Like most fisherman, I am always trying to maximize my time on the water. And like others, I’ve gotten pretty at good at sneaking in some stealth fishing when I was supposed to be doing something else. If you been driving along some road in New England and saw some lunatic standing in the middle of a stream with waders pulled over his shirt and tie, chances are that lunatic was me! I’ve always thought skipping lunch to get in a few dozen casts is the best way to combat the stress of the day! As such, over the years the trunk of my car hasn’t always held flares or a spare tire, but it always contained a pair of waders and a fly rod.I rarely venture within a mile of any body of fresh or salt water without my fly fishing equipment making the trip (which if often met by a response from my wife such as, “do we really have take that stuff this time?” Over the years this practice has allowed me to take advantage of a number of spur of the moment opportunities, be it a thick caddis hatch or a rolling bluefish boil.Like anyone that thinks they have developed a great system, I too have become a bit complacent in my fly fishing readiness and maybe have stretched it’s practicality at times! Truth be told, for every fish bagged there are ten other instances when I went fishless and showed up late somewhere with mud on my pants or the smell of low tide on my shoes!Such as something that happened to my friend a long time ago (Ok, it was really me and it was just last summer!) My wife and I were enjoying a very nice late summer evening with friends at a black tie dinner at a beach club. While my buddy and I were getting some drinks at the outdoor bar we simultaneously spotted a feeding frenzy under a light on the boat dock. We both gave each other that, we really shouldn’t look. which was immediately replaced by that of course we should look! He ran to the dock and I ran to the car to grab my 9 weight. I’d love to tell you we landed some linesiders, but the fact is that by the time I rigged my rod and got back the bite was off.We returned to our table thinking no one was the wiser. Until five minutes later when my wife leaned over with a sparkle in her eye and whispered, “don’t worry, at least you weren’t one of those two morons fishing on the dock with tuxes on.”While this was certainly a bit embarrassing, it only takes one screaming reel to dull the sting and make it all worth it!! Like they say, “you can?t win if you don’t play.” Tight Lines everyone!
I can relate to your story, I snuck a fishing rod along on my honeymoon, got to use it too. 😉
i swear – i was reading your story and it sounded exactly like i was writing it.. you should see much trunk – it’s a virtual flyshop – i am working on making my processes a little more efficient by lessining the time between stopping the car and getting in the water. i think i am at about 4 minutes – but there is room for improvement. if i get boot foot waders – i could shave off some more time.
great fish tale
Ok. You got me beat with that one! I hope you’re still married!!
Isn’t it funny what we’ll do! Sometimes I feel like a NASCAR pit crew!
Not to that one, she was ITF
(Intolerant to Fishing)
😀
Someone needs to invent dress slacks-waders.
“Go from the office to the river in less than 2 minutes” Get “Waders by Dockers”
😀
They don’t always understand, do they?
Hi Fish on.
How true & practical,as usually the first thing you should pack is your FlyRod.
I remember reading the Hardy’s Book of fishing some years ago & have never forgotten one of the tales,By Andrew Lang,dated1891,the story goes,as I finally found it,& it’s too good a story not to share,It’s set in England:
A guy was to be married,he was told the night before by the Innkeeper where he was staying that there was a Monster Salmon in a particular fishing hole,& the river was in Grand Order, anyone who knows of English Fishing knows the beats are privately owned & the holes named.He awoke the next morning,looked at his watch & the river then decided to do a
little fishing,as it was only 7 am,the wedding was 10.30 am.
He went to the river,rigged up tied on a large Silver Doctor Fly& started to fish,he hooked the fish,which he stated was 70lbs if it was an ounce, in so doing dropped his pocket watch into the water,& didn’t have time to retreive it,he fought the fish,some time later he heard the Church Bell strike 10 o’clock,eventually he beached the fish.
When he went to tail the fish,the gut leader broke,he then stumbled,grabbed the Salmon,but it slipped back into the river.
He climbed up the bank,rushed past the Church doors,his girlfriend,pale as her Orange Blossoms,the clock was on 10.45,all he did was laugh,he sped wildly away,as he said he was ruined,the rest is silence,& may I say History.
Morale of the story “a Two Time Loser”
liphooked