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As most of you are painfully aware, I try to crank
out one of these columns every week. Some would
actually say, weakly. Occasionally I will become
inspired and write it on a Monday or Tuesday. But,
invariably when I do, someone will write about the
same subject on the bulletin board along about Friday
and there I am stuck with what looks I stole the idea.
So, mostly I do not write this until Saturday evening,
sometimes even Sunday.
However, all during the week I have had an eye open and
an ear tuned for a subject. This past week I had one in
mind (this now is Sunday afternoon in case you hadn't
put that together yet). Subjects are fragile things.
One can't think too much on them or you lose them. You
can't talk about them to anyone or you will end up with
a blank sheet of paper at press time. They must be
cherished (even a short note made of them) and kept
close but not revealed.
Often I will ask the LadyFisher if she has her column
yet. By that I mean in her head, not actually written
down. She will usually reply that she has and we drop
it right there. If she has not yet one in mind, I might
suggest that I have an extra idea if she needs one. Not
often, but there have been times when she has asked what
it might be.
So, all this past week I have been chewing on a topic
and almost wrote it last (Saturday) evening, but didn't.
Today we receive our weekly email for the 'Journal' from
Neil Travis. Guess what. Oh well, so this week we both
write about pretty much the same thing. So, with apologies
to him, here I go.
Wouldn't it be neat if we could start out new each time
we went fly fishing? No, I mean, face each time with the
wonder and anticipation as those first ventures? You would
still know everything you do now, but, each and every time
would be yet another learning experience and step up onto
another plateau of the game. I suppose some of you might
say, no way; yet others might agree.
That is the opportunity we each have every time we go out.
True, there is mystery in just flailing away with a rod,
line and fly, hoping the gods fasten something onto the
end. And I suppose there are some who find just that much
rewarding, at least for the time being. Others might chose
to continue learning, marching forward and gaining on the
mystery of fly fishing.
Like a great dish at a restaurant. Some might want the recipe
so as to produce it at home. Others would refuse it, wanting
to keep the mystery alive. Learning the magicians secret does
not always produce a reward.
So, to learn or not; well, for me it works. Each tidbit of
information I acquire enhances my total experience. Yes,
learning a few scientific names of the trouts food was
included, but only after march brown, yellow sally,
spinner, dun and caddis seemed not quite adequate.
By attempting to learn a bit more about the objects of
my environment I expanded my appreciation of each occasion.
The name of a wild flower, the name of a part of the wild
flower, a new bird, identify its call, an insect, and the
instar's it goes through, (what 'instar actually means')
a type of cloud, fungus, frog or toad, which one is good
to eat, buy a new book.
Like I said, I do it because it works for me. It helps
keep everything new and exciting. Give it a try yourself.
Be aware that you have the opportunity to enrich your
experiences and your life just by adding a bit of
information to each one. ~ James Castwell
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