What a Catch

Dave looked up from his tying desk, "You wont be able to teach her" he said matter of fact.  "I've taught lots of women to fly fish but I could not teach my own wife."  Like all advice from the guru and owner of Hickory's one and only fly shop, I listened and seriously considered.

With Beth and the kids' Easter break coinciding with the April spawn of Wilson and Jacob Fork Creeks, I determined to "tie on a dropper" by melding my family time with my river time.  Hazardous venture, fraught with peril.... I know.  But I am a risk taker- well, not really, but I will try anything to get more time on the water.

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny, though chilly, and we bundled accordingly, she excited, me worried but hopeful that my fantasy of melding the two things I love most in life could be more than a pipe dream.  My hope seemed to dwindle as every turn in the road revealed a vehicle and piscators where I suspected fresh trout.  Finally we came to a vacant turn out accessing a series of deep pools and previously productive runs.  Twenty five feet from the water the trout were so thick even she could spot them and gasp- surely this pool would achieve her object, "I just want to catch fish, lots of fish like you do".  I had chuckled at that comment.  "Honey, how many years have I been fishing, I mean, I'm sort of an expert, I always can catch fish, but that doesn't make it easy.... or mean you will"  as she frowned I quickly added, "But I bet you will.  You will."

At the risk of sore chastisement and criticism,  I confess that I started her off with a spinning rod and meps lure.  I position her at the head of the pool where she could retrieve the spinner against the current and directly through the strike zone.  Her first cast was an utter failure, sailing wide right and only 10 feet.  But the current picked up the light tackle and with the first turn of the spinning reel the tip of the rod jumped, "You got one!"  I yelled and she squealed with delight.  A little brookie came to hand and was released.  Second cast, a little better throw and same result!  This was money in the bank, the Govna had delivered.

My Second Entry on the Drakes' Page Six Chicks!

In thirty minutes she had mastered the spinning rod and wanted the fly rod.  I was hesitant, but, the fish were plentiful and eager, the weather warming, the sky a sharp blue, the water clear and her confidence high, if ever there was a day to make the leap, this was it.  I rigged up a nymph and strike indicator and standing behind her with my right hand on hers and the rod, line in both our left hands, I swung her through a little roll cast that put the fly in the feeding column.  I stayed wrapped around her directing the rod for a quick mend and the indicator shot under.  Her hand followed mine skyward as we raised the rod and set the hook before I turned loose and she played the fish with the line in her left hand.  She did it very naturally.  "Ok, that didn't really count because you were helping me."  So I gave her some more advice and about the time I was going to start over coach and aggravate both of us, I just walked to the bank and began to string up my rod in silence.  She made some nice roll casts and the requisite failures to launch.  She sought my judgement on whether she had a "dead drift" and shortly she took a trout (I did SHOUT, HE'S ON!) before she realized it was a fish tugging the indicator and not just the current.

Somewhere in that spell, she was landing and releasing her own fish and I moved down stream and found my own dry fly action.  Enjoying watching her take and land a couple of fish completely on her own.  When her feet got cold she laid out on the bank like a sun bather and napped.

Maybe next time I am in the shop I will offer Dave some advice.