It is very hot out and I was going to one of my favorite ponds. I did not have access by the road so I hiked in. I took a 5 weight and a 6 weight rod with me. This pond has some good size bass in it and it is easier, for me to shoot line out with rods of this weight. I also wanted to toss some flies tied with tungsten beads on jig hooks. They are easier to toss with those rods.

It was a clear brisk autumn morning as the rising sun created a haze which arose off the crystal clear water; the results of the conflict between both water and air temps colliding. The faint hiss of a pale orange line could be heard over the sound of the stream as it cut perfect loops through the air, carving its course towards a rendezvous with rise forms along the far bank…….

In order to become a master craftsman it is necessary to develop a set of skills that become second nature to you. When confronted with a challenge a master craftsman immediately begins to set to work; almost instinctually they will begin to tackle the project. As you watch them work you realize that they have skills that seem to be almost magical but in reality those skills have been honed over years of trial and error. Now, what they do seems to simply flow smoothly and almost without thinking.