The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 06.14.2024
Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope
My Fishy Friends,
I think there’s a gap between the time it takes to get into a river’s - or any water’s - rhythm and the time it takes to lose it, similar to practicing an instrument: it takes much longer to come up to speed than it does to fall out it, lose track of what’s going on, and pick up rust. For me, I was fortunate to be on the local river weekly or multiple-times a week for the past few months but unexpected events kept me off it for two weeks. Now I have no idea what’s going on out there! All the more reason to find out, I suppose.
Cheers,
Jesse
An Old Book
My northeast friends are sharing lots of striper photos on Instagram these days and that inspired me to find an old book that’s been in my library for almost twenty years - Striper Moon, by Kenney Abrames. I suppose the book would fall into the ‘How-To’ category, but just barely and reluctantly, as it features prose, poetry, and Kenney’s art as well. Of particular interest is his writing about striped bass fly presentation, much of which he draws from anadromous fly fishing techniques. Case in point, of the nine books listed in the bibliography, six are about salmon, steelhead, and swinging flies. For more about Kenney, listen to this podcast interview.
A Maker
Thankfully, the fly fishing world is still small enough that you can not only meet and fish with people you admire but they can also become your mentors and friends. I met Charles Gehr when I was a rookie guide in Colorado, and we went trout fishing together. Charles was (and always will be) a more experienced angler than I, but when we met he was (and still is) kind, thoughtful, gracious, genuine, and just fun to be with. Fast forward a decade and we became friends, good friends, fishing partners, colleagues, coworkers, and now some mix of all of that. I could write a lot about Charles and someday I will, but for now, I’ll mention that Charles owns and operates Anderson Custom Rods in Talent, Oregon, and add that his craftsmanship deserves your attention.
A Listen
Our good friends at The Flyfish Journal just launched a new podcast series called Side Channels. Jason Rolfe, Editor at FFJ is the host and the first few episodes feature some incredible fly anglers, conservationists, and creatives: Hilary Hutcheson, Shane Anderson, and David James Duncan. Here’s the Apple Podcasts link. Enjoy!
An Article
I’m guiltier than most for over-complicating situations and decision, and fly fishing isn’t immune to my analysis paralysis. But, I’ve returned to this article by Yvon Chouinard many times over the years and every time, it’s a refreshing reminder that simplicity often trumps intricacy. In the essay, Chouinard tells of fishing a single fly pattern for a calendar year, no matter the species - trout, steelhead, salmon, bonefish, whatever. There’s also the fly recipe with tying tips. History, perspective, experience, and fodder for thought; this piece has it all.
Outdoor pursuits and crafts that I've been involved in, from mountaineering and whitewater kayaking to spear fishing and tool making, the progression from novice to master has always been a journey from the complex to the simple… Fishing with a fly seems to have gone in the opposite direction…
An Issue
For readers in Oregon, there is an important public comment period ending today, June 14th, regarding proposed updates to the state’s groundwater rights. Specifically, these changes affect new water right applications, ensuring that there’s enough water to take before allowing an applicant to take it. Sounds logical, right? Learn more and submit comments by visiting WaterWatch’s action alert webpage.
A Thought
They share, too, by the same token, a sublime combination of solitude and implied community, willed aloneness in the service of something much larger, a sense of belonging. Also, not least, in my experience writers and anglers both tend to end the productive part of the day with drinking and backchat.
~ Mark Kingwell, Catch & Release
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