I could not agree more. I remember my Dad starting me out with a cane pole and then I got the prize! I remember it well...the rod blank was white with red thread wraps! It was just beautiful! The reel was black with the white push button on the back! It was the Zebco 404 and I was on cloud 9! I had me a real fishing rod and reel just like the big boys! A Zebco rod and Zebco reel! I would fish for maybe 30 minutes and then I could put a 2 inch diameter red/white bobber on the line and see just how far I could cast that baby! It would go for a mile! What fun I had! Soon I discovered catching fish and I got more serious and (if I must say so) I got real accurate with placing the hook with the cricket on it right where I was aiming and I got to catching fish big time. I got better at catching than the big boys and that made me proud. Yes, those were the days that led to 30 years of bass tournaments and now fly fishing. I quit the bass tournaments because of the crowds on the lakes, the cheaters in the tournaments, jet skis, etc. plus all of a sudden, fishing was not fun anymore. I sold the bass boat and a friend told me to go to the river and try a fly rod. That was 14 years ago and I only wish that I had picked up that fly rod 30 years ago. I sure have missed out on a lot of fun, but, I am doing my best to make up for it! I fish for everything with a fly rod, tie my own flies, teach a fly tying class and help a lot of younger anglers with this great sport. I really think everyone should have started this way.
Warren
Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.