The Silence of a Solitary Fly Fisherman

[Sep]

Silence. Crisp, wintery silence. No, not exactly silence. Something better. Silence gently wrapped around the soothing white noise of an icy, tumbling mountain stream. Silence overlaid by the soft swish of a fly rod, the hushed whisper of line sliding through guides, the occasional rasp of a reel feeding a hungry cast. Silence attained by the crunch of boots in a blanket of snow and the sound of misty breath in cold air. Silence filled with subtle sound. Silence, then, not for the ears, but for the soul.

The silence of a solitary fly fisherman.

I don’t usually set out to fish alone, but I fish alone more often than not. It’s the result of my inclination to escape during the week, rather than weekends, and my habit of making spontaneous, last minute fishing plans. I typically ask a few folks if they’d care to join me, but I usually get the same lame excuse, something about working for a living. So I go alone, without regret, enjoying the silence of the road, soothed by the hiss of tires on roadway, the dull rush of wind over the windshield, the peaceful absence of radio, phone, television. Disconnecting from the electronic world, traveling toward the natural.

As I get older, I make concessions in my solitary fishing. I fish in familiar, accessible places. I wade more conservatively. I leave a detailed map with the missus. But I do escape. The cell phone, a blessing in so many ways, blessedly does not work when I'm tucked away in the deep mountain streams. Spending hours disconnected, without the sound of another human voice, is a gift of its own sometimes. Hours without worrying about the news, the job, the bank account, all contrivances of man. Inner silence, quiet solitude.

Today, a single pretty rainbow trout saved me from a skunking. With no witnesses, I could fudge that number, say I caught a dozen. But to what purpose? The number of fish caught doesn’t matter. The emersion in the natural order does. And a single fish for a single fisherman has a certain quiet symmetry. One is enough today.

So I fished alone within the silent sound of a new year, the same silent sound of last year, and of countless years before, here on this ancient, chilly mountain stream. At peace with the silence, comforted by it, nurtured by it.

The silence of a solitary fly fisherman.

Sep

 

[jpbfly]

Always a great pleasure to see your pics and read your comments full of poetry and philosophy.This stream is wonderful...specially the third pic which made me dream...so many places to cast a fly...and I did it in my mind and imagined a trout rising where I expected it was....
Thanks a lot Sep

 

[Bigfly]

Sep, beautifully done!
I get the feeling the desire to be unaccompanied, isn't for the good of the group, but is good for individual. Maybe we would all benefit if more people learned to be alone, but not lonely. Thanks for the "water report".
JIm

 

[ant]

Very well put!

 

[dryflywaters]

I have been on a stream alone and had deer and turkey walk up within 40 feet of where I am fishing. I actually love to be out fly fishing alone.

 

[mcnerney]

Sep: Very nice fishing report, I really like your photos of the stream and surrounding terrain! Looks like a great place to escape for a few hours.

Larry

 

[FrankB2]

Nice story, and I enjoy that same feeling. I watch a lot of horror move, however, and you may not have been alone in those woods.....

 

[ChrisinselwynNZ]

Thanks for sharing Sep beautiful spot, and that fish looks great

Chris

 

[mojo]

Those pictures are why I love fly fishing a whole lot more than NASCAR.

 

[Jimmie]

All very nice. I particularly liked "one is enough today".

 

[rickf]

Beautiful, simply beautiful!!
But I have a Verizon cell phone, it seems to work everywhere so I don't answer when I'm in paradise. My car radio also seems to work everywhere..... or I put in a CD.
I love the silence of solitude as I usually fish by myself.
And I have piece of mind wherever I go. Frank mentioned the horrors in the remote woods, which could be a problem for some, but I always pack a loaded pistol in my vest. I even bring a silver bullet just in case! LOL

 

[axle27]

Nice pics and words.

I was working on a short story myself.

If I get it done, perhaps I'll post it.

 

[flytyer_neal]

Amen to that......I think we all enjoy that solitude......peace with nature and myself..

 

[webrx]

Very nice Sep, just what I needed to see and read today.

Dave

 

[troutslayer]

That is the esence of shy we "wave a stick in the water"! Well put!

 

[HuronRiverDan]

Well done Sep...The essay, and the pictures together told a great story...

Dan

 

[tonysav]

I agree great picture's keep up the good work.

 

[flyfishnflowers]

Well put. Amazing photography, great story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sep]

Thanks for all the kind words, guys.

…Maybe we would all benefit if more people learned to be alone, but not lonely.

Learn to be alone, but not lonely. I like that, Jim. Great language. Thanks!!!

…I particularly liked "one is enough today".

Me too, Jimmy. In truth, when I wrote it, it was almost a throw-away line. It turned into one of my favorites.

…But I have a Verizon cell phone, it seems to work everywhere so I don't answer when I'm in paradise. My car radio also seems to work everywhere..... or I put in a CD.

SHHHHHH!!!!! I have Verizon too and my wife thinks it doesn’t work on the stream!!!!

Actually, down in the gorges it seldom does, which is fine with me. And I have XM in the truck so I can listen to radio just about any time, any where. (Love me some Deep Tracks). Sometimes, I just choose not to.

Sep

 

[notenuftoys]

Great pictures, great story!! I typically fish alone; it's most enjoyable that way. Fly fishing is a way to disconnect from the world for just a short time. No music, no cell phone, just the sound of the river and the chirping of the birds. Nature makes wonderful music on it's own.