"Mike" wrote

. I am not as
quick or as fit as I once was, some things have become less important
to me,


The last few years have made me aware of how "physical" fly fishing is. I
no longer even try difficult wading and carry a cane ( let's call it a
wading staff :-) for easy walks to and then into the stream even though I
seldom use it once in the water of the smooth flowing creeks I fish.

I can remember the time when getting into casting range of a pocket in the
rough, tumbling water of a big freestone was a challenge I loved. Now, as
I tried to say, my chosen challenges are more mental, certainly much slower
paced.

I often fail to meet the challenges. I remember a tumble and long, scary
swim in the Truckee and I have many days when the spring creek bugs and fish
have an agenda I never master... skunked is an oft used word in my fishing
log ... but challenge has always made my rare fishing successes more
valuable to me.

Probably the greatest strength of fly fishing is it's difficulty, ie. how
much there is to learn,
certainly a life's worth.


G re-reading this before pushing 'send' I flashed on a day in the Madison.
I was doing fairly well and an obvious newbie finally asked "what are you
using?" I replied, "Rusty spinner." Apparently indignant my new
friend said, "I don't fish with spinners ... I'M a FLY fisherman." As I
chuckled to myself I remembered back when when my reaction might have been
the same ... after 35 years it's easy to forget how much we have learned and
how the obvious ... used to be impossible to grasp.

You've posted a lot of info that has helped me improve, Mike ... thanks