Ultimate competition

David Morriss once again got me to thinking about competition.  He is correct.  The ultimate competition is between the fisher-person and the fish.  And, of course, he is also correct that none of us would enter a competition within which we knew we would always win.  There have been times in the "ultimate competition" however, when I have wished that I would win a little more often then I was at that particular moment in time.  I recall perfect evenings when the "hatch" was on, fish were rising all around me, and I was "shooting blanks".  There have been times when I have, literally, tried every fly in the arsenal ~ all to no avail.  Gosh a fella's self-esteem suffers during those periods of  "bad luck" ~ or should I say inaptness?  The process is a lot like putting your kids' Christmas toys together.  You never read/study the directions unless you're truly stuck.  Oh I might subconsciously watch to see if the risers are hitting above or just beneath the surface of the water and the general size and color of the bugs in the air, but I don't truly "study the situation" until I'm in real trouble, i.e no strikes - no nothing!  Then, out comes the little screen thingie.  I study the screenings.  I sit on the bank and observe flying things.  I closely watch the fish rising, where they are rising, how, etc.  By that time it is usually dark and as I head back to the pickup, I think, "if I only had a little more time I would have figured it out!"  And, quietly, I think to myself,  God, I hope no one was watching.

On such occasions, what I'd really like to know is,  "how does some vertebrate like a fish that has as a brain a wide spot in its spinal cord consistently out smart the human vertebrate whose brain is capable of opening child proof medicine bottles?"  Of course, on those rare occasions when the fish are "biting" and will rise to any thing thrown at them, including those scruffy royal coachmen you tied when you were twelve years old, you know you are catching them because you have superior intellect ~ and of course are a brilliant fly fisherman. 

One thing about the human brain we tend to "over think" these things!   But, I have learned one thing over the years if you encounter a guide or some such expert that states he/she has never had a "blank" day of fishing avoid em.  They haven't fished.  Some days you're just out there for the "experience".

The logic of it all

Fly fishing thoughts
Shortly after Rose and I were married I took her along on a trip to Northern Idaho to introduce her to my other passion ~ fly fishing.  She watched and read as I fished a nearby "run".  I noticed a quizzical look on her face as she watched me make a couple of false casts and deliver the fly in perfect form to a far reach of water.  As we sipped coffee on the bank later in the morning, she asked, "why do you cast it back and forth like that before you put the fly back on the water?"  I replied I was drying the fly.  To which she replied, "if you want it dry ,why do you keep throwing it back in the water?"  

If a physican were to ask.....

So..the doctor says,
You're out of shape.
Here's what I want
you to do.

Find a stream
with various sized
rocks covered with
green slimy moss ~
the slippier the better.

The ideal river
will have varying
degrees of depth
and varying degrees
of current speed.

Unbelievably steep
and rocky banks
are a plus.

What I am handing 
you are called
waders.
When you get to the
river put these on and
wade into the river.

Before entering the stream
put these boots on
to add to the overall
weight of the outfit.

Attempt to wade
with the current and
against the current at
random.
Wade across the
stream at random
as well.

At all times maintain
your balance.
You may fall a few
times ~ but that is OK.

Remember the feeling
of "pushing water"
is good.  Leg cramps
at night after a full
day of doing this is
indication of "success'!

For a change of pace,
attempt several crossings
with the water lapping
as close as possible to
top of your waders.

Oh yes,
upon occasion
fall in.

 
While doing this
exercise
swing this stick
above your head.

Follow this routine
as often as is possible
and report back to me.

To which the average
person would say
"Are you crazy?  You
could get killed doing
that ~ drown or have
a heart attack or simply
get really tired.

And yet a fly fisherman
does the routine
as often as is possible.

And gladly!




To the above add extremely cold weather and little likelihood of success, and you have a steel-head fisherman!