I took up flyfishing 8 years ago, I am self taught and get by, known to catch the odd fish here and there.
A couple of weeks ago I took my girlfriend fishing, it was her first time flyfishing so I thought with her being a newbie, it would be a good idea for her to experience some success. We went to a cutty stream out west, I took her aside and spent 30 mins showing her the basics of casting and reading the water, after a bit of practice she could shoot the line 15 - 20 ft, enough for this stream. I brought a rod (my back up) along but did not fish very much, it was her outing. By the end of the day she had caught 16 fish, varying in size, she (we) had a blast, she felt the line tighten time and time again, needless to say the girl is hooked. I loved the outing, watching the look in her face as she stood on the edge of a pool waiting for a fish to rise to her stimulator was priceless, a look which later on in the day became known as the "Hannibal Lector" look, too funny.
Anyways, now I have a problem, a BIG problem, she really liked my precious expensive rod, my Z-Axis with my Orvis Battenkill LA. We are now pricing out waders and wading boots, rods and reels, and everything else required to look the part.
So, I might have just kissed my Axis goodbye (I do have other rods), unless of course one day she is not fishing and might allow me to use it, on the other hand, she might just understand the need to get new expensive gear.
I light of these new developments, I feel compelled to make some decisions regarding spending at our household, heck, one of these days I might just have to remortgage the house to finance the addiction.
Saltamontes