The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 06.21.2024
Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope
My Fishy Friends,
Happy summer solstice! It seems like there are two fishing days in one right now, which is great and also exhausting. While it’s nice, at times, to fish on banker’s hours, there’s no mistaking the feeling of getting up in the dark and fishing for eight hours before lunch. For such a schedule, one particular steelhead river comes to mind, and I hope to be there soon, standing knee-deep as the sun starts to rise.
Cheers,
Jesse
“The High, The Hangover & The Healing”
Multi-day, overnight river float trips are the best thing you can do on the water, but there’s a come-down. Thankfully, there’s a cure too.
A Tyer
When I went to New Zealand, there were two guides that I knew I wanted to fish with, and Stu Tripney was one of them. At the time, he owned and operated his own fly shop - Stu’s Orgasmic Fly Shop - in Athol, south of Queenstown. Lucas and I joined Stu for a day on the water and that morning, we drove around from spot to spot, checking the water, finding other anglers, and choosing our beat. After four or five spot-checks, it became clear that Stu was calling an audible. “So, what’s Plan B?” Lucas asked. “Plan B?!” he said. “We’re on Plan Zed, mate!” After hooking numerous large browns that day, Lucas and I added dozens of Stu’s fly patterns to our boxes. The shop has since closed but you can still get his flies through his website. Even though his trout flies were designed in New Zealand, I can personally confirm that they catch fish anywhere that trout live.
An Item
Assuming that burning is allowed, I think any overnight camping trip that isn’t weight-sensitive should include a hatchet and a saw. How else will you get the perfect log cabin-style campfire?? When it comes to the portable hand saw, I have found no better than the Sven Saw, made in Minnesota. They’re light, compact, easy-to-assemble, and sharp as hell! I now have two, and keep one in my drift boat, in case of an unexpected downed log.
A Place
Just like a good drink, a good fly shop is unmistakable. You can tell as soon as you walk in and they’re more than retail locations, they are part of the fly fishing experience. Yes, they have all the rods, and reels, and lines, and what-have-yous available for purchase, but what they don’t sell is their knowledge. It’s priceless, anyway, but we should consider buying something if we’ve asked a few questions. Beyond all that, you can also find a way to get on the water, either locally or distantly, and you might even make some new friends while there. Lately, I’ve been most intrigued with the vintage or consignment sections of fly shops and my favorite one online is through the Bear’s Den Fly Fishing Co., which is south of Boston. I’m definitely not qualified to comment on vintage wines, but I do know that some vintages, for whatever the reasons, are better than others. The same goes with fly fishing tackle. Have a browse and see what speaks to you.
An Article
Years ago, while attending the fly fishing industry’s trade show, I saw a woman casting on the indoor pond and instantly recognized her, even though I’d never seen her in person. Joan Wulff, The First Lady of Fly Fishing, was chatting and casting with a few others, and I felt her presence. Her movements were fluid and pure, ‘effortless and pretty,’ as a longtime guide once encouraged me. I watched from afar, wondering whether or not I should introduce myself. Unfortunately, I was pulled away for some forgettable reason, but we caught eyes and she gave me a giant smile, one I’ll never forget. Her legacy is well-known and we ought not forget it. There are many stories about, and interviews with her, including this one. In regards to her infamous 161-foot cast (with a bamboo fly rod!!), she simply says that it took, “A lot of practice!”
A Thought
Of the many attractions that draw people to the bottom of the canyon, perhaps the most potent and beguiling is the realization that the experience is the opposite of a race - the antithesis of rushing from where you are toward someplace you think you would rather be, only to discover, once you arrive, that your true goal lies somewhere else.
~ Kevin Fedarko, The Emerald Mile
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this newsletter, please send it to a friend.
Was this email sent to you by a friend? Click here to subscribe.
