Against all odds, football is back. In many of  the high-profile venues across the nation, Saturdays and Sundays will feature at least 100 people in attendance. More pertinent, hundreds of thousands will be firmly planted upon couch and recliner.

Not every fly fisher is a die hard football fanatic. Not every fly fisher is even a casual observer of sports. But if my personal interactions and social media observations are remotely accurate, a good chunk of anglers enjoy NFL and/or college football.

For a certain number of days in the fall this presents a dilemma. Now, this is a dilemma in the least significant sense of the word. It isn’t life or death. It isn’t a question of morality. It is picking between two good things. It is navigating between two pleasant shores.

It is football or fly fishing.

Still, it is a lower-case-d dilemma. Here are a few thoughts if you find yourself in this place  during autumn:

Find Elbow Room

For years I was a Chicago Bears fan in the heart of Eagles and Steelers countr(ies). My team was rarely on television during daylight hours. However, all my neighbors were able to watch their Iggles and Stillers on Sunday afternoon. While the streams weren’t totally vacated from 1-5pm, the pressure was significantly reduced.

If you  are A) in a similar situation to what I described, or B) don’t watch football, you might be able to find some elbow room when many of your fellow anglers are grilling and rooting. I’d always plan steelhead trips around big Steelers games. Cutting the fisherman population by even 25% is noticeable. While this little tactic works for the NFL, it is spooky how quiet some usually popular streams get near football-crazy college towns.

Sit and Tie

Passively watching football is a thing. If your team isn’t on but you enjoy the experience enough, then you’ll end up spending quite a few hours in front of the TV over the course of the fall. I’m not going to argue for the redemptive value – or the need for redemptive value – of rest and leisure. But you can absolutely “redeem” some of that couch time by sitting with your vise in front of you.

While you’ll be somewhat distracted, you’ll still be able to turn out quite a few flies. Pick some simple patterns that aren’t going to leave deer hair all over your living room’s shag carpet. Even the best games have enough commercials and down time to afford the opportunity to spin a bit.

Don’t Stress

I only mention this because I have talked to plenty of people who have felt conflicted about fishing or football. They truly enjoy both, and they are aware there are only so many fall weekends. It might sound silly, but it is a real – albeit small – dilemma. How do you pick from two good things? How do you prioritize one type of recreation over another?

First: don’t stress out about it. Second: here is a handy step-by-step guide. It’s tongue in cheek, but it’s handy.