Dad and the Kid 2009

[kglissmeyer]

He just turned 22 years old today; my how time flies. I taught he and his brother to fish oh so many years ago. I built them new fly rods, taught them to cast, bought them both float tubes and we had some wonderful times together for several of those young years.

The younger brother lost interest in fishing altogether - it's not for everyone. The older son would go occasionally, but he was a fair weather fisher and his interest dwindled.

As parents we have certain hopes and dreams, forgetting sometimes the divine trait of each person endowed with the power to make his or her own choices; thereby enjoying the fruits or suffering the consequences of those choices.

Choices were made, consequences meted out and parents hearts were broken for a time. Nevertheless, boys were slowly becoming men, and parents learned to understand more completely that they set the foundation, and, because it was a solid one, the future would hold good and exciting things in store. Sometimes parents forget that they were young once, and made some pretty questionable choices, yet here we are now and it appears that things worked out.

What does this have to do with a fishing report? My oldest son and I have finally bonded in a way I had hoped for much earlier in his life, but, after some poor choices, some tough consequences, and some real soul-searching, he has embraced fly fishing like I wish I had back in my youth. As a result we are spending more time together, and it is truly quality time. I guess one could say that any time spent together on a river is of the highest quality, but to revel in the day, the catch, the bite or no bite, but just to be together doing what we love, with whom we love has to be close to touching the divine.

With that introduction I would like to start a Fishing Report thread of our outings during this year. I realize the year is a quarter past, but the best is yet to come.

I'll fill you in on some of our outings to this point - and they have already been numerous - and then contribute a regular posting after each outing of the coming season. I know this will take some effort, and I hope I am equal to the task, but I feel strongly the need to record this and to share it with my friends at FAOL, but more importantly to share it with my son as I record the things that matter most - being with those we love and sharing life together.

So, here goes ...

Just last weekend, April 4, we spent the day on the Henry's Fork at Vernon Bridge (between Ashton and St. Anthony, ID). The wind was blowing out of the north at gale force and the temperature was hovering around the freezing mark making the wind chill just about unbearable. Mike hooked and landed a tremendous Brown trout that measured exactly at 20-inches, the fish took a Brown Rubberlegs. We never landed another fish in our two hours at that spot.

(Mike's 20-inch Brown):





We figured the fishing wasn't going to improve anytime soon so I suggested we head downriver to the Chester Dam area and see how things looked. Following a short drive and some observation - mostly to see if there were too many anglers on the water - we decided to give things a try.

As we waded into some respectable water I started with a hookup, and the fun began (mostly for me, but Mikey hooked into a few himself). Soon we were both into very good fish at the same time. I netted mine and immediately swept the net over to pick up Michael's fish - a great double!

We measured the fish (easy in the Measure Net) and found them both to be just a bit over nineteen inches long, with mine being just a bit heavier, but not much. Mine was a Hybrid cutt-bow, while Mike's was a beautiful native Rainbow. Both caught on five-wt rods, floating lines and nymphing. Mike caught his fish on one of my Green Goblin flies (kind of a green beaded, chartreuse green ribbed Zebra Midge), and I caught mine on a size #16 copper bead-head Pheasant-tail nymph.


(The Kid's big Bow):


(and Dad's twin cutt-Bow):

We ended the day having caught numerous trout and a few whitefish, with the double being the highlight of the day. Both of us happy to reverse the bad luck we had experienced upriver earlier in the day.

Hope you all enjoy this thread. Let me know what you think.

Thanks, and tight lines.

Kelly