Hello all
and hope you all have an incredible Valentine’s Day. With the day upon us, I
started thinking about my incredible wife and how things have changed over the
years. When we were dating I remember an evening that I had prepared a dinner
that included corn fed Omaha Steak, shrimp scampi, a potato, chives, sour cream
and bacon dish and finished off the dinner with fresh watermelon and
strawberries drizzled with a cream cheese sauce. As we sat down to eat I
couldn’t help but to gaze into the beauty that sat in front of me. At one point
we both reached for the steak sauce at the same time and when our fingers
touched, it was like 1000 volts of electricity running through my body and then
looking up I could see fireworks flashing in her eyes. I couldn’t talk because
a cheerful giggle filled my body. Shortly after we were married I remember an
evening when Cat had worked a long shift and by the time she got home I had
prepared a hot candle lit scented bath with a side of fresh strawberries and a
bottle of wine. It was great, I was completely obsessed with Cat, I thought
about her constantly and fantasized that someday it would be more than just an
incredibly fun “May, December “relationship. Oh the days of infatuated
obsession. I love my wife like nothing else on the face of the planet but boy
have things changed. On Cat’s longest work day of the week I am a little
ashamed to admit that the hot prepared bath has been exchanged for “do you want
Taco Bell or Chipotle”, and the touch and fireworks seem to be replaced by “get
in line”. We talk about it from time to
time and I ask Cat if she is bothered by the fact that I’m not very romantic
anymore and she gives me a little “tisk” and exclaims that even though some
things have changed, she feels like I am the most romantic man on the face of
the planet.
So, are you are wondering how I am going to
transition to flyfishing? I had a guide trip out yesterday and I got to see
some fishing that brought home the obsession. As most of my readers know, I am
obsessed with sight fishing and January and February are not really conducive
to that type of fishing. Yesterday we spotted one pretty nice fish and one of
my clients got that look in his eye. I got both set up and while I was helping
Tom, I watched out of the corner of my eye Dave’s obsession with the fish begin
to grow. I watched as he would sneak in and
cast several times and then move away and give the fish a chance to rest his
nerves. Dave changed his flies several times and at one point I watched him set
the hook but to no avail. I walked back down to help( I understand obsession)
and we switched up tactics and flies and I moved back up river to help Tom. I
had barely reached Tom and I heard a sound that made me smile, it was a
“ciggle” with a man’s voicing. Yep, I hustled back to Dave and the grin seemed
to be miles wide, he worked the fish all the way in and it was a beautiful,
just over 18inch, hook jawed, ornery, old, Buck brown. Nothing quite like
stalking your prey and bringing it to the net was written on Dave’s face the
rest of the day. Unfortunately, just before I snapped the pic, Dave put on his "Tiger Woods, I've been here before face". We fished all day with several nice fish to the net. Tom
landed the fish of the day, a chunky rainbow that was just a hair under 19
inches. Dave also picked up a 15 inch walleye. Fishing was not easy but the
hard work and obsession of Dave and Tom produced an enjoyable day.
I was expecting to see fish in staging areas
and even a few getting in the Valentine’s Day spirit but the fish seemed to
still be hunkered down most of the day. The forecast shows a continuing warming
trend and I hope continues to warm the water, temps were approaching 43 degrees
at Moffat yesterday.
I am so lucky to have a wife that not only
joins my fishing obsession but also encourages it. I don’t expect all women to
love fishing as much as my wife does but I want to take this moment to thank
all those incredible women out there that continue to support and even
encourage our obsessions. Flyfishing is expensive and time consuming and you
continue shower us with your love and approval. Without your support in our
flyfishing obsessions, we could not be the people we are today So, Cat, Kim,
Janet, Diane, Tracy and Dawn, Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, you make
life worth living…
As always, Thanks for reading, Connell, Cat,
Winston, Cupid and The Drift Fly Shop….
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