Hello
friends and thanks for checking in at the O’Grady Fly Fishing Adventures. Well
if you saw the blog title and are hoping to hear a story about me throwing down
on the river, you will be a little disappointed. Many years ago, I realized my
mach-turtle speed, two left feet footwork, and lack of being able to handle
pain, assured me that I am way more of a lover than a fighter. The movie Fight
Club came out in 1999 and I remember everyone telling me how awesome the show
was. It didn’t seem like my kind of movie but when it got to DVD I went ahead
and watched it. When the movie was over, I’m not sure I had ever been so
confused about a movie. Who and what was real? And as far as I could tell, the
main idea of the movie was to explain how much the main character enjoyed
getting beat up. Yep, like I said, it made no sense to me but many people just
loved it. I think today's trip to the river may have helped me understand just a
bit.
Before I get to today's trip to the
river, I need to give a little background. Last Saturday, Cat was out of town
and I got to work the shop. I got a few calls and had a few customers in that
day expressing their concern over the lack of fish they had been seeing in the
river over the last week or so. I explained as nicely as possible that with our
lower water temps this January, our fish have really begun to slow down and go
deep and the river just needs to be attacked with a slightly different frame of
mind. Lots of perfect drifts and don’t yank, but check, every time your
indicator moves. And mostly, just remember that you are standing in a river in
JANUARY, just enjoy it and allow the catching to be a bonus.
I saw the weather this morning and
figured if the fish were looking for a day to eat, this would be it. I wasn’t
expecting a lot but once again, I was standing in a river, the only way it
could have been better would have been if Cat and Pooh were with me. Anyway, I
headed down to the first run and really couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I
saw three or four quality fish sitting up in a feeding lane and the one-year-old
naturals were going nuts on the surface. I got set up for the big fish and my first
cast was perfect. My heart was racing and as my flies drifted past his face, I
fully expected an explosion, but nothing, it was like getting punched in the
ribs. The next four drifts were perfect and nothing but denials. I tossed to
the next fish over and bang, and then you have to be kidding me, he was foul
and it felt like a side kick to the head. He took me down river then popped off
but now I was looking at the little guys. First drift through and it was on and
then off before I could even get excited. I moved back up to the big fish and after
hooking and losing a half a dozen fish, I decide to make my way up river. It felt
like going a couple of rounds with my arms tied behind my back.
I headed up river and got into another
stretch where the fish were out eating. I caught a couple but by schooled by a
few more. As I was heading up to the next run, the Fight Club movie all made
sense. I had not been physically beaten but mentally they were beating me bloody,
and guest what, I didn’t care and I even wanted more. Run after run, the fish
were actually out today and even though I don’t feel like I won the whole
match, I certainly landed a few jabs and I can’t wait to get back out.
The river over the next three weeks
or so should see a little of everything. Fish on most days are hugging the
bottom but singles are already moving out to eat. Today’s hatches were fantastic
and saw lots of fish selectively eating. Everyday the sun is getting a little
higher and we are just a few weeks away from some of my favorite fishing of the
year. If you are wanting to learn how to sight fish, it’s time to start getting
your dates locked in. Trips over the next few weeks may feel like fight club
but if you get it figured out now, February will feel like the last two minutes
of final round of a Rocky fight. As always, Connell, Cat, Winston, Edward
Norton and the Drift Fly Shop want to thank you for reading……
