I totally understand that fish are just fish. By that, I mean that I am not the kind of person that ascribes some sort of metaphysical depth to the experience of a bluegill. Fish are great, fish are worth protecting and pursuing – but fish, at the end of the day, are just fish. But, …
Standing on the bank of a trout stream, you’re probably used to thinking about how three of your senses are focusing on the fishing. Whether it is wholly conscious or not, you’re relying on feeling, hearing, and seeing what is around you. Sight is obvious. It is necessary to position yourself. Identify feeding lanes. Figure …
Wild or native? Native or wild? It is the they’re/there/their of fly fishing. “I caught some native browns from that pretty little spring creek in Montana the other week.” No, you didn’t. Unless “Montana” happens to be the name of some fancy European estate. “Look at the colors on this rainbow! The stripes on these …
The other day I thought to myself, “Why don’t you conduct a brief, informal survey of complete strangers in the mall?” I know that thinking such things isn’t normal. And that carrying out plans like that is even less so. However, I had a few too many cups of coffee and I wasn’t going to …
There we were. Two teenagers, in the middle of the woods, well below freezing, early in the morning… surrounded by snarling dogs. I can’t remember exactly where we were, but I do know that it was a medium-sized stream on the west side of the Shenandoah National Park. Alan and I had been canvassing the …
