Fly Fishing with a Pro

Yeasterday I was lucky to have the chance to Fly Fish the Provo River with my good friend and former Professional Baseball Player Jared Fernandez. Jared now focases his professional ablity on fly fishing and duck hunting, which he's already a pro. We had a great time yesterday and I learned something new, which was an added bonus. (my new egg pattern works!!!) The catching started out slow, with all the pressure that they had faced earlier in the day. We finally moved down to our honey hole and within an hour we were in double digits. With our hands were frozen stiff and being the last on the river at dark:30, we decided to call it quits. It was great to get out with such a great friend and someone that has accomphished so much in his life.

Paying Your Dues

This is an issue I have been debating over the past year and fishing the Provo last night has finally has pushed me to share my thoughts on the issue. I grew up hearing all the quotes about working hard for what you get..."Practice makes perfect", "Step by Step", "If you work harder than the rest, you will be the best", etc... from my personal experience and through countless trials and errors, I have found this concept to be completely true. If you want something or want to be great at something, than you must pay your dues. "Paying My Dues" is a concept I have gained over my years of playing traditional sports in high school and college. It is equally important in any activity that one pursues and especially crucial in ones progression in Fly Fishing. The key to the concepts success is the level of desire/passion of the pursuer. This is simple, some really want to be great, some kinda do, some do, but are scared, some do, but don't want to invest the time, and some just don't care and enjoy being average. This level of desire/passion is something that isn't(can't) taught, but is within each of us and is our personal driving force. Levels of desire can change as one decides to. For example my little sister always came fishing with us boys, but she really didn't care if she caught a fish or not. She would usually fish for an hour and then spend the remainder of the day reading a book or hiking around. But as her desire/passion of Fly Fishing grew over the years, through learning and practice. She now spends all day fishing and leaves the book in the Jeep. On the last trip to the Green she had close to a 20 fish day!!! In Fly Fishing it is pretty easy to get to the point of going to a river tying on a fly and catching a fish or two. I consider that the first plateau and where 95% of fly fishermen are. These are the guys who catch fish, but can't tell you why it happened, it just does, they are also the ones that fish maybe 1-2 times per month and mostly on weekends. The other 5% and the second ptateau (which is a lot harder to reach) are the ones that are passionate about their sport! They eat, drink and sleep fly fishing. They are the ones that if they did have to think about anything, they would think about fly fishing and getting better. They are the ones that have "Paid Their Dues" over long hours on the river or lake not just fishing, but studying and being taught. Most of their favorite books are fishing related and the Internet sites the same. They hunger to learn and are passionate about getting to that next level. They are never content with 30 fish, but are usually after that one that will challenge everything they got. When you ask them how they did they just quietly shake their head and say OK. To them its not the quantity that makes a successful trip, but the feelings remembered. Most would rather fish alone. I only know a handful of these legends

So what I am trying to say is like everything in life, to be good at that thing, one desires or is passionate about, one must personally pay their dues to reach the level they desire. Nothing in my life that is worth while has come free or easy. I have spent countless hours practicing Baseball that helped put me through College...and in fly fishing I didn't have anyone to teach me the basics. I had to learn the sport alone with a $20 wal-mart special and in a way it made me into a better fly fishermen for it.

So if you want to progress to the next level here's my suggestions:

• Go fishing and learn from your own trials and errorsDon't have someone do everything for you.
• Tie your knots, net your own fish, find your own spot, figure out what flies to use.(It doesn't help you to have someone to lean on, what if their not there?)
• Gain more knowledge. (Read, watch, ask questions, Internet, etc...)
• Spend the time-each season is different and the only way to know is to experience it
• Don't get down...Fly Fishing is hard and learning new techniques can take time.
• Think like a fish, really!!! Not like a human...Stop and use your brain
• Hangout and learn form others who know, then try it

Side Note: Don't get me wrong, one of my favorite aspects of Fly Fishing is taking people out and helping them to catch fish. There is nothing better than seeing someone new to the sport get so excited when he or she hooks up with a fish. I like to think of that as the introduction phase, deciding if they like Fly fishing or not. But it is those that have passed the intro phase and are on to the second plateau that I focusing this to.

My wish and hopes is that all fishermen can find there own path to happiness, no matter what that be or where it may lead them.

