Hello all and thanks for checking in
at the O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. If you have read the title and are
reading just so you can hear more of the maniacal, diabolical, “on the fence”
dirty mind of Connell, then you have been tricked. Today’s special edition will
be about my dogs and how they behave like fishermen.
I
know most of you have read so much about Winston over the years that you might
feel as if he is partially your own, but some of you may not know that Cat and
I actually have another dog. Mushka is an Irish Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier,
with “terror” being a fitting root of the word. We absolutely love her to death,
but she does have a mind of her own. While Winston may be the simplest dog in
the world, he loves fishing and eating, chasing balls and eating, getting
petted and eating...... and I think you get the point. Mushka on the other hand,
has one favorite thing to do. Her favorite pass time is to dominate and harass
her little brother Winston. When we feed them at night, Winston practically
inhales his dinner in seconds and Mushka takes her time. Occasionally, when
she’s really feeling sassy she will only finish half of her bowl and lay next
to it while angrily staring at Winston, daring him to come near. We have even
left the house at different times with this scenario playing out and come home
three hours later and see the dogs have not moved, Winston’s drool puddle is
just a little larger. Now Winston has a few tricks up his own sleeve, but those
are for a different blog. Today’s writing is all about the bone.
I guess if we were better or smarter
dog parents we would probably buy different sized bones for our dogs. After
reading the first line it is pretty obvious that we only get one size and it
never seems to satisfy both pups. We have gone with the larger size and it is
funny what happens after doling them out on those special evenings. Now the
first part of the treating process is just like their feeding time. Mushka
nibbles and Winston burns through even the largest and toughest bones in
minutes. Now the difference from feeding is the look Winston has after
finishing his special treat. He jumps into his chair (yes he has his own
recliner) and stares at Mushka. Cat seems to think he has a look of self-pity because
since Muska is still nibbling on hers, Winston believes her bone was obviously
larger than his from the start. The look he wears could also be interrupted as
self-loathing, almost like he can’t believe that once again he ate his bone
without taking the time to enjoy it fully. When at last Mushka’s bone is gone,
the treats are forgotten and Winston moves on to what Mamma is cooking for
dinner.
So how does the dog bone experience
correlate to fishermen? For almost eleven years now, Cat has watched fishermen
come back into the shop after fishing all day, with expressions which resemble
Winston “post bone.” To explain what I mean I’m going to throw my own self-control
problems into the fray here as well. One of my issues while fishing is that occasionally
I get locked into a run. I get into one of my faves and after hooking a few
right away I become entranced and refuse to move in for hours, stayed even after
the fish have wised up to me and my tactics. Yep on those days I mosey on back
to my car thinking “why didn’t I move into this or that run today? It would have
been much better.” At these times my face undeniably mirrors Winston’s
self-loathing expression. If only I would have enjoyed the bone. On the same
note, two friends will come in, one guy will have a sly grin like Muska and his
friend looks sad. Almost every time something is said along the lines of, “if
he would have just listened and did it my way he would have had far more fun
with the fish (bone). And lastly, we read the face of the self-pitying
fishermen, which reads, “my friend had all the good holes, the bone is always
bigger on the other side of the river.” Well luckily for us, as with the pups,
there are always more bones to be had and days of fishing to be enjoyed. In the
end no matter how fast you eat it or how small the bone is, like a day of
fishing, perception can be the keys to happiness.
As we near Christmas, I wanted to
bring up a few ideas for my fellow anglers. Gift giving season might be the
perfect time to satisfy your fly fishing needs. Now I know the season is
supposed to be all about the birth of our savior, but the gifting part is going
to happen as well so we should be prepared. The first suggestion I have is for
you to recommend that your loved ones buy you gift certificates from the Drift.
Fly Fishermen are extremely unique in their tastes/and needs and with a gift
certificate not only will it ensure you receive what you want, but there is a
hidden benefit to them as well. By
having a gift certificate in hand it gives you free license to hang-out at the shop
without causing marital strife, because after all you were “trying to spend
your gift.” Not only this, but when that special gear calls to you mid-summer and
you bring it home there will be no argument over paying for it, or hiding it in
the truck until payday, instead you can walk through the door with your new
baby in hand and give your loved one a hug and a thank you for their thoughtfulness.
(A serious win-win).
The
second suggestion I wanted to bring up is the new Sage Pulse rods which came
out earlier this fall. I don’t normally push much of the mid-priced rods, but
Sage really did something right with the Pulse. The rod is quick, snappy,
light, well balanced, sexy, super easy to cast, and has incredible feel. For
anyone looking to upgrade from entry level, this rod could definitely be looked
at as a lifer. If you haven’t played with one yet I recommend coming in and
giving it a few casts.
And
lastly, I wanted to remind everyone about the Drift’s Merry Fishmas party that
will be held at the shop on December 19th from 4pm to 8pm. We will
have food, drinks, sales, contests and of tons of fish stories and merriment. Winston
might even stop by for picture opportunities and autograph signings. The party
is fee to attend and we welcome everyone to stop by! As always Connell, Cat,
Winston, Mushka, and The Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…..
Mushka with Baby brother Winston
Mushka "Guarding" Mommy's Side Of The Bed.
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