Those of you who garden know the name of Ed Hume, I used
to watch him on TV when I lived in Montana. After moving
out here I had a chance to meet him in person. Neat guy.
I remember my comment to him at the flower show in Seattle,
WA. It went something like this; 'the thing I like so much
about your show, you never seem to get tired of giving out
the basics.' By that I meant no matter how important and
fascinating all this stuff may be, the basics are still
the very most important ideas.
When I started into fly-fishing every book I borrowed from
the library was new information on each and every page. After
a few decades of books it is hard for me to find one with more
than a couple of new ideas. Not that I know everything, I tend
only to read books that interest me. When I do find something
different, or a way of looking at or thinking of something I
had not come across before it is still highly valued.
Many of you who read my columns have been at this silliness
even longer than I and other than a smidgen of humor probably
find nothing new in here at all. But, I still keep pecking
away at this in hopes of helping someone who has not found
all the answers yet. Here we go on a pet peeve of mine. The
dork who still thinks he is spin-fishing, or at least still
thinks he is using one of those unbreakable,
'hoop-em-end-to-end' spinning rods.
It is true that over the years I have made many good acquaintances
in this game, many of them make fly rods. They all have the same
problem. Dorks who do not have a clue of how to use a fly rod.
The big problem with that is this. You and I pay for their
dorkiness! The manufacturers bend over backwards to humor
these guys who send in 'defective' fly rods. "Gorsh, I was
jest landin' the fish, done it that'a way all me life. It
jest broke, musta been defekteve."
I guess that may have been a bit strong, but you get my point.
They may not all talk like that, but their knowledge of fly
rods is on that level. You don't put your hands up the rod
to land a fish. Maybe we need Ralph Nader to put warning
labels on the butt sections, "Warning! Putting your hands
up your butt may be hazardous to this rod, and you!"
To play, (make that 'fight' for some of you) a fish, keep the
darn rod low, somewhat pointed toward the fish. Fly rods are
casting machines, not derricks. They are very carefully designed
to cast and play and land a fish of reasonable relation to the
rod. The guys who design them are pretty good at it and, trust
me, it bugs them to see some of the rods that come into the
repair department busted.
So, all together now... "I will not put my hands up my butt!"
Good, you may not soon forget this little bit of wisdom,
however if you are tempted to do so, here is a picture of
a guy putting his hands up his butt. He will soon be
explaining to his chums, "Gorsh, that fish was so big
it busted my butt!"
~ James Castwell
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