The Fly Fisherman

A fly fisherman is a true artist. He casts and performs a beautiful display of loops and curves with his line as he sends it flying over the water, eventually placing the fly at the end of the line in front of the fish lurking just below the surface; the fish doesn’t stand a chance. For the fish it is fatal temptation and it is not too long before our artist and hero is ‘bringing in the big one’ (all 12 inches of it)! What poetry in motion, what a feeling of satisfaction, what a tale for the telling.

After several attempts at this new sport, Denis sensed that this fly fishing business was not going to be a piece of cake. Weighed down by all kinds of equipment that he didn’t need as a beginner, he joined the ‘experts’ on a couple of local lakes. To his horror his casting was appalling, he was using the wrong type of flies and worse still, was creating too much of a splash on the lake, immediately advertising his presence to the fish and irritating other anglers nearby. However, he persevered.

As he became more practiced in his art, our intrepid hero had to suffer the indignities of overturned canoes, soaking clothes, flies in the hair, stalled engines on the boat, tangled lines and countless other stories to explain, ‘The one that got away.’

Wanting to reach the height of perfection, a never ending cash flow was required to purchase the ‘vital’ equipment needed to assure success. This included rods – not just any rod but the best hand-made rod and an array of back-up rods designed according to the species of fish to be caught.

Of course, there was the reel to go on the rod. Clearly, nothing but the best was appropriate for Denis – and several of them.

Hooks and flies – without which it is difficult to catch a fish, were added to the ever swelling inventory. Hooks vary in size, again depending on the type and size of fish being pursued.

Flies – a fly, is a fly, is a fly – not so when it comes to flies for sports fishing. They come in a beautiful array of colours for all kinds of fish and all kind of weather as well as ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ flies. The dry flies float on top of the surface and the wet fly (lure) swims in the surface water or below. In both cases the choice depends on what type of fish the fisherman is chasing, their feeding habits, the environment and the weather.

Clothing was not exempt from the, ‘I definitely need’ list. When he started fishing, Denis was content with the basics, but he progressed in his art, he found that waders were a definite asset together with a wading stick to test the depth of the waters at the bottom of the river (mud has a habit of sinking).

It was not too long before he realized that urgent repairs to broken lines or tippets were better done in the river, rather than returning to the bank. Therefore, a fishing vest had to be purchased; otherwise it would be impossible to fish!

A fishing vest is a waistcoat composed of a multitude of pockets upon pockets to hold all the tools of the trade and a variety of clips on which to hang the implements not suitable for pocket storage. Amongst other things, the vest may sport pliers, penknives, files, flies, fly boxes, a thermometer, a whistle, a flotant, scissors, a fly drying patch etc. In fact a well equipped fly vest, fully loaded, succeeds in presenting our intrepid fisherman as a ‘Pearly King’ or Christmas tree without lights.

As he climbed the expensive ladder of success to fishing competency and in some cases, outstanding flashes of brilliance, Denis had to focus on times and weather. The optimum times for fishing would appear to be between 7.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. and one hour before dusk to half an hour after dusk. There are, of course, other times to be tried – all day long and all night long, if necessary.

As in countless situations, other than fishing, the weather is crucial. A strong cold east wind can cause the fish to go deeper into the water. Bright days with a cloudless sky or white clouds tend to enhance the vision of the fish. The ideal condition may well be the still, dull, warm day in excess of 50ºF.

Finally, what does our hero see in this sport of fly fishing? To the layman or onlooker it is a dull, boring, slow and often futile sport, to say nothing of the cost.

As Denis points out, it is the enjoyment of pitting his wits against those of the fish. What wits does a fish have, I ask? He maintains that there is no time to think about other mundane problems and he is getting plenty of aerobic exercise, climbing, walking and casting. Above all there is the solitude, the river or lake, the countryside and the communion with nature. Then there is always the anticipation of catching ‘The Big One’ or just ‘a fish’ to show for being out all day and half the night!

Copyright © Susan Lancaster.