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I apologize. To you who are new, have been at fly fishing for a while
and those who are deep into this stuff; to all of you, I am sorry and hope
I have not given you a wrong opinion of who I am and what is important
to me in fly fishing. As my fly fishing has developed over the years I have
fished many waters (never too many) in a lot of places for all kinds of
quarry. I think I have given the impression that at the end of all of it there
is only one way to fly fish, one specie and one destination. The 'My way,
or the Highway,' sort of thing.
For me right now, I would just love to go to the Bahamas and pester the heck
out of some big bonefish. That is fishing with a fly. Very close to 'Fly-fishing,'
but, not quite on the button. For me, real fly fishing is a light fly rod (3 to 5) a
few rising trout in a medium-small flowing stream and casting a dry upstream.
That was fly fishing when I started and always will be. Anything different is not
quite the same. Yes, my preference is upstream, not down, wet, or streamers.
So what, that is my hang-up. I just like it, that's the way I am.
Some, many, most or whatever of you have not lived nor fished as long as I and
may presume I have turned my back on the quintessential methods. Nothing could
be farther from fact, it's still the stuff good books are written about. You know
I enjoy casting a long line, it's fun and in itself a rewarding experience, but, it's
not fly fishing. There will be a casting competition at the 'Fish-In' and it will be
fun too. I will even bring the 'broom' rod for some entertainment and double-haul
instruction. That sure is not fly fishing.
No, for this old guy, the magic is still in the one-on-one contest with a rising trout.
It is always an adventure discovering what they are feeding on and how to copy
and present it correctly. In short, for me the game certainly has not changed. That
is why I go to the 'Fish-In,' not some exotic location. That is why I have already
started laying out gear on the bed in the spare bedroom. I don't want to forget
anything, and even the 'getting ready' is fun.
P.S. I am getting real serious about this trip, even got a new fly fishing hat for
my wife, cute huh? ~ James Castwell
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