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The memories of getting my first flyrod are etched in my
memory forever. Even though it has only been one year, I
know that it will stick with mer. That little Pflueger
starter set is still my only trout sized combo. The joy
of ripping the paper off that gift is rivaled only by
catching a fish with it. I already knew what it was, but
it was still exciting.
I remember putting it together, and after about 30 attempts,
I managed to tie a blood knot. Even though it was snowing,
I ran outside to try to cast. I vividly remember stripping
some line off the reel, lifting the rod, and promptly hanging
the hook in my ear. After my mom took it out and bandaged
the wound, I decided to tie on a piece of yarn instead of a
hook. I stood for two hours trying to get the cast right,
and finally managed to get casts about 20 feet before I had
to come in or freeze. I can picture that in my head like it
was yesterday or really as if it is happening right now.
I also remember when I first became interested in fly fishing.
I was fishing a small stream with my trusty spinning rig for
trout when I noticed an older man with a fly rod enter the
water upstream. I watched as he made a perfect cast to an
undercut bank on the opposite side of the creek. He popped
the rod up and after a short fight, he had a fish bigger then
I had ever caught in that creek. I went up to him and asked
if I could just watch. He replied with a merry little "yeah
sure kid." He wadded back into the stream, and placed another
perfect cast to the same spot. I saw a large shadow, much
larger then the first fish, moved out from the bank and drift
under the fly. It must have drifted 30 feet downstream with
the fly. The whole time, the man made little flips with his
rod tip that I now know is called mending the line. The fish
finally tipped up and, with almost no movement on the surface,
the fly disappeared. The man lightly lifted the rod and the
fish was hooked. It ran under the bank and around a log. The
line snapped, and I still to this day I haven't seen a trout so
big in that or any other stream.
I fished with the guy the rest of the day and was amazed at
how he used that long rod, and how many fish he caught.
Ever since that day I have been hooked on fly fishing. I
still have not managed to take a trout with a fly rod, but
I try my best every time. I still use my first rod at least
once a week at the local pond for panfish. And I hope to be
able to take a trout with it on my next trip. But if not,
I will always be ready to give it a try. It is fun even if
I don't catch a trout. Just being on the stream with a
flyrod in my hand is enough for me. ~ Chris Rhodes
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