Eventually you come to the realization that the crowds have all turned into experts. After watching endless Youtube videos on fishing and other outdoor topics, everyone has a yearning to show off what little knowledge they gained. So little, it's pitiful. Come on guys, try casting with rod on same plane. Or put the tip down closer to the water and hands together. Strip strike or raise tip but at least keep the tip low. Watching all the slack on the water is the real reason you're not catching fish. The fly is the least of your problems.
I ended up at a beach the other day, by a minor inlet on the local saltwater. A bunch of guys and gals had lines in the water, not sure what or why they did that, but looked like a line up of flounder fisherman persons. Carefully I pulled out my 9wt, strung the line through the guides and tied on a seaducer (a poor mans version of a Lefty's deceiver. Walking past the suddenly admiring bottom grocery shopping anglers headed to a quiet spot further down the bank. People couldn't help themselves into stopping and asking questions about what, why and where I was going to use that thingy I was carrying. Rule number one: If you act like it's not your first time and do it deliberately, most folks will believe you know what you're doing. Rule number two: put up or shut up.
After a few minutes of observing, watching the current, checking out for baitfish, bird action, pedestrians and vehicles wandering into your backcast. Ten to two, ten to two, stop and breathe on the front and backcast. Slight haul and shoot out 30-40 ft of line. Strip, strip, strip, dang what was that! False cast, calm yourself, ten to two, stop, haul, shoot some line, now strip faster, faster. Fish on, yellow tail, followed by a school of other dumb fish. Now false cast, ten to two the old rhythm of years of fishing, haul and shoot, now tuck the rod under your arm and using both hands strip, strip, strip faster, dang another and another, another and yet another.
I looked over my shoulder and looking at the line of anglers slink off one by one, feeling a bit smug and admittedly so, I was stopped by one guy who asked did you catch any? Shrugging my shoulders, with a grin on my face, "a few small ones maybe five or so". The reaction was priceless stammering he said I have one of those", pointing at my rod and commented "well at least you caught something". In my head I really wanted to say what I already know " I can go anywhere in this world and catch fish on a fly". Not boasting but have proofed it time and time again. Once I learned to trust myself, my skills and calm my inner demons, the rest was easy. And always remember to:
Trust Your Fly!
Seaducer in grizzly #4
