September 30, and another trout season ends. It’s been a good year, but there have been moments throughout that didn’t sit well with me. Still, as the night descends on another season, I can certainly say it was successful in many ways.
I caught a lot of trout, in fact I caught more brown trout this year than in all other years combined, and I caught my usual quota of brooks as well. I used my new lightweight equipment quite often, which made the experience of catching even better than usual, as it makes it more challenging. I explored new locations, some which took quite a toll on my physical well being due to the climbing and trail blazing; others that were very easy and accessible and saved me from the usual recovery period of the day after, allowing me to get out a few days a week several times through the year. Also, we had a few excursions with the club which were enjoyable get-togethers, even if some of them ended up with nobody catching a fish, as we got to share ideas, techniques, stories and good company. So ultimately it was definitely a good year, but there were times when it certainly hung in the balance.
Prior to the trout season opener, in February, I took my heavy equipment out to fish for the migrating steelheads. During this outing, I injured my shoulder casting the line. At the time I didn’t think much of it, expecting it to run its course and clear up in a few weeks. It didn’t though, and throughout the year I would suffer every time I went out, as I wasn’t giving it time to rest. I was subsisting on a nightcap of Advil and liniment for days after every trip. The positive side of this, if there is one, was that I modified my casting stroke, putting less power into the forward cast and letting the rod load properly, which I should have been doing all along. My casting improved, I used less effort and consequently I managed the pain in my shoulder and kept it to an almost bearable level. Over the off season I’ll work on my shoulder rehabilitation, and come next spring I should be all set to go with a strong arm and an improved cast. Look at that, looking forward to the next season already.
Early in the season I had a spell where I wasn’t enjoying this as much as I usually did. I had been out a few times, had met with the usual results and successes, but something was off. My injury certainly affected my time on the water, as every outing ended with me in pain at the end of the day, and usually for a couple of days afterward. I was also feeling stale, going to the usual places and getting the usual results, and it just wasn’t enough anymore.
Then in June we had a little outing on the Grand River. At first it didn’t start out well, and we had to move around on the water to different locations, but finally near the end of the day I hit a pool where the trout were rising to a hatch. There was only about an hour of sun left in the day, but that was enough time to catch 16 beautiful brown trout. As I drove home I reflected on the events of the day. In fact, I thought about the whole process of fly fishing, and decided to change my approach. From that point on the season changed for the positive, and I started having more fun. The days where I was getting up at 5 AM became fewer and further between. I began taking trips where I didn’t get on the water until later in the day, and I tailored my approach to the times and conditions, and the successful results still came in. I gained a renewed appreciation for being out in the river, enjoying the scenery and wildlife. Even having to deal with my shoulder afterward didn’t deter me from getting out.
I also changed the way I prepared for a trip. Previously I would spend quite a lot of time tying flies, building leaders, and getting my equipment cleaned, sorted and packed. Now I just take a few minutes to put everything in the car the night before, and in the morning I take my time to get ready and leave. I may still tie a special fly or two, depending on what insects are prevalent to the time of year, but I no longer spend a lot of time studying maps of the area and plotting an approach; instead I’ll take my time when I arrive at the site and determine where and how to approach the river. I still take care of my equipment, and take pleasure in making sure everything is ready to go, but it isn’t a necessity prior to the outing anymore and many time I’ll take care of things on the water as they’re needed, such as re-tying a leader or cleaning up a fly and making it presentable while standing in the middle of a swift current. It’s the fly fishing equivalent to gonzo journalism, just deal with the situation at hand and go full speed ahead.
This ties in well with my life; when I retired I thought I could pick up and go to a river on a whim, at any time, any day. Approaching it this way makes that possible. Before, it was a planned operation, no spontaneity, and an adherence to a plan. Frankly, that makes it too much like a job, and it takes the fun out of it now that I’m retired. When I was working, I used to have to plan ahead to make sure every minute was utilized fully, but now I don’t care, I’ll take my time and do what I please, where I please. With all due consideration to the land owners, of course 😉
I also found out that I prefer fishing alone. I do enjoy company on the water, and have gone out several times with the club or with another member, and that is enjoyable in its own way, but I prefer the solitude of standing alone with my thoughts in a trout stream. That’s what attracted me to the sport in the first place, and it’s still what I like best about it.
That’s what I’ll be looking forward to next spring. In the meantime, I’ll clean up the rods and reels, clean the lines, tie flies and leaders. I’ll probably go out for a drive now and then, when the weather allows, and check out new locations and accesses to our multitude of rivers, and of course I’ll work on getting healthy so that I can go out on the water and not have to suffer for it, although, that wouldn’t stop me.
So although I’ll be looking forward to getting out on the water and looking at places with anticipation, I will always be open to a change of plans, or even no plan at all.
Come Fly With Me 