Relationships......

            Hello friends and thanks for checking in at the O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. Like most of you, the last few weeks have been so busy that I haven’t found much time to fish. Cat and I were sitting around the other night and she reminded me that the last time we had fished together that she out fished me, so I was itching to restore the order. Cat had to work today so I was on my own, I guess I needed the practice.

            Walking to the river today I started thinking about how awesome it has been to be part of this addiction for so many years. Over the years, Cat and I have met so many awesome people that if it wasn’t for fly fishing, our paths most likely would have never crossed. We have friended people that are worth more money than I could ever imagine, we have rekindled high school friendships, and last year we even met the Speaker of the House, after his wife noticed our Fishpond rod case. But even with all of the really important people that we have met, nothing quite compares to the personal friendships we have made over the years in the shop.

            When Cat first began working in the shop twelve years ago, one of the first people Cat met was an older gentleman named Ed. Ed would come by the shop once or twice a week and loved to tie. He was so proud of his flies and almost every time in the shop, he would give us a choice of what we wanted. He had gotten into parasol dries a few years ago and the look on his face after Cat caught a fish on one he tied was absolutely priceless. He got into wine making a few years back and I was a little worried that he was turning Cat into an alcoholic, but luckily, he switched to brewing beer. We tried getting Ed on the river a few years back but a storm and then a water increase foiled the plan. Ed’s health deteriorated over the last few years but his quick wit and caring heart never wavered. Ed and his wife Barb are probably people that we would have never met if it wasn’t for fly fishing and I am so glad to have spent time with the two of them. Ed left this world on Monday and will spend an eternity in heaven and even though I know he is in a better place, I will miss Ed. I am so lucky to have met and friended so many awesome people.

            Now I have to talk a little about fishing. I got to the river just a little before 11:00 and the fish seemed hungry. I got into one run and a few casts in I hooked a fish that had some serious weight. It was a quick battle and the fish won. I looked at my rig and the unthinkable happened, yep me a professional guide tied a poor knot and I was looking at a curly-que. I re-tied and started catching fish. I landed several smaller fish and a then a few over seventeen inches. I moved up river but had a hard time finding fish again. Just after two, the smaller fish began drilling the surface. I put on a small BWO and trailed a size 24 Ninja and had an absolute blast. Lots of fish on both the dry and the dropper and as the hatch slowed, I put the nymph rig back on and landed another seventeen incher to finish off the day. As I was walking back to the car, I was thinking that if Cat really wanted to fish, she could have quit her job, so I’m going with the I out fished her today. hehe

            Fish really seemed to be schooled up today and when I found them, they would eat. Many of the fish were in slower water today so I went to the New Zealand Strike indicator and it really made a difference. The bigger fish today all took a size 22 FOD or a size 22 New Moon and the smaller fish were eating a smaller Bling. The fly fishing show will be going on this weekend so this might be a great time to hit the river. Stop by the shop and pick up the New Moon and some FOD’s and enjoy the nice weather. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Ed, and The Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading…