I Went to the Woods: No time like the present

[mouakter13]

The end of my line thrashed back and forth at the surface, throwing water in every direction. But the fish didn’t turn and run, so the hook wasn’t set, and the tension I kept was in the direction that helped the fish.

The fly popped out, and the rod straightened. I let out the breath I had held since the salmon was taken.

“Dang it.”

My response was more factual than emotional, which doesn’t always happen. Too much emotion can displace you from that sweet spot of caring enough to focus but not so much that you can’t function under the weight of your own pressure or frustration.

I kept my emotions in check and dealt with the facts. I hooked a king. Now, it was gone.

Dave was quiet and let me dictate the terms of the conversation from there.

“So… where were we?” I asked, letting him know I c level contact list wasn’t going to be inconsolable for the rest of the trip. “If I could go back in time, it would be 2 minutes ago.”

It was a clean, precise joke. I hadn’t done anything wrong; sometimes, the fish wins. Still, after three hours, it was nice to have some action. We continued our conversation about places to fish, the past, and the future, interjecting with comments about the tide, casting direction, or the swinging line. The chatter was simple, so I was able to maintain focus.

“Fish.”

Braves vs. Athletics Highlights



This one turned its head and ran, embedding the hook. We had a chance. I settled into what I knew would be a long fight.

A 12-inch brookie feels big on a 1-weight fly rod. Battle a 20-inch brown trout on a 5-weight, and you’ll feel under-equipped. But steelhead and king salmon are a different category. A 20-pound king salmon on an 8-weight is an adventure.