I am a solo fishermen,

Dr Gillespie

In the mean time check out a couple quotes that I dug up out of my desk at work:

"There are really only two types of Fly Fishermen, those that make it a lifestyle and those they wished they could" Angler Addiction

On Fly Fishing "This is a game best played with your head and not your hand. You will catch more fish" Norm A

Limited Time=Lots of Fish

This past week has been one of intense and focused fishing. With only a mere 2 hours of fishing (3:30-5:30pm) I would cut out the wondering and focus on runs that would produce big healthy Browns. For the amount of time I fish it has been really good this past week...

Tues-Nov 11th (See other post)

Weds-Nov 12th Fished with Gunner-Sight Fishing for Hooked Jaw Browns (Sorry no pics, forgot camera)

Thurs-Nov 13th-Solo and Bad Weather- I decided to mix things up and film a couple fish before the storm got to rainy...It was a great night for fish numbers....(TP) See below

Fri-Nov 14th-Met Hoss on the River around 2pm...Fished #24 BWO to risers with constant hookups on smaller Browns. Decided to move up the river in search for running Browns. Hoss hooked up with a hog and had to run...

As I was left solo on the river I decided to work my way up river with sight fishing and the hopes of a 25+inch Brown...I never found my Brown, but with the perfect lighting and a beautiful fall color Brown it was a trophy to be had at 20 inches

Just Cool Pics...Am I Pro? After one of the windiest afternoons the evening graced myself with the perfect ending to a pretty perfect day..."Only if I wouldn't of lost that one"

Sat-Nov 15th-Stillwater-I don't want to talk about it...I got my butt kicked...again

Monday- Nov. 17th

We set out to catch some Browns and hopefully get Gunner some more practice landing big fish. It was his best out so far and one that will help him progress into a great fishermen. I didn't help him one bit...Atta boy Gun

"Do think I can catch one first cast?" Yep Gun
Gunner and I fished until our hands were froze and the fish were to easy to hook. It was a good night.

Browns, Browns, Browns and More Browns!

I left work at 3pm and headed straight for the Provo. I always have my fishing gear in the back of the Jeep so I don't waste any unnecessary time. It stinks, but the smell of wet waders and boots is just a small price to pay to play longer. Plus its a Jeep...its supposed to look and smell like the mountains...Right! As I reached my location for the evening fishing I was instantly surprised to find I had the river to myself. (The payoff for fishing weekdays, Tues) I put my wader on over my work pants and my coat over my collared shirt. As I reached the battle ground, my eyes were wondering for the first sign of active fish. I spotted my first run and it seemed very fishy. After a tree, I instantly was hooked up with a scrappy Brown, that gave me more than Rocky.

That fish must of been a sign of good things to come...because my next two casts produced great strikes and on the third I hooked up with one of the meanest looking male Browns I have landed all year.

I decided to switch spots and give the fish in that run a chance to regroup. I decided to fish a run that I knew should produce, but didn't the last time out. This time I was going to be smarter. I got on the right side of the stream where I could make a good long cast and have the my flies dead drift over about 50 feet of water. The run went from 2-3 feet riffles to a gradually ledge that put the big fish deep enough to stay out of harms way. After a couple fish. I was able to dial them into the ledge that was very promising for a big fish.

My next cast I put my flies in the prefect spot and just like clockwork, as my flies cleared the ledge, my indicator shot down and I was hooked up with a fish that leaped out of the water. At the time I didn't realized its size, but as it hunkered down in the deep run, I knew I was in for a fight. After 5 strong runs and a sore forearm I was able to get the magnificent Brown in hand. It had all the characteristics of a wise large Brown. Its coloration was amazing, it was unlike many Browns I have scene. It had big dark spot on its back, followed by blue/red spots, and a distinct bluish-gold body. It was the fish I have been after and a true prise for any fishermen. A quick measurement put the Brown at 22 1/2 inches.

After a fish like that I could have been skunked and I wouldn't of cared...But it turned out almost to good to be true. In the next 3 casts I hooked up and landed 3 Browns that would all break the 18 inch mark...

By this time I almost felt I had had may share, but one last cast into the dark night produced once again a Brown in the 19 inch class. It was an incredible night and one that I will some not forget. Man am I a lucky man to have such an amazing river only 15 mins form my door step.