A recent trip to south Florida re-emphasized the fact that fishing is fishing and catching is another thing entirely, and to actually land the fish we seek, a lot of stars have to align just perfectly. We may get a world class specimen if we throw in a bit of skill and a healthy dose of luck but more often than not though, we catch a few and we lose a few.
My wife and I were walking around an urban waterway down south and had just crossed a bridge connecting one lake section to another when I spotted a very nice peacock seeking shelter in the shade of the structure. I gave her the option to throw at it first since she’d never landed a truly gigantic Florida peacock and this one definitely qualified, but she deferred to me and I stepped up to the plate. That fish tucked back under the bridge so far that it required a leap of faith to put a fly halfway through the span without actually being able to see the target. I smacked the structure a few times, got halfhearted attacks, and a high number of nothing at all for about 15 minutes, when finally the water exploded as the monster inhaled what now appeared to be a very small fly and light leader. He crushed that fly like it had offended him in some deep and personal way before heading for the lake’s deep corners, but not before leaping clear of the water to give us a look at what was actually on the end of the line. I stepped back from the water in shock and began shaking with excitement while Theresa exclaimed from a few feet away, “Oh my God, it’s gigantic!" I’d already figured that out and was doing my best to keep up with it as the fish ran and pulled harder than just about anything I’d ever fought before. Once I felt things were under control, I decided we were going to need a picture, so I started trying to get the camera out of my pocket and from around my neck. Now we all think multitasking is something we’re good at but I can tell you from experience that fighting a fish while contorting and struggling with a camera strap will result in only one thing. "Ping !" the line separated and sprung back onto shore as my prize escaped to the watery depths with my fly tucked firmly in his mouth. I screwed up and counted my fish before they were caught. It was my fault and no matter how much it hurt, I had to move on.
A day later while fishing a different pond, I had the chance to redeem myself and actually prove that I can land a fish or two, when I worked a large rock submerged in deep water along the shoreline. I knew there had to be a giant down there because Scott had lost one in the same spot, so I tied on the largest, heaviest, most obnoxious fly I’ve ever tied. A few casts later, the line pulled tight as if I’d snagged onto the rock, but that "rock” pulled back when I halfheartedly set the hook into what I thought was an inanimate object. I didn’t see the fish for quite a while as we ran back and forth along the edge trying to win our version of tug-of-war, and my first thought when it finally did come up into view, was “Leave the camera ALONE!" It was nearly as large as the one I lost yesterday so I didn’t want to do anything wrong that might cause another failure of epic proportions, including a precarious run out to the edge of the deep water drop off to prevent him (or her) from rubbing the leader through on the sharp rock ledge. The giant eventually came to hand and I was able to dig the camera out for a few quick shots before releasing it back to it’s home alongside a giant rock. Thankfully I’d landed a monster, on a fly tied specifically for the task, while erasing errors made on previous trips.
What’s the moral of the story? Keep casting. Never stop trying. Tie on something unusual. Big flies catch big fish! Leave the camera alone until the fish is actually landed. Fish smart and you’ll land the fish instead of lamenting mistakes you made along the way. Finally, sometimes they get away….And sometimes they don’t!
Brian "Beastman” Eastman
White River Fly Shop
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