OK ? I understand confession is good for something, but in my state of pis**ness, I don't quite remember what. This is already two days old, and I just can't put it behind me. Yes, I realize I was wrong. So was the other guy. And yes, I know two wrongs don't make it right. So I'm confessing my error, and even asking for forgiveness, as I have forgiven him, even though he won't see this, unless my error was committed against one of my own FAOL family members, which makes it even more heinous.

I lost my cool with someone. My usual gracious, patient, kind self got blown clean outa the water! A semi-youngish (40's?) fellow with a little girl in tow started fishing the stream where Cary and I were fishing. The section we were in was about 200 yards long, with great riffles, and a few super pools. Trout are abundant along its entire length; they're wary and know all the flies one could ever throw at them, but they're there. This guy started at the end nearest Cary, cut him a wide berth, and continued up stream, hawking his fly with the bobber as he went. When he reached the place I'd been fishing, he continued to lob his fly right in front of me, and let it drift down ? repeatedly. Then, he went over the spillway, to the opposite banks ? all of 3 feet away from me, and continued to flop the fly next to, and in front of me. I'd already given him ?the look? a half a dozen times; the little girl got it, but he didn't. And that's when I lost it.

?Am I invisible to you?!?? He says, ?I'm not doing anything wrong.? I said, ?You're casting right in front of me! Why are you doing that when there's plenty of open water here (sweeping my arm down stream to emphasize the openness)?!?? Him, ?Hey, I'm just trying to catch a fish so she can reel it in!? Me, ?Fine, just do it somewhere else.? Then I said, ? ?I was here first.? Him, ?I'm leaving!? (Angrily) Me, ?Thank you!? (Sarcastically) Repeat, ?I'm leaving!!? Repeat, ?Thank you!! (Through clenched teeth)

What a great example I was to fly-fishing. Couldn't he have said, ?Mind if I fish through??, or, ?I'm trying to catch a fish for my daughter, got any tips??. He**, I'd have given him any hook I had in my boxes! Couldn't I have just walked away? He didn't crowd out Cary, why did he think he could me? Why did he feel he could set an example like that to his daughter? Why did I have to set such an example to his daughter?

The whole thing just makes me sick. I've never done anything like that before, and I hope this weighs my conscience enough that I will never do that again, as long as I live. My fishing manners were lacking, and even though his were atrocious, I'm supposed to be a bigger person than that. I know better.

I'm sorry.


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Trouts don't live in ugly places