not my New Year’s resolutions

January 6th, 2012 by Patrick Konoske | 7 Comments

From my perspective as someone who has made plenty of New Year’s resolutions to little affect on my life, this year I instead offer a public service in the form of resolutions for others, hoping that my 11 readers will pass them along under the presumption that adherence to any one of these resolutions by other outdoorsmen will make my fly fishing life a bit easier.

  • The Resolution for Fisherman Who May Be Too Friendly: If you’re not my guide or I don’t know you and haven’t asked, don’t net my fish. In my personal experience, it rarely ends well for anyone involved.
  • A Resolution for Those with (Untrained) Kids & Dogs: The water down around the bend is just as wet as the water I’m fishing.
  • The Shy Fly Fisherman Resolution (This comes from personal experience.): Don’t be afraid to ask a successful fly fisherman for help. If you ask while on the water, be courteous and remember what Andre Puyans was reputed to have said, “Move only close enough to communicate and observe, but never close enough to interfere.” Do so and you’ll likely start a new friendship, regardless of its duration; though you should expect that answers to any questions won’t always be totally truthful.
  • Resolve to Understand Fishing Doesn’t Always Mean One’s Fishing: Experienced fishermen often study a piece of water before fishing, and often before even entering the water. It’s only good manners to respect this and gently wake up a fellow angler quietly ask permission to fish the water being observed.
  • A Resolution for Those Filling Stringers: If you see me landing more fish than you, don’t ask if I’ll give you one for your stringer. Catch it on your own; only then have you earned the right to make a decision to let it go or keep it. (The fact that it may be a stocked fish doesn’t negate the premise of this resolution.)
  • Resolve to Look for Fish Elsewhere (Part 1): Even if I’m landing more fish than you, my spot is not where all the fish are. Respect the fact that I get up before the sun and fall over rocks in the dark to get a particular spot; or get up earlier than I do.
  • Resolve to Look for Fish Elsewhere (Part 2): Please, please don’t cast your lure, bait or even fly 15 or 20 feet to place it in the seam less than 5 feet in front of me. It’s also bad form to cross my line with yours. Be warned: I’ve been working on the accuracy of my retaliatory long-distance casting.

what we saw last week… (2012-01-04)

January 4th, 2012 by Patrick Konoske | Leave a comment

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I got nothing, ‘cept wishes for a happy and healthy 2012

December 30th, 2011 by Patrick Konoske | 2 Comments

There are still some sentences to edit and words to change, but I’ve nicely crammed nearly five days worth of work into this abbreviated three-day work week sandwiched between the Christmas and New Year holidays. It’s been grueling.

Not complaining, just explaining why I got nothing this Friday and not much to add to the overworked end-of-the-year rehash of 2011 done so much better elsewhere.

It’s been so busy that there’s not been time to ponder the meaning of what’s shaping up to be a very dry winter. While not good for the big picture, it may mean more fishing for me earlier in the coming year; and it’s a sure thing that after this year’s lack of it, mo’ fishing will be at the top of my list for 2012.

At any rate, we’ll wind down a bit this long weekend, finish reading “Dracula,” celebrate the start of a New Year, perhaps lament the underutilization of the past year, and make sure that lentil soup is the fist meal of 2012.

Early wishes to all for a happy and healthy New Year!

what we saw last week… (2011-12-28)

December 28th, 2011 by Patrick Konoske | Leave a comment

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last-minute gift suggestions for the fly fisher in your life

December 23rd, 2011 by Patrick Konoske | 2 Comments

Despite the late hour, there are a few things that might be procured in time for Christmas Day for that fly fisherman in your life.

Truthfully, fly fishermen typically don’t need many new things and most of what we might want can’t be bought: more time to fish, landing that extra-large fish one’s been chasing for a life time, or hitting “the hatch” just right.

In most cases, anything that can be bought is probably already in their possession, often without the spouse having a clue. Sometimes it’s a matter of simply being unable to wait to get the latest and greatest thing, other times it grows out of the search for that one thing that will make them look good regardless of the catching, or it was a shiny object necessary item that caught their eye at a fly shop visited during their travels.

Some of the stuff may never get used; the same fly fisherman who will cast to the same stretch of river time after time won’t necessarily have the patience to tie flies. The more practical among us will be content with what they have and will be content with only a dozen or so rods and reels. Consumable such as dry fly floatant, leader and tippet will always be appreciated, and used. Flies, however, can be tricky; many a fly fisherman will spend too much time sorting through choices, looking for that perfect fly. (The same one, broken and misshapen after fooling a few fish, won’t look like much of anything…but will still dupe the fish.)

If that person in your life is a steelhead fisherman, they’ll understand a joke gift of magnets. However, if the recipient does try to use this gift during fishing, seek professional help. There’s also the The Hungover Cookbook. Do you really thing that fly fishermen and their buddies only fish on longer, overnight outings?

Topping my list is an ever-present Sense of Humor, for those days when it’d be easier to say one was skunked instead of admitting to landing fish that were all less than 10 inches. Also very handy when skunked; it takes the sting out of the later realization that one was outsmarted by fish with brains the size of a pea. If you find it on Amazon.com, let my wife know.

My personal wish is that your holiday and the coming year are filled with the joy that comes from the many other gifts that can’t be purchased.

Merry Christmas!