Some Truths of Fly Fishing

[lancer09]

Hardly ever is anything certain when it comes to fly fishing. Sometimes you catch fish and sometimes you don't, that's just how the cookie crumbles. This evening I was just thinking of a few and here is what I came up with.

1. Don't plan to catch fish, if you do, you won't.
2. You WILL get snagged on something, sometime that day.
3. If there is nothing to get snagged on, more than likely you'll find something... probably yourself.
4. Nothing will ever make you more frustrated than fly fishing.
5. When you catch a fish on a fly you tied it will be the happiest moment of your life. Except maybe when you get married or children born. Catching said fish may usurp those spectacular occasions if your child or spouse won't stop crying or whining... or both.
6. There will be days when every fish you hook, though played correctly will get off, without a doubt.
7. Sometime you might throw your fly rod into the trash, only retrieve it fifteen minutes later and talk to it in baby talk about how sorry you are that you threw it away.
8. You will figure out that even though fish are not as smart as us... They are smarter than us.
9. You might be fishing the exact same fly and presentation as the guy next to you, but he is catching fish, and your not. He's Lucky.
10. Sometimes you will be that lucky guy, but more than likely not. It's a sad reality to accept.
11. You will probably meet some of the most stuckup jerks on the planet.
12. You WILL meet a lot of the greatest sportsmen and best people that walk the earth.
13. Sometime someone will share a productive fly with you, and you should pass it on some other time.

That's all I have for now, I think it would be good to see what everyone can come up with.

Devin

 

[mcnerney]

Devin: Nice work on your list of truths about fly fishing, most of your list I agree with except for maybe 4 and 7. Fly fishing to me is never frustrating, I have never approached it like that. I just really enjoy the chance to get outside and enjoy nature and the surroundings, if I catch a fish it just adds to the experience. I don't get caught up in the outing as being frustrating (you might be putting too much pressure on yourself). I approach it more as a chance to learn something new about fly fishing. Take last weekend for an example, I got an opportunity to fish with some great friends here on the forum. I landed one average sized rainbow and a few whities, had a few opportunities at some really large fish, but I still had a great time. Sure it would have been nice to actually bring one of the big trout to the net, but the experience was still a lot of fun. When Clint, Fysh or Pam landed a good sized fish, I was just as happy as if I had done it. Have you ever tried golf, now that is a frustrating sport. I used to love playing golf but it sure could get frustrating at times.

Larry

 

[HuronRiverDan]

I agree with Larry, 4 and 7 would never be on my list. I love all types of fishing, but; flyfishing holds a special place. I love seeing new streams and fishing my old favorites. Solving the riddle of what the fish are taking when it's not perfectly clear. Tying flies the masters created, and tying my own creations; it's even better when the fish jump all over them... I am a fly fishing addict, but I have it under control....

Dan

 

[trapper50cal]

Well, First off guys, I don't buy it...If you haven't gotten frustrated while fly fishing than you haven't fished hard enough (just kidding)

But, I would say playing golf poorly is WAY more frustrating, a larger expectation not to make an ass of yourself in a Country Club environment.

The one axiom I would add is this:

If you are too lazy to rig up for nymph fishing and are bound and determined to simplify life by tying on a dry and slathering it with some floatant, you will not catch a fish until you relent and put on your strike indicator, weight and nymph like you know you should have in the first place.

 

[lancer09]

Ah, don't get me started on golf. I love it also and have been golfing for years, it's not so much the lack of catchign fish that frustrates me, it's more of the little stuff that might go on during an unlucky outting... Like everytime you cast an awkward gust of wind blows your rig back onto your rod creating a knot that can't be undone. Then having to cut and re-rig the whole thing.

That sort of stuff. I love fly fishing but at the same time I highly enjoy fishing with my spinning and baitcasting gear, and generally catch more fish, that gets frustrating occasionally, but then I just know I need to keep working.

One thing about me is I"m INCREDIBLY competitive.. with everything, even just with myself, I like to do every thing balls to the wall.

 

[Ard]

Pretty good except I gotta add number 9 to the can't agree list, so 4, 7, & 9 can't be generalized. As for the guy beside you catching fish, here's something I have been saying for at least 25 years; "Luck is for newlyweds and gamblers, what I do when I fish has nothing to do with luck". Don't get me wrong about luck I have never fell in a river wearing chest waders there may be some in that part.

 

[Jimmie]

(#7) I'd never throw my rod in the trash, but I'm not above talking "baby talk" to it. In fact I may go do that right now.

 

[nogills2]

I have been fishing for most of my life, and fished bass tourney's for 15 years. Now you wana talk frustrating! There is nothing like having money involved in fishing to make it frustrating. Like catching the second largest bass for the big bass pot, by one ounce.

Anyway after I gave up tourneys, fishing is now TOTALY pleasure, doesnt matter if I put a fish in the boat, I enjoy the outing, usually with one of my sons, or a friend,

 

[raindogt]

This is fun! Been thinking it over, and I have a regional 'truth' (One that you, Devin, can probably relate to): Here in Kansas City, I can almost guarantee a passer by, looking perplexedly at me-- and then asking "Are there trout in this lake?" lol.

Also: If you stay with it long enough-- you will acquire more (insert any number of tying materials here) than you could possibly use in a lifetime.... (mine is deer hair-- I have many friends who hunt, and Bass love the deer hair bugs.....)

And, finally: even though many fishing situations only call for 30 or less feet casts--- you will, at some point, send one or two 50 or 60 (or more) feet-- just to see if you can.

 

[two_nymph_rig]

i get frustrated when i fly fish. i fish double nymph rigs a lot, and where I live in wyoming, it's very windy, all the time. so when i am trying to cast a big heavy double nymph rig in the wind, it often times gets tangled around my rod, boy is that frustrating. but then when i do get it right where it's supposed to be, and I hook into that good one, that's way better than any frustrating moments I have. i would also say that i've been lucky a time or two, for example, last week i was just walking along the river bank heading to the next hole, well i was dragging my rig in the water on the river bank, sure enough I had a fish come up and grab it. i thought i was snagged on a stick or rock but when i turned around, it was about a 12 inch brown. so that's luck for ya.

 

[yatahey]

Number 6 happened to me this last week.