I have been fishing since before I can remember. As a young child my family would rent cottages every summer in either Renfrew County Ontario or the Gatineaus in Quebec and fishing is what I remember most. Jigging worms or spin-casting top water lures like the BIG-O for bass is what originally go me into activity. I continued fishing this style to the same types of fish when we bought our own cottage in Quebec until my early twenties.
So if I have been fishing since I was a weasel then why am I the "Greenhorn" Angler?
When I moved across the country from Ottawa, Ontario to Calgary AB I started hearing stories of the famous Bow River. Everything I read about involved Rainbow and Brown trout, neither of which I had ever seen or fished. Lucky for me it turns out my new landlord was a part-time guide. I thought I was set but then I showed him my fishing gear.
After many beers and heated discussions it was decided that we would go fishing together but I was not to bring any of my spin gear. After a few trips that left me frustrated and wanting to snap the rod in half I begin to get the hang of casting and presenting the fly.
One of the outings we got to the river at dark thirty on a late June morning. After finishing our Egg McMuffins and bullshitting a bit we pulled on our waders and walked a half hour to the fishing spot. My borrowed 4wt rod was outfitted with a tapered leader and a Stimulator, could have been anything and I wouldn't have known the difference. A couple casts in to the riffle, a big splash and some one yelled "Fish on". That is when I realized I had a fish on.
Got the fish to the bank, nice 20"+ Bow River rainbow and I was hooked. I decided right there that fly fishing was for me and probably for the same reason a lot of you out there keep coming back... the take.
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| First Trout on the Fly. A Dry at That! |
I invite you to join me as I wade through the details and demystify one of the greatest pastimes out there, ripping lips and crushing beers along the way.
Best to graduate away from the bait-casting, beer-drinking, enviro-damaging mentality that that projects. If you want to fit in with the respected fly fishing crowd on the Bow, lip-ripping and a trail of beer cans will definitely make you stand out and be noticed.
ReplyDeleteI think you mis-understand my tag line. I do drink beer and like it or not everyone "rips lips" when they catch a fish. I can assure you that I do whatever I can to minimize the stress on the fish when it is brought in.
ReplyDeleteI do not leave a trail of beer cans or any debris on the river but actually do the opposite and make sure to pickup as much garbage on my hike out as possible. Pack out what you pack in...
Thanks "Anonymous" for your insight and you raise a couple of good topics for future blogs...pollution/littering and proper catch and release techniques to reduce stress in fish!