200 in the hoop!
“He gave her three kisses and great was the smack.” — nearly the lyrics from an old folk song. Number 200, the second fish of the morning, gets the now traditional buss. It felt good to get it done early. How could I know there would be 19 more to come that day? What an embarrassment of riches!
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On that grey, damp day, the steelhead ranged from dime-bright freshies from the lake……to the darkest horse I believe I’ve ever seen, courtesy of Cam. What a fantastic job he did. For someone who doesn’t fly fish all that much, he turned in an impressive performance. Yup, we’re as happy as we look. The number sits today at 219. And April is coming.
Many thanks to you, my readers, for subscribing, reading, asking questions, and, most of all, for your support, kind words, and enthusiasm. I wish you a happy and prosperous new year, and the tightest of lines in 2024.
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