First session out flyfishing today in about 3 months, after persuading my girlfriend that she really wanted to spend the day watching me cast a line about

And what a day it was. Arrived for an afternoon session at about 2pm, and I should really have known what awaited me when the owner winced with guilt as he took the money off me. A glance at the catch return told the story - you'd struggle to find a stretch of motorway with as many straight lines down the centre. Not a fish had been taken for the 2 days I could see in the ledger open in front of him.

Not to be disheartened I tackled up, and started with a small cruncher that I then somehow managed to crack off on the cast

What a diferrence 3 months away from the sport makes. I have not long been fishing anyway, but that elapsed time had really taken it's toll on my casting, and a blustery wind did not help. Imagine a ribbon twirling gymnast at the Olypics, subject said gymnast to a cocktail of hallucinogens and repeated bursts from a cattle prod and you would come somewhere close to the action.

I would not mind so much, had there been signs of life but I saw not one rise all day, nor a single fish swimming about in the reasonably clear water, and barely a sign of insect life throughout the session.

The casting improved during the session and I got in some much needed hauling practice, having put aside any thoughts of catching a fish and treating it as a casting session.

To top it all off I somehow managed to lose a fully populated fly box (130+ flies) all lovingly hometied and cherished. Still, that in itself is an excuse to spen more time at the vice so every cloud etcetera....

Already planning another session tomorrow (today actually - gosh is that the time?)

Is it just me or are we suckers for punishment, and would we have it any other way?

__________________
Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine,
No blood of living insect stain my line;
Let me, less cruel, cast feather'd hook,
With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,
And with fur-wrought fly delude the prey

Yes and no.

I just spent the last two hours scambling around like a member of an F-1 pit crew to install a new set of lights and wiring harness on a boat trailer. I could not for love nor money get the old set to work properly and it's fishing at first light.

Sorry you didn't catch, but that's why they call it fishing. Unless you go, you'll never know.

Grouse

Not catching isn't a problem, was more aggrieved at the fly box and how much the casting had deteriorated in 3 months. Blank days can be just as good as prolific ones. This one just wasn't!

__________________
Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine,
No blood of living insect stain my line;
Let me, less cruel, cast feather'd hook,
With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,
And with fur-wrought fly delude the prey