Fly(fish)ing on Standby

A very good friend of mine is getting ready to go on one of my "bucket list" trips.  He's going to go out to Montana for a week of fly fishing for trout.  To say I'm jealous would be an understatement.  But good for him, that he is able to go.  As he isn't much of a fisherman, let alone "fly fisherman", he wisely took a few days and went up to Wintergreen, Virginia, to take a few fly casting lessons.  That way he won't spend precious fishing time, learning to cast his fly when he is out in Montana.  And, he said, he even caught four trout up in Wintergreen!

Shoot, I thought, I'd even like to go out to the mountains of Virginia for some fly fishing, myself.  I used to do it at least once a year.  But now that I live in Tidewater, I just don't make the effort to go to the mountains the way I used to when I lived up in Richmond.

Anyway, I told him that now that he has learned the basics, he can do what I do sometimes, and walk down to the lake and keep in practice fly fishing for bluegills.  It's wide open there, so you don't have to worry about low hanging trees.  It's simple and fun, and keeps your "10 to 2" casting skills sharp.  And every now and then, you might just catch a large mouth bass that makes it even more fun!

Just talking about it with him made me want to go.  Especially since lately the weather has not been cooperative for kayak fishing.  So last night I went down to the lake in the early evening, and fished for about 45 minutes.  More than half a dozen bluegills later, I had had my fill, and the bluegills were wise to my fly.  Unfortunately, once again my camera wasn't working, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Then again, tonight, I went down as well.  In 30 minutes, I caught about 4 or 5, and  this time even got a (bad) picture of me with one of them.  The bluegills were tough little scrappers, and a couple of them were even good "pan-sized", if I were so inclined.  I wasn't.  So they went back to their beds none the worse for wear.

Simple pleasures.  Simple fishing.  On a couple of simply beautiful evenings.  Who knows.  Maybe my friend will get sick and need someone to take his place....  I'll consider myself on "standby" for him.  I'm ready.   :)

Okay, so it's not the best photo, but this little guy was one of close to a dozen  bluegills I  caught the last two evenings keeping my fly casting skills sharp.  A simple way to have fun, that takes some skill.  Are you ready to "fly"?

Until next time,

(Fly) Fish on!

Dan

P.S.  Speaking of simple, and priceless pleasures and treasures, I came home from work last night and saw what my daughter had made for me in her art class.  Without a doubt, it's the best fish I've gotten all year!  I love it.

Without a doubt, the coolest, best flounder ever!  I love it and will cherish this priceless treasure.  Let alone, the detail and craftsmanship is amazingly accurate.  It looks real!  Thank you, Sheldon!

P.P.S  Another simple pleasure:  I went fishing with my younger son, Clayton tonight, and he caught a new world record crappie.  It had to be at least 12 lbs.  But we let it go, to fight another day.  Actually, it was a pretty crappie, and it was a good size, but I had to laugh when I saw the photo.  Clayton has taken my trick of holding a fish close to the camera, to the next level.  When you stick the rod right up to the camera, the fish looks simply monstrous!  Cast your eyes on the new world record 12 pound white crappie!  Ha ha.

You are looking at a world record white crappie.  It was 33" long, and weighed 12 pounds.  Well, not really.  But the photo makes it look that way.  Actually, however, it was the biggest crappie that Clayton has ever caught, and he truly did it all by himself.  I was casting the flyrod (to no avail tonight) when he told me he had a fish.  And this is what he caught.  Yay, Clayton!