The Best Fly Fishing is Everywhere - 11.08.2024

Ramblings & Readings, Creativity & Conservation, Happenings & Hope

My Fishy Friends,

This week, a simple wish: that you are able to find some time in nature, whatever that means to you.

And, some thanks. Thanks for reading and following along. I’m glad you’re here.

Cheers,
Jesse

Fly Fishing for Common Ground

Here’s an interesting essay by angler and retired educator Steve Ehrlich entitled “Fly Fishing for Common Ground”. It’s resonating with me this week as I reflect, think about what is common ground, and how to find it.

…fly fishing serves a higher, collective purpose: to help us understand and repair a broken world, and find common ground and hope in these extraordinarily disorienting and divisive times.

Waterman & Woodblock Wizard

I first crossed paths with artist, photographer, fly angler, and fellow Maine native Matthew DeLorme in the Puget Sound area, where we both were living at the time, and we easily connected over shared interests and family roots. Recently, Matt has been producing some incredible woodblock carvings and prints; Steve Duda’s River Songs features many of these. I encourage you to browse Matt’s recent work on his Etsy website - where new prints come and go weekly - and I trust you’ll find one that calls to you like so many call to me.

From the McMillans

Any anadromous angler in the Pacific Northwest knows the names Bill and John McMillan as ardent anglers, scientists, and conservationists. Their co-authored book May the Rivers Never Sleep follows the format of Roderick Haig Brown’s A River Never Sleeps in that each chapter is a month of the year. The book is a unique combination of angling, conservation, observation, and celebration. John also recent launched a podcast called The Deep Wade and in a recent episode you can listen to him interview Bill (his father).

A Better Bugger

In the spirit of my recent rant, I’m trying to explore more educational material - fly fishing and otherwise. As one who’s intentionally avoided most such material (at least, fly fishing-related), I realize that I have an inclination to disregard it. As example, this morning, All Points Fly Shop delivered an email newsletter to me, promoting a new fly tying video about, of all fly patterns, the Woolly Bugger. It’s tough to say which I did first: roll my eyes or delete the email. But I went back to it this evening and watched the video. Big surprise - I learned a few things! I love how many other patterns are based on the good ol’ Woolly Bugger. Along with a Clouser, this has got to be up there with the most versatile wet flies, and best flies to learn to tie from.

Storytelling Tips & Tricks

I’ve referenced and linked to The Moth - a nonprofit organization that celebrates the commonality and diversity of human experience through the art and craft of true, personal storytelling - before and yet am compelled to keep doing so. Within their online educational resources are their Storytelling Tips & Tricks and I’ve found myself referencing this repeatedly. They’re framed specifically for their live storytelling events, but I think the theories, dos, and don’ts presented can be applied to any creative storytelling exercise.

The Final Frontier

Of course you do your absolute best to find and hone and wield your divine gifts against the dark. You do your best to reach out tenderly to touch and elevate as many people as you can reach. You bring your naked love and defiant courage and salty grace to bear as much as you can, with all the attentiveness and humor you can muster. This life after all a miracle and we ought to pay fierce attention every moment, as much as possible.

~ from Brian Doyle’s essay “The Final Frontier”

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