Some of us do not wait for the state-wide trout fishing season but take advantage of the early trout catch and release season, to fish those streams designated for early fishing. Time was spent through winter tying flies, filling the gaps in our fly boxes and creating refreshed or new-to-our-world fly patterns. Visiting our local fly shops for tying materials did not necessarily attenuate our eagerness to be in streams, but perhaps it was a form of therapy. The best therapy though comes from the shared experience of planning, preparing and finally getting the fishing trip underway.
Sharing is a multifaceted undertaking – deciding what to share and to what degree, how completely to share and certainly when to share. These thoughts mix in our minds among our envisioned personal successes on secret streams with new patterns that hold so much promise and being first to fish preferred locations. I will not say any of these thoughts have anything to do with feeling the guilt of selfishness, because they do not. Perhaps it is more about bargaining – if I share, they will share. At least this is a good place to begin preparing for the trip.
Likely by the second day of fishing a portion of the intensity of the experience has worn off and fishing more openly with buddies seems quite natural. Observations of differing fishing methods such as streamers versus dry attractors leads to discussions of pros and cons and eventual admissions that “I’ve never been good at that – how do you cast that streamer; can I see the fly design closer?” And the young fellow hands me a pattern that I mimic that night back at camp with the meager tying materials I brought along. The next day I felt pretty good about myself and spend much of the following days swinging streamers that I tied in evenings.
Certain things are contagious and cause reciprocal actions, not always with the same individuals but with fishing buddies in camp. Such was the case, an individual whom I have respected for a number of years, an accomplished dry fly fisher, had limited experience with the nymphing style of fishing in his home waters.
Through our conversation around camp it was apparent this was my opportunity to step forward and provide an experience that I thought would be worthwhile. This involved one of my special fishing spots, because the best way to learn is to fish a new method is in an area where there was a high likely-hood of success.
Well, teaching nymphing was easy because a good dry fly fisher adapts quicky and we caught enough trout to assure sufficient understanding. Here is the best part though, this gentleman had family members joining him in camp for a few days and a young lady became the recipient of a short course in fly fishing he conducted in my special fishing spot. Seeing his success that ensured her success was a better feeling of accomplishment than I could have hoped for.
At this point I ponder the fact, if my special fishing spot was so secret why were there so many other footprints in the sand? Perhaps these were the tracks of others sharing the bountiful goodness native to our regional trout streams. After all we cannot protect and restore our trout streams if people do not love them. We, as a people, do not value very well those things we do not know and love ourselves. It has always been more than just catching and releasing trout. We just need to remember that sharing is the best result on that bargain.
