There are many reasons we start and continue to fly fish (and the related pursuits). I started 46+ years ago because of a neighbor friend. I watched him tying flies for a local merchant. At the time, I was not drawn to the tying as much as the possibilities of seducing a trout to the hook. I had not been a successful fisherman and the fly opened a whole new area of possibilities. It worked. The fly (Tied Down Caddis) was repeatedly successful; as much or more than the Pautzke Balls O’ Fire or Rooster Tail spinner. I was hooked and reinforced this success over and over in streams and backpacking lakes.
This initial intrigue has never ceased to be my primary motivating factor. I have at times succumbed to numbers of fish, and of course, the size of fish (still do). Fly tying expanded this quest for seducing the prey with the additions of steelhead, salmon, carp, bass and bonefish.
I have never been the one touting the fabled waters. Maybe I have mentioned certain B.C. stillwaters or Christmas Island. However, I know my realities and financial limitations. Someday I will visit Montana & Idaho. I will venture further North into more of B.C. I look at trout-steelhead bums as lucky, fortunate souls (whether they know it or not) and akin to the visual porn of fantasy v. reality for most of us. Does that make sense?
But, I am content near home too as long as the simple enjoyment remains: a created fly (mine, yours) tricks the fish and I enjoy ‘the moment’. Those moments, whether the fish came to hand or not, are etched in my memory bank and drive me. That original appeal remains all these years later.
SwittersB & Exploring 