EVERY DAY IN MAY OUTDOOR BLOGGERS WRITING CHALLENGE: TODAY’S TOPIC…’HATCHING’…SEE THE OTHERS HERE

Well, I guess the obvious must be written about ‘hatching’ and how it relates to fly fishing and fly tying. I imagine you understand the other possibilities…one of which I had never read about (hatching while drawing) and also in writing…

“Betsy said all this, and, at the same time, from her good-humored, shrewd glance, Anna felt that she partly guessed her plight, and was hatching something for her benefit”. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 

Did you know that closely spaced lines in drawing are used to create shape, depth and texture…it’s called Hatching.

No, hatching in my world is not about hen’s eggs, hatching plots and plans or certainly about drawings. It is confined to fly fishing. “What’s hatching?” or “what’s coming off” (the water’s surface) or simply “what are they eating?” is all about solving the momentary or future, on the water, puzzle in order to fool a fish with a fly. It is part of a greater puzzle that gives enjoyment to the endeavor. 

It’s why fly fishing is one of the more, dare I say it, intellectual efforts in fishing. Let’s see Earl “will I have to think harder if I have to choose my favorite color of Power Bait…or whether to use Red Wigglers or ‘crawlers’ or whether that is Blue Winged Olive, PMD or PED”.

Personally, I have always been partial to Rainbow.

No offense intended boys. Just sit right back down in that folding chair and sip your Pabst Blue Ribbon. Remember my previous post? I have fished all manner of ways….so, I can ruminate about such questions.

Learning a little about entomology’s cycles of life in a stream or lake and what comes of it to feed the fish is enjoyable. It adds some structure to solving the puzzle. You think, you observe, you plan (this can be reading, tying your own flies or selecting the flies at a shop or ordering them online…I strongly recommend taking classes and tying your own).

Truly fly tying is the icing on the cake. You learn to tie flies to mimic the food sources that fish eat. What could be better? Artistic meets Creative meets Thinker. The created fly is presented to the fish to ‘match’ the hatching (whew…I finally got back to the word!) insects that are coming to life and energizing those secretive, hiding fish.

Whether the hatch is a ‘blizzard’ hatch (in your mouth, in your ears, up your nose, inside your sunglasses type) or the infrequent, short lived 15 minute blurb you better be watching for and ready for…you have to study, plan, observe and react to it. At least you should if you want to derive the most enjoyment from fly fishing.

Tomorrow’s Every Day in May Topic is: Grinning & Laughing