.jpg)
Things I think; things I do (usually); and things I like.
These monthly (approximately) Tips are an effort to share with others some of the things that my years of association with Wyoming Flycasters members have taught me. You might also call them my biases. As someone reiterated on a recent outing, “What I like about fly fishing is that there is always something to learn.” Before presenting this month’s Tip, a bit about my association with WFC, so that you will know where I am coming from. I’ve been a member for about a dozen or so years. At my initial meeting, I was welcomed by Joe Meyer, Lloyd Ferguson, and Ed Rate. And somehow I was fortunate enough for them to adopt me for the next several years. They, and other WFC members, have been most hospitable and most generous with sharing their skills and experience. Thanks, guys!
OK: Let’s get to it. This month’s Tip is “Getting to the Water”. You can’t catch a fish standing around rigging up your gear. If you have ever fished with Joe and me, you know that we arrive at the parking lot pretty much rigged up and ready to fish. There is none of this rod assembly, attaching a reel, stringing the rod, and maybe having to put on a leader, or maybe new tippet; and then tying on flies, adding weights, or whatever. Get a rod case that allows you to put a 9 ft, 2 piece rod in it with the reel attached and line threaded. If you’re using a 4 piece rod, leave the top 2 sections and bottom 2 sections attached. Attach a fly to the tippet, reel the fly up to the tip top, and fold the tip top next to the reel seat. Then you are ready to go by simply joining the 2 pieces when you slip the rod out of the case. One other small hint: it’s easier to do all of this in you den or living room than out in the wind and cold. It’s not exactly a race, but if you are still standing around the vehicle when others are shouting about the fish they are catching, or if your fishing partners are done before you get started, you may appreciate this simple advice. If you happen to drive a Subaru Outback, as I do, you can dispense with even more delays, by totally rigging up your rod(s) with several flies, weights, and an indicator (if desired), and just slide the whole thing, up to a 9.5’ rod, into the vehicle.
A subset of this Tip might be called, “Be On Time”. And if you have fished with Joe and me, you will have perhaps noticed that that means being about 10 minutes early.
You don’t know unless you go!
SA
