Field Reports from the Mid-Atlantic Region
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No short cuts except for the rich and famous.
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In reflecting on the process we all go through as we become better anglers, I have come to the conclusion that the journey itself, with all of its successes, defeats, and frustrations makes the angler what he or she is. It is hard work. We all can think back and recall with shudders all of the myriad errors we made. We waded over fish, blew strikes, struck the wrong way, botched the landing, tied bad knots, chose the wrong fly or incorrect hook, tied dry flies that sank and wet flies that floated. We fell in the river, cast to the wrong water, misread the water, used improper or bad tackle, dunked our camera, broke a few rods, tumbled down a bankside, got looked at by copperheads, and even caught a few fish if we were paying so little attention that when the fish struck we were distracted enough not to botch it.
These memories are precious, and the process in which we realized we had goofed up and then learned and grew is the food that drives our journey. It should not be cut short.
Not all learning has to occur through mistakes. There are a plethora of good books and videos explaining the how-to’s. Classes can be taken, lectures attended, or friends advise sought. In the end though, it is we alone with our own thoughts and with our own two feet that make the journey. Thinking and learning…
However, if you happen to be rich or famous, then it gets a lot easier.
If you happen to be rich, famous, or in some cases, just a good-looking young woman in the sport of fly-fishing, you can buy or be offered short cuts. We all know the rich angler who without the proper skill-set, buys himself a trip to the Salmon River, and pays a guide to get him into the fish of a lifetime. The guide has to work hard at it too, since the guy can’t cast his top of the line rod and reel more than 30 feet. That guide is given gear by tackle companies for next to nothing, and gets his or her face on the cover of magazines that take advertising from the very lodges and outfitters they work for. Pictures on their blog abound with lobster dinners, piles of the most expensive tackle, and porn-shots of fish and locations most of us can only dream about. Some of these famous industry guides and tackle reps get free admittance to closed waters in storied locations because it helps to sell more bookings. The fish become a commodity. The price of fame.
The rich man buys the fish.
The guide pimps it.
The tackle manufacturers collect the cash.
Meanwhile, most of us will never be flown to Atlantic Salmon rivers by film production companies. We won’t stay in expensive lodges, nor be guided directly to the fish. Instead, we will sleep at rest-stops, eat convenience-store chili-dogs, scrape another year out of leaky waders, and have to make all our memories the hard way through long hours on the water. I think it is better that way.
Not all guides, wealthy individuals or famous anglers do this. Fact is, it is the minority in search of fame or fortune that often stand out through self-promotion.
However, if you do happen to become a famous guide, please don’t put your logo on underwear and sell it.
I have noticed a trend over the last few years.....(even though I am sure it has gone on for some time, and I just wasn't paying attention):
Walk into a fly shop out west, and you will see their version of a tweed. The guy that shows up in a Suburban, and walks into the fly shop dressed in Supplex and Goretex to meet his guide. The types of questions they aks gives it all away....
"Now, you are sure that we will be back in town for my wife to get to the spa before dinner, right?"
"Tell me young man, do you know what I do for a living? I need to make sure you don't waste my time....its valuable.
"I certainly hope you've planned a vegetarian entree for today's shore lunch. You HAVE done that, right?"
You know the type.....they have money. Am I envious? Probably. But even if I had money, I don't think that I would become that way. As a matter of fact, I know I wouldn't....... If I were rich, I would fish more than I do know, perhaps have nicer gear, but I would still want to do things for myself. I mean, after all, isn't THAT what it is about in this sport? Getting your own tackle together, tying your own flies, studying the water, weather and hatch information so YOU can catch fish. I guess I get the part about hiring a guide for local information and get me to the water and get the local information, but I think I would rather put the rest of it together myself.
Fishing is the great equalizer. The trout don't know the income of the angler trying to catch them, and I am fairly certain they don't care. So, the only influence a wealthy angler has over a poor one is the ability to involve others in making the process less tedious or easier for themlselves.....you know, so they don't have to do the boring parts. I guess if that is what does it for you hire a rod bearer, a driver, chef, knot tyer, boat handler and wader attendant. I think I will just settle for a map, lunch, and perhaps a couple cold ones bobbing around in the cooler in the back of the car. I'll catch fish just fine without hob-knobbing in the single malt, vintage, members-only exlusive world of fly fishing for the rich and not-so-famous.
JM
Beware of the guy who pulls into the parking lot in the rusty 84' Chevy truck with a wooden bed and gets out a new Sage rod tube from behind the seat........he isn't a trend setter. I am guessing he knows what to do with that rod........
I think hiring a guide is the LAST resort if you can access the internet or read a map. I mean, if your going a fishery that's "in the know" like the Madison, Yellowstone, SR, LE tribs... hell, the Lackawanna River. One can find enough in the Rand-McNally, Sportman's Guide books, local maps, the town library, back of a match book, or internet to know what GP's to bring, what kind of rod, what rest stops are out there, license fees, wine list, local brews on tap, etc., etc.
(To be honest, some of the best fishing resources in BradCo: are the Towanda Library and BradCo library in East Burlington, PA. They have maps of every spit of water found in any township and borough in this county. Local minions: invest in a membership to the library... it's GOLD!)
