Some Great Advice

[Danoinark]

When I started fly fishing years ago, I got this advice from a mentor. It applies to any kind of fishing in my opinion.

Crippled Caddis once told me: "Sit, chill and watch. In a half hour you'll have your mind and body attuned with the cycle of nature and fish spotted along with a good idea of what to tie on first."

Dano

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fishing/2010/09/deeter-use-binoculars-help-select-your-fly

[jdmidwest]

What ever happened to Crippled Caddis? We were going to meet up a couple of years ago and swap some Crosman Parts on the Spring River. He disappeared on here and I feared the worst.

[Danoinark]

What ever happened to Crippled Caddis? We were going to meet up a couple of years ago and swap some Crosman Parts on the Spring River. He disappeared on here and I feared the worst.

He's still alive and kickin' over in Saddle. He is always up for talking air guns too.

[Buzz]

When I started fly fishing years ago, I got this advice from a mentor. It applies to any kind of fishing in my opinion.

Crippled Caddis once told me: "Sit, chill and watch. In a half hour you'll have your mind and body attuned with the cycle of nature and fish spotted along with a good idea of what to tie on first."

Dano

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fishing/2010/09/deeter-use-binoculars-help-select-your-fly

Great advise. I'll try to add that to my arsenal.

Thanks Dano

[troutfiend1985]

I think that is great advice. I have also read about picking up rocks from the stream or seining for a half hour before you even fish, so that you know what what flies to use. Great advice.

[Al Agnew]

I think there is the scientific approach and the intuitive approach. The scientific angler examines weather and water conditions, dips up bugs floating down the river and identifies them, turns over rocks to see what the nymphs underneath look like, pumps the stomach of the first fish he catches to see what it's been eating, etc. and then chooses his flies and his approach after putting all that stuff together.

And then there's the intuitive guy who stands in the river, spends a few minutes breathing and looking and smelling, gets himself attuned to the basic rhythms of the river, then opens his fly box, picks out the first fly that catches his fancy, and starts fishing.

Funny thing is, both approaches work.

[drew03cmc]

Dan, get Tom back on here. I haven't talked to him in years.

[Crippled Caddis]

Dan, get Tom back on here. I haven't talked to him in years.

I'm here. Just been taking a sabbatical.

How many people (perhaps even yourself) have you heard say something to the effect of "Man a 3 day weekend barely gives me time to start slowing down so I can fish"?

We've all seen them. They roar into the parking area in a cloud of dust, jump out and start throwing on gear, grab their rod and charge into the water like a Carabou with a Grizzly behind him. After putting every fish within a quarter mile under a rock in abject terror the angler then churns the water to froth with fruitless casts.

My preferred course is to slow down first. A half hour may not be enough and some may just need a few minutes to realign thought processes polluted by 6 months of city stresses. But however long it takes the fisherman will reap great rewards the remainder of his allotted time on the water if he makes the investment up front. By using the time necessary to re-tune his soul with natural rhythms to observe feeding activity and retrain the eyes to spot fish when that first great sigh of well-being and release wells up he is ready for the fray.

It's something of a combination of what Al described but I just think of it as common sense. CC

[Flyflinger]

When I started fly fishing years ago, I got this advice from a mentor. It applies to any kind of fishing in my opinion.

Crippled Caddis once told me: "Sit, chill and watch. In a half hour you'll have your mind and body attuned with the cycle of nature and fish spotted along with a good idea of what to tie on first."

Dano

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fishing/2010/09/deeter-use-binoculars-help-select-your-fly

You know I'm going to have to give this a try. I find myself so excited that I put little thought into what I'm doing until I've been fishing for at least 15 min. When I get to the parking area...its usally a race to get geared up and on the water as fast as I can. I'm going to take your advice and slow down.

[jdmidwest]

I'm here. Just been taking a sabbatical.

How many people (perhaps even yourself) have you heard say something to the effect of "Man a 3 day weekend barely gives me time to start slowing down so I can fish"?

We've all seen them. They roar into the parking area in a cloud of dust, jump out and start throwing on gear, grab their rod and charge into the water like a Carabou with a Grizzly behind him. After putting every fish within a quarter mile under a rock in abject terror the angler then churns the water to froth with fruitless casts.

My preferred course is to slow down first. A half hour may not be enough and some may just need a few minutes to realign thought processes polluted by 6 months of city stresses. But however long it takes the fisherman will reap great rewards the remainder of his allotted time on the water if he makes the investment up front. By using the time necessary to re-tune his soul with natural rhythms to observe feeding activity and retrain the eyes to spot fish when that first great sigh of well-being and release wells up he is ready for the fray.

It's something of a combination of what Al described but I just think of it as common sense. CC

Welcome back Tom, good to see you are still around.