This year will be different. I genuinely mean that. This
year will be a learning process. This year will more than likely bring less
fish than last but that is okay. This year I will push my own limits in order
to improve as a fisherman.
This year I will not be setting a goal as to the total amount
of fish, locations to fish, or amount of types of fish. This year will document
what it is like to take an entire year and use it to learn, grow and improve my
skill.
I will be dedicating this year to the art fly fishing.
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| Top: "Bone Crusher" - 8wt. Middle: "Excalibur" - 6 wt Bottom: "Rudy" - 3 wt. |
Last year I took a couple of fishing outings where I only
took my fly rod and this forced me to practice tying on my flies, casting, fly
selection, etc. The problem is that I would go weeks without even touching a
fly rod, then come back and almost have to teach myself all over again.
I figured why not take a year to bring along only my fly
rod? Why not take a year to get used to the fly rod? Why not learn to improve
my casting, to practice my double hauls, And in turn to learn to play and catch
more fish on the fly?
So this is my goal this year. Not to become a purist or
switch entirely to fly fishing for the rest of my life, but rather to even out my
skill on both types of rod. My goals are as follow:
- Improve Casting Technique.
- Master Double haul casting.
- Catch more fish on the fly rod.
- That is it.
With this said, I will not ONLY be using the fly rod.
Certain trips I will be using regular rods like bass fishing in the winter
where they are out in deeper water or trout fishing for planters in a lake. But
those will be special trips, most of the year I will only be armed with a
trusty fly rod or two.
With that said, bring it on 2015… bring it on!!
Good luck to you brother! It's hard for me to stick to 1 method. We all have to shake the rust off of our fly fishing casts after winter (for me anyway), but it comes back quick. While I primarily and prefer to use my fly rod, there are some lakes, creeks, or conditions that doesn't make it applicatable. You'll be come a better angler if you become good at both methods. While they are 2 different worlds, they share the same common goal. You will achieve your goals, and become a better "ANGLER."
ReplyDeleteThat is a good goal, anymore I am about 80% fly rod but there are those times when fishing a texas rig worm or deep fishing for walleye when it is just fun on conventional. But I thinks it is good to make that sort of commitment. Your mileage may vary but for me I found that it was easier to double hall on an heavier line, I was able to feel the line instead of having to watch it. Also I practiced often without my rod and just engraining the movement of hands apart, hand together, shift back, hands apart, hands together, shift forward. Doing this really helped my muscle memory.
ReplyDeleteRudy?
ReplyDeleteThe little football player that could! haha Notre dame, remember? great movie!
DeleteHa! Dan 'Rudy' Ruettiger, was a teacher at my High School when I was there. Small world. Great movie and story!
DeleteWell, I named my fly rod after him! if you ever see him, let him know that! lol
DeleteJuan
ReplyDeleteThose of us who fly fish never stop learning. I'm glad you have committed this year as a learning curve, it may rub off on the rest of us. I am sooooooo impressed with that 3 wt. Thanks for sharing
You'll enjoy it more and more as you improve. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteFly fishing can be extremely frustrating even to a veteran but is as rewarding as it gets. If you ever need any help feel free to hit me up. I am familiar with a lot of places around the 530 area be it stream or stillwater.
ReplyDeleteGood luck and keep at it.
Everyone else has already said all the right things, Juan. I just want to encourage you to stick to your plan of giving it a year. It will be difficult at times and tempting to just catch a fish anyway you can, but, satisfaction will come when you have completed your fly fishing course in 2015 and look back at all you have learned.
ReplyDelete