Find Maestros
There is always a ‘Maestro’ out there to pick up some tips and tactics from. Most are willing to share them if you are humble in your approach. When wanting tips from a sage, be careful to compliment them and ask if they would be willing to share some advice. The ‘hat in hand’ approach has worked well with me through the years and I’ve gotten to know some wonderful people who think like a fish. When you are being taught by such a person, try to do everything the way they do it, even if you are used to doing it another way. It is a great compliment to them when you imitate their techniques and strategies. Don’t try and demonstrate something you know, unless it is asked for. I have read somewhere, “Arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand.”
Unplanned Majesty
As you go along, purposeful in natural pursuits, you will encounter unplanned majesty. Savor it. Majesty is anything that inspires awe and joy that has absolutely nothing to do with you. Most people feel a degree of happiness when folks make a big deal out of their accomplishments, but majesty is something more. The delightful doe that I encountered on that misty morning on the Big Laurel brought a huge smile to my face, but there wasn’t the slightest connection of that event to any personal accomplishment of my own. It was pure, serendipitous, majesty. As a man of faith, I believe God’s majesty is revealed through His creation/creatures. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God,” Romans 1:20. Majesty is a key attribute of God. The natural creation is perfumed with it. That is why you can look at some beautiful river, stare at a snow-capped mountain, watch animals in their native habitat, or gaze at stars on a clear night and feel a deep level of satisfaction and sometimes, pure joy. In those moments, we are breathing in the perfume of God’s majesty.
Pass it On
I am glad my son loves to fish. It has kept him away from other vices and addictions. It also creates a relational bond that gives you something to do together until all your teeth fall out. Even after your choppers are gone, you can cast from the seat of your motorized Rascal beside your gray-haired child. They can pass the activity on to their little rascals. I don’t know of any pastime that imparts more patience and appreciation for nature than fishing.
Become a Year-Round Angler
There is a level of tranquility in wintertime fishing that is often unattainable in other seasons. Warmer weather brings swarms of people to the rivers and lakes. With the right gear, cold-weather fishing is relatively comfortable and surprisingly productive, if winter tactics are employed. Remember that fish feed most in the middle of the day in the winter months. They are typically in a nose-down position near the bottom. If you are fly fishing for trout, get familiar with your small, bead head flies and fish them low and unhurried. The deeper, slow-moving pools will hold winter fish. A trout will not strike aggressively in cold weather. Their take will be a gentle sip. It is imperative to watch your fly line and lift to set the hook of there is any hesitation or slight twitch in the line. Some kind of small, strike indicator (a piece of bright yarn or adhesive foam) attached where the fly line and leader connect is helpful in detecting these delicate nips.
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