WHAT WE LEARN ON THE WATER
One thing flyfishing should teach us is to be humble,
if for no other reason than the fact that we are participating in a sport that is at the heart of nature. (not to mention
the fact that there are many days when we appear to know NOTHING about what we are doing)
My home waters have taught me that patience, humor and perseverence are
the "survival tools" of this pastime and if one can bring only those traits and a few good flies, the chances of having a
good day are increased immeasurably. I've also learned that these same characteristics can get us through much less
pleasurable experiences (like work) in reasonably good shape.
I started fishing the small holes close to shore during my first two years
on this water. I found small sections where sheltered lies existed close to shore and they often held huge fish or -
at appropriate times - schooled up white fish, many of them of the "large variety. I learned how to flip and drift a
nymph through these tight holding areas and later how to bounce the nymph carefully, "inducing' the take as it were.
Here I tried to follow up on some of the principles laid out men like Jim Liesenring and his famous "Liesenring lift"
tactics that he used so succesfully swinging wet flies down and across in the current and Frank Sawyer, the famous British
riverkeeper, who's tactics on English streams are legendary. The difference here was a much shorter casting distance
and less drift time, but I found that a nymph fished properly and lifted carefully, at the right time and pace, often induced
takes. (or at least it seemed to)
It took two years of careful study and practise to get some of the techniques
that worked on the small pockets of holding water, but eventually I found my fishing success increasing. It was then
time to move out into the main currents of the river and learn what needed to be done there.
I learned to break down the big body of river water into sections where
fish might be holding and feeding and to use flies suited to the feeding patterns of the fish. If there were no discernable
rises, I went to nymphs, but once the hatches were "on" and fish appeared on the surface, I would switch to dry flies.
It sounds good on paper, and it actually works pretty well now, on most days, but there continue to be problems to overcome
which keep me coming back feeling more like a pupil than a master and I think I will always be this way.
Casting technique continues to be a problem for me, as does my feeble eyesight.
Both can be critical on nights where trout are being "snooty" and only taking perfectly drifted imitations of the hatch.
This area, like many on the Bow, often has "multiple hatches" and one has to observe carefully what the trout are actually
taking amongst the many bugs in the air and on the water. Often, due to my poor eyesight, I can only narrow it
down to something like "dark brown, size 16" and this will sometimes
do but there are some nights I wish I had the eyesight of a Ted Williams or even a Mr Magoo!
As far as casting technique goes, this area can demand some good line handling
skills due to some of the cross currents one can get, but most nights, it simply requires proper positioning and careful thought.
Being a nymph fisherman, my casting can all too easily go towards the sloppy side when I'm fishing with dry flies, so I have
to try to concentrate. And yes, I have been known to hit the water on the backcast, and I even accidentaly took
a fish once doing this. I just prayed nobody was watching. I didn't hear any howls of laughter (which I often
expect when I'm casting) so I don't suppose anyone saw me do it.
