Angler's Attention
by Cameron Larsen
There is something that I have called 'angler's
attention'. It is developed after you have been
fishing, and in this article we will be concerning
ourselves with fly fishing, for years and years. You
can usually tell those that have it and those that
don't. Quickly rigging up your fly rod, and racing
to a likely fishing spot, solely concerned about
yourself and your gear, are telltale signs of
someone not possessing angler's attention.
I spent many years, especially when I didn't have
much time to fish, ignoring angler's attention. If I
could steal away even an hour or two, racing down to
the river I would go. In a virtual panic, scouring
out my favorite fishing spots, then cursing to
myself, when they were taken. Frantically I would
find a spot to fish, splash out there, and heave out
my line. Fishing, at last, my heart would race, I
would set the hook on any minute bump, and then have
to untangle my line from a tree lurking behind me.
Never paying attention to the fly I was using, there
wasn't time to change it, wheter my tippet was
proper, what was happening on the water, nothing of
the sort. Just get me to the water, and let me wet
my line.
Maturity probably plays as much a part in developing
'angler's attention' as anythin. Although I have
seen many young angler's very deliberately observing
and then selecting their approach. Besides natural
aging what really changed things for me, was
actually observing a fellow fly fisher. Actually it
was more observing him, observing me. I was fishing
a small stretch of fairly remote river. Although
this particular spot became 'discovered' sometime in
the 90's, it is still relatively pressure free after
mid-June. Happily csting to rising fish, I happened
to spot a gentleman stading on the bank watching me
fish. He was quite a bit older then me at the time,
but his presence somewhat annoyed me. Feeling
watched, I gave it another five minutes or so, then
headed in.
The next thirty minutes or so were spent discussing
fly fishing with this gentleman in ways I had never
thought of before. The knowledge this man possessed
and frankly the lack of urgency to wet his fly were
astonishing. He seemed quite as content to stand and
talk about fly fishing as he was to actually be out
doing it. He discussed with me clouds and mayfly
hatches, the current time of the Callibeatis hatch,
the onset of the Giant Stonefly hatch based on
elevation, water flow, and air temperature, the need
to have your fly drift naturally. The benefit of
watching the naturals on the water, the effect of
line drag, etc, etc.
After I had finished my lunch, did he finish
talking. And then asked if I wanted to give it
another try, motioning out to the water. I told him
to go ahead, it must be his turn, and he said there
was room for two. He was definitely a talented
caster, one of the best I had ever seen, gracefully
placing his dry fly expertly in the feeding lanes,
on the edges of deep pools, and right below large
rocks that were all favorite holding places for
trout. Stopping when the hatch slowed and beginning
again when the hatch began.
From this expereince, I have deliberately honed my
own angler's attention, and marvel not at what I
notice, but what goes unnoticed by many. And many
think it is unnecessary information, figuring they
will catch fish using the same tactics they always
have, or there just aren't fish to be had that day.
For those that routinely ignore the hints that
Mother Nature is giving you in solving the what will
fish hit today puzzle. Next time try taking a few
minutes