fishing for words

It began with a small brown trout dangling on the end of my son’s fly rod some two years ago. Since then I’ve taken a fly fishing class, joined a fly fishing club for which I am now webmaster and secretary, bought fly fishing gear and, yes, caught trout and bluegill on a fly rod. Ask my wife and she’ll tell you I look the part when fully geared up — sort of like a shorter version of Henry Blake in M*A*S*H when it was dressed to go fishing. (No lures on my hat though.)

But during the last week I have begun to flirt with fly fishing as an obsession. I tied my first few flies. I started easy, working on a flex tube scud and some zebra midges. I followed the instructions from a DVD to tie red and green chironomid (midge) pupa, replete with a red/green body, black head and white gills. Then I grew daring. I read the instructions for a Wolly Bugger…something I have yet to fish but is considered a good fly for going deep into some of pools I fish. I was rather pleased with the result, though I wouldn’t call if perfect.

My last two attempts were probably a bit too ambitious for the late hour of the evening. I began with a fur ant, which required dubbing and well as tying on a hackle. I think it turned out okay, but I’ve got to learn better how to lay down the hackle. Next I tied an hare’s ear nymph. (This design, also in other colors, doesn’t duplicate or imitate anything in nature, yet does well catching trout.) It was a bit of a struggle to get all of the parts in the right places and to figure out where my hand should go and where various parts should be held until it all came together. But it did come together. Again probably not the best example, but it offered a good learning experience.

If only I could get out and catch a fish on a fly tied by my own two hands!

(Yes, I’ve been warned that this may be only the beginning…next I’ll want to build my own rod…)

Reasons anyone should be amazed at catching rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss):

1. Top Speed: 23 mph/37 kmph. Hogs (larger fish) can get in an extra 1 or 2 mph.
2. Distance to Reach Top Speed: 1 foot.
3. Average Speed of Line Pull: 33 feet per second.
4. Vertical Leap Capability: Three to four times its length. (For a human that would be 18 to 24 feet).
5. Strength: Large trout are known to break leaders two times their body weight. (For a human that would be equal to a piece of monofilament line rated at 350 lbs.)
6. Sensory Input: 500 to 800 times more acute than the sensory input received by a fisherman.
7. ESP: Pretty sure they have this too.

Leaving family always leaves a bit of a hole in my stomach even if my mom does stuff me with pancakes and Lil’ Smokies. But it was time to head south, and by 9:30 a.m. Sean and I were on the road. It’s been a typical Washington day…gray with drizzle and rain here and there. Traffic has been minimal, so we’ve made good time. Just about noon and we’re about 14 miles from the Washington/Oregon border. In 24 hours we’ll be back in California.

After a night in Rogue River, we woke to sunshine and a clear road home. It was a good trip. Something that should happen more often.

[Pictures from this trip can be found by clicking here.]