Do some people not have a clue?
Went fishing the other weekend with a beginner mate and I was stood in a particular spot casting into the wind and pulling out a few fish.
Anyway the weather produced a bitter wind and not being able to feel my hands any longer I decided to go sit int he car and watch what was going on.
While we arrived and started fishing at 8am a group of three Yoofs turned up and started chucking the big ol' lures out in a competition of whoever could cast furthest had the biggest manhood but as they were fishing another part I didn't mind. As I left for the car I placed my rod against the fence I was fishing along, went to check on my buddy and then headed for the car.
No sooner had my car door shut the Hole in the Head Gang raced onto the part I was fishing. I didn't really mind that but when I had got some feeling back in my fingers I left the comfort of the car and headed out into the Acrtic winds ("I am going for a fish, I may be some time"). As I reached where I had placed my rod before making a retreat for warmer climes I noticed they ahd moved it so they could stand exactly where I was stood despite there being masses of available space for them to use.
I took my rod and net and moved further to the left of them. First cast and a fish was on. Second cast and I missed a take. Third cast and a fish was on and on it went with almost every second cast producing a fish or a missed take. The Yoofs changed direction of casting and were casting into the same spot as me, thrashing the water as they went so I changed my angle to the left again and found the fish again. They didn't have a touch.
I was then approached by one of them, I am guessing the leader, and was asked what I was catching on. I weighed up my answer carefully taking into consideration their actions and answered "Anything just under the surface." It wasn't a lie I'd used a few nymphs that had produced results. Off he trotted and shouted "Anything under the surface" to his Home Boys. Nothing produced for them in the next 20mins despite a few frantic rummages around in numerous fly boxes before they retired to their Goon Mobile.
I continued fishing where I was and reeled in six or seven fish before the coffee break got the better of me and I had to pay a visit ot eh little boy's room. It is a 2min walk from where I was and upon returning they had exited the Goon Mobile and resumed fishing right where I had been, again.
I took my rod and moved to the left again and again was into the fish. Again, after a few fish the same idiot who had stood where I had been twice before came over clearly frustrated and asked "What fly are you using? What fly is catching them?" I again considered their actions and realised if I told them then it would take away the skill of fly selection subject to conditions so gave a diplomatic answer of "Just a little pattern I tied the other day, doesn’t have a name." I hadn't lied, it was a fly I'd tied and was just something I thought would fish pretty well and it did.
"Have you tried a minkie?"
"No. I tend not to use lures."
"Oh right. What about a blob have you had any on them today?"
"No it's a lure so I don’t have any to try."
"Maybe you should try a blob."
"I seem to be catching them on the fly I am using so there isn;t any need to switch to a blob. What fly are you using?"
"An orange blob with a green flash tail."
"Have you had many on that?"
"Not had anything but blobs always work."
"Well good luck with it."
The fish then started rising so off came my "Thing" pattern and on went a suspender buzzer.
Casting at any rise I managed to pull in a few fish in about 20mins.
"Are you taking them off the top now?"
"Yes."
"What fly?"
"Not a blob".
A young lad turned up and had only been fishing for a bout a year with no lessons and not much knowledge. After watching him struggle to cast and not getting amongst the fish he held a meeting with his parents.
After the meeting adjourned he wandered over, waited until I had finish my cast and said in a shaky voice - "Excuse me mister. You seem to be catching fish and I am not very good at this but could you please give me some clues to what fly you are using?"
Immediately the Yoofs turned and with pricked ears to see if they could pick up on what I was using.
"I can do better than that" I replied and took out my fly box and handed him one the things I had tied and clipped the suspender buzzer off my line to hand over to him.
"How do you attach your fly to your line?" I looked at his leader and it was strong enough to pull a tractor so I clipped it off, tied on some fluorocarbon for him to which he replied "Fluorocarbon? Wow! That stuff is for proper fishermen."
"Well you have a rod, reel and fly line and now you have some flies so you are a proper fisherman".
He was set up and casting about when his parents came over. They thanked me for sorting him out and explained it was his birthday and this was his birthday treat. He'd been on the river but not caught anything so they brought him to the stillwater for a go.
"Well if it's his birthday we'd better get him a fish!"
I placed my rod down and gave him a few casting tips to get him going so he was amongst the fish and within a few casts he had a birthday fish. His face was a picture and so was the Yoof's faces as they were still blanking.
His parents had gone inside the restaurant to get warm but had seen him through the window and came out in time to see it safely in the net.
The lad was made up and happily went back with them to enjoy some food and get warm again.
Me and my mate packed up and headed back to the car but something was playing in my mind and I knew I had to do the right thing.
"Sorry for disturbing your meal but I think birthday boy would benefit from some casting lessons and I would be more than happy to take him through the process if you are here again."
They explained that his sister got horse riding lessons but they didn’t think you could get lessons for fly fishing so he gets to go out every so often but doesn't really catch much as since he was the only member in the whole family that wants to fish there isn't anyone to teach him.
I passed them my phone number and we have arranged to have a day out when the weather warms up.
A happy ending to what was an experience of extremes - one type that thought it was a God given right to catch fish and one that knew it was learning process but just lacked the guidance.
Last edited by hutch6; 07-12-2010 at 01:29 PM.
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