Fishing has been in my life for as long as I can recall. As a young boy my fishing was done with a bait casting rod and reel, some Pfluger tins of assorted hooks and sinkers, and worms. The fish we were seeking were anything that would bite. As I began to evolve, my fishing life discovered trout. The method pretty much stayed the same only a more advanced tool arsenal was used. A Mitchell 300 spinning reel and a two piece rod, a few Daredevle's and Abu Garcia spinners, number 8 Eagle Claw snelled hooks, and garden hackle. It was about 1974 or so that I began to read about fishing for trout with a fly. It really took hold when a read a book called "Trout Fishing" by Joe Brooks. It was full of great photos and stories about fly fishing. That book was what made me give this new type of fishing a try. I purchased a fly rod, a Cortland seven foot five weight glass rod, a Pfluger Medalist reel and a few flies, which I had no knowledge of and off I went. I fished the Farmington River in Unionville, and the first trout on a fly was taken. Since that time many years ago many trout have come to hand, in many streams both local and distant. So many rods and reels, flies and fly boxes, expensive and not so expensive have come and helped me to enjoy my days on the streams. But every now and then I drift back to "Another Time"
Fishing has been in my life for as long as I can recall. As a young boy my fishing was done with a bait casting rod and reel, some Pfluger tins of assorted hooks and sinkers, and worms. The fish we were seeking were anything that would bite. As I began to evolve, my fishing life discovered trout. The method pretty much stayed the same only a more advanced tool arsenal was used. A Mitchell 300 spinning reel and a two piece rod, a few Daredevle's and Abu Garcia spinners, number 8 Eagle Claw snelled hooks, and garden hackle. It was about 1974 or so that I began to read about fishing for trout with a fly. It really took hold when a read a book called "Trout Fishing" by Joe Brooks. It was full of great photos and stories about fly fishing. That book was what made me give this new type of fishing a try. I purchased a fly rod, a Cortland seven foot five weight glass rod, a Pfluger Medalist reel and a few flies, which I had no knowledge of and off I went. I fished the Farmington River in Unionville, and the first trout on a fly was taken. Since that time many years ago many trout have come to hand, in many streams both local and distant. So many rods and reels, flies and fly boxes, expensive and not so expensive have come and helped me to enjoy my days on the streams. But every now and then I drift back to "Another Time"
I enjoyed this story very much. My fishing career may not be as long, but it starts very similar to yours. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, i remember my first rod and medalist. The rod was a Redington 8/9wt and i got the big Rim Control medalist. That night in May of 96 i took my first fish on a fly, not a trout, but a schoolie bass. I guess the dreams and thoughts are the same, just different fish. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNicely written! I too got started as a kid with a spinning rod; my favourites were Mepps and Panther Martin spinners from the local hardware store.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me of the early days of my fishing too. Like many others, it was my father who taught me fishing when I was a kid almost 40 years ago, but I started fly fishing more than 25 years ago by myself by reading books or magazines because there was nobody who knows about the sport around me then. I tied some parachute-type dry flies according to a tying book... and Oh!, I remember the scene that the first fish took my fly. It was amago less than 6 inches, but I almost jumped with joy! Back then, when I returned home from fishing, I remembered how each fish rose to the fly...
ReplyDeleteI hsve just discovered fishing at 54, and I am getting those same thrills you guys got long ago as I hook my first little brook trout in the small stream near my house. What a kick! I am learning it all through books and trial and error, too, and now new anglers get to read and view blogs like this one which are incredibly helpful! Thanks and keep up the blog!
ReplyDeleteOld post but I love reading little works such as this. It amazes me how often we come full circle in this sport. My own story would read similar to yours and now I find myself gravitating to the "old" gear that caught my attention in the begining. I went through plenty of rods and reels in my short career starting with a Kunan Competitor and the venerable Medalist. A decade or so later and a small fortune spent on fast action large arbor sports car gear (as I like to call it), my circle has made its turn towards home and find myself scouring auction sites and classified adds searching for Akron built Medalists. I look to my planing forms and invision the Blue Ridge Banty eagerly waiting to be split and glued. When this all began the fly boxes were simple and filled with quill winged wets and Catskill styled dries. Somewhere in the middle they turned to synthetic creations appearing more like lures than hand tied flies (sports car options). Then as the wheel turned round the box came to life once again with classic styled flies, and I find myself befriending bird hunters and the like always on the lookout for fine quills and turkey tails. I've become a connoissuer of rooster and hen capes, classic Mustad hooks and the grace of the Limerick Bend. I suppose its all part of the individual journey but for me I always seem to end up back at the start. While I find it important to be aware of fly fishings rich history, I believe our own fly fishing history is equally important. To each their own but eventually we all come home.
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