I've had the last two days off of work. Yesterday I finished putting new planks up on the fence to prevent the dogs from creating havoc with the neighbor's two Boston Terriers, and today I helped mom finish her taxes. As a result I decided to reward myslef. Not with a Black Angus Burger from Arctic Circle, but with an afternoon trip to the Provo river to try out my new fly reel.
Not only was it to try out the fly reel, but it was to attempt to fly fish for the first time in 42 years. The last time I tried this was the summer after graduation from high school.
Today was a learning experience for me to say the least. I started out at Vivian Park, in Provo Canyon, where I met up with my son Craig. I put my equipment in his truck and we headed further up the canyon. We ended up just across the road from the Sundance turn-off and parked the truck. I put on my waders on and went down to the river.
As I stood at the water's edge my mind reviewed all the articles and books that I have started reading in order to learn to fly cast. I walked in the the river, striped off some line and prepared to cast my fly. A few deep breaths and here I go.
My first cast. Not too bad. Only about 12 feet out, but at least it was in the water in front of me. Let it drift with the current, and now time to haul it out of the water and cast again.
The line goes tight, I raise the rod up and the line follows. The line continues over my shoulder and behind me, so far all is good. I stop the rod at the 2 o-clock position then go forward with it to the 10 o-clock position, just like all the authors and instructors tell you to do. As i stop the rod I notice that the line didn't follow like it was supposed to do. As I turn around I find that I have just hooked my first willow tree. Now I walk out of the river and untangle the fly from the branch.
This was pretty much how half of my afternoon went, until Craig came over to talk with me, and help me get my mind into what I was supposed to be doing. Things went much better after that.
No fish to my credit today, but after 3-1/2 hrs on the river, 1 lost fly in top of a tree, 1 lost fly whipped off the end of my leader in a rushed cast and 2 lost flies dropped into the river and floated away. My overall evaluation for today: "I can do this!" I just need more practice.
I also need to remember: "The worst day fishing is still better than the best day at work."
