Hello fiends and thanks for checking in at the O’Grady Fly
Fishing Adventures. I wanted to tell a little story about my chance at glory. I
don’t talk about it much, but at one point in my life I was a pretty heavy
smoker. I quit in the spring of 1991 and after gaining 30 pounds in three months,
I knew I had to find something to keep my weight down. I began playing a little
basketball and keeping true to my personality, I was immediately hooked. I
started playing several nights a week and even though I couldn’t shoot worth a
darn, I loved playing D and outworking the big guys on the boards. I worked on
my shot over the years and finally began to feel pretty comfortable shooting
the rock. I began playing in city league and slab league and the competition
was addicting.
One season while playing with one of the best teams in the
league, I got my chance. It was a back and forth game all evening long and it
seemed the last team with the ball was going to win. Our team was up one and
with about fifteen seconds left and the other teamed got a lay-up. We didn’t
have a T.O. and began to push the ball up the court. I made my way to the wing
and our point guard started to drive, he had been unstoppable all night. His
path to the rim was blocked and he quickly drew a double team and the ball came
flying out to me. We were down to six seconds and so I felt for the seams,
jumped and gave the little flick of my wrists. The ball came out with the perfect
backspin and I held the follow through. It was as if time had stopped and all I
could hear was my heartbeat as the ball was nearing the rim. I heard a loud
clank, and the ball hit the back of the rim. The ball bounced straight in the
air and then off the front of the rim. One of our players grabbed the rebound but
the buzzer had sounded before he was able to get off another shot. I was
devastated, I think it was the only shot I had missed that night but it was my
chance at glory. We finished out the season without a loss and beat the same
team in the playoffs by 20, but the one miss was the shot I couldn’t get out of
my head and I never had a that shot for glory again.
The last few trips to the river have made me think about that
missed shot from many years ago. One of the best things about writing the blog
is that I basically have a diary of fishing conditions over the last several
years. I know I have heard a lot of people recently talk about the low water
this year being why the river is acting so technically finicky. Now I know the
fish are a little more packed in than usual but more often that not, this time
of the year you have to make the first shot count. Yesterday I fished with my
brother and after I got him set up, I moved to the tail end of the run and made
my first cast. The drift was perfect and after about ten feet the indicator
shot down. Today, in my second stop, I took an extra second to examine the
water and when ready, I made a long cast and let the river take the indicator.
It was another long drift and at the tail end, I caught my fish of the day. I
spent another half hour in that run and only managed one more dink that ate the
fly.
This is my guide trip for this time of the year. When you get
into a run to fish don’t be over anxious. Take a second to figure out how you
want your flies to drift through the spot and secondly make sure you have
enough line to use. I can’t overstate enough how important that first drift is
this time of the year. One poor drift and the big fish are out of there. I have
plenty of openings over the next few weeks so if you want to get out and try
some really fun and technical fishing, give me or the shop a call. If you catch
one of the piggies right now, you have earned it. I still fret over that missed
shot so many years back and even if I had made it, my life would not have
changed a bit. Today when I need that shot of glory, I make the first drift
perfect. As always, Connell, Cat and Winston want to thank you for reading….
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