C'mon. Is it that hard? If you want trout: You never can go wrong with a 5wgt, a Adams parachute, wooly bugger, and a PT Nymph ANYWHERE in the lower 48. However, Alaska... one might need a guide. That place is too wild and wooly to do it on your own.
But back to the lower 48 and the point of this reply.
The only reason one would need a guide, is a piece of water you CAN'T FIND INFO ON. For example, if you were fishing around BradCo; like the Towanda Creek, Wysox Creek, Schrader Creek, or Sugar Run. Y'know... local waters that are your really had to dig for info about. (Hence, the whole reason this website exsists)
OR....
if the guide has access to a piece of private water you normally can't fish on. A Local Example: The NB Susquehanna River. It's 99% a public fishery and one can fish it without a guide. But a guide with a BOAT makes it, oh-so much better to pool hop. You wouldn't get a lot of fishing done if you had to walk to pool hop. Hiring a guide for the Suskie is a matter of convience if your travelling a long distance to fish. Unless your me... even with Lance guiding me, I still can't catch bass with my own jigs! I don't think I'll get to live that down for awhile!
OR...
and this is a big if......
If the fishing is so technical that you can't figure it out on your own. But then I refer back to the 5wgt, Adams, Wooly Bugger, and PT nymph again.
Cripes it sounds like your describing my uncle, he used to live up here and then got a taste of the big city and actually liked it, now he lives in Virgina, comes up here once or twice in the summer in his Range Rover, tweedy clothes, Orvis rod, flies, and whatever else money will buy and tell stories of his fishing up in Alaska, or Colorado, or somewheres his money took him. Well after I finish laughing at him I pull our my Wally Mart boots, 40 year old creel with the duct tape on it, some flies I have tied up that looked like something that was squarshed on the front window. Well after watching him with his school taught cast, and all the bs, then I catch the fish and watch him sort thru the flies he has and listen to the excuses, it just makes me glad I use a rod I built out of a $5 blank, and line that is 30 years old, but gee the tweed don't help him and I don't envy him or any tweeders any.
Well said tiogan63! The DFP may partake in a subculture of fishing that has the stigma of being a "tweedy sport"....
BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT TWEEDY!! I believe we are fly-by-the-seat-of-our-waders, smart assin', fun loving, trendsetters! DAMMIT!
Now where did I put that glass of the Prophet Elijah??
Ahhhhhh.... there's my preciousssssss.
SLURRRP!
Mmmmmmm..... that's good bourbon, folks!
Glad you put the picture of the bourbon up there, this also reminded me of the same uncle trying to persuade me to the dark side of the tweeds, telling me "You need to find a good scotch to drink, it will be a good thing for you to drink Scotch or a good brandy" the hell with him I will take an OPB any day of the week, and I like my Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or my favorite is a glass of Wild Turkey.
Before JM introduced me to the fine dusky hues of the Prophet Elijah Craig, I was a staunch lover of WT and used to drink that exclusively. It was cheaper than the Knob Creeks, Maker's Mark, and Booker T's. But just as tasty! I'll go back to the WT when $$ is low and need a quality drink that won't drain my wallet.
Boy-O-Boy I woke up with a splitting headache this morning.... The Prophet has got some teeth to it!! LOL!
At least the the herd from Buffalo Trace didn't stomp on my head too badly this morning........seems like last night was a good night for more than a few of us?
BTW, more Elijah will be here in December....a road trip for work is in the mix.
JM
BTW... I got a line on some Fat Tire. A buddy of mine is home from the USAF. He is stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas. He states that Fat Tire is everywhere in Vegas. He will be coming home again in the spring for trout season. He plans on bringing back a few cases. I'll disperse liberally throughout the DFP when it arrives!
Superb!
I have some travel over the next few months to North Carolina....the east coast mecca of New Belgium Brewing Co. I will be sure to bring some home as well. That beer is available all over the place on that side of the Mississippi. I drank it in Phoenix a couple years back as well.
On my way home after work yesterday I saw two different guys from work at the beer distributors.....loading up their work trucks. Something tells me that there is a party somewhere this weekend with those guys.......
JM
"Well I suppose that I am deranged, but I believe that I would like to make an affiliation with the DFP as well. I should hope that you would give that allegiance careful consideration, as I too am a fan of that bottled spirit from the Bluegrass State. I shall await your reply....good day then."
Superb!
I have some travel over the next few months to North Carolina....the east coast mecca of New Belgium Brewing Co. I will be sure to bring some home as well. That beer is available all over the place on that side of the Mississippi. I drank it in Phoenix a couple years back as well.
On my way home after work yesterday I saw two different guys from work at the beer distributors.....loading up their work trucks. Something tells me that there is a party somewhere this weekend with those guys.......
JM-jmflyfisher
I would be happy to bestow some legal tender upon thou... for I need to whet thy whistle with some fine Montana libations!
As for the party... I believe it shall be conducted at various hunting camps this weekend. Doesn't Pee-Aye's version of WWIII start on Monday?
My minions are braced for DEFCON 2 as we speak
"Be vewwy vewwy quiet......I'm huntin' whitetails and they are wiley cweatures in Willy Penn's woods..........
Makes a stringer full of trout look small, doesn't it?
Do they throw the little ones back?
JM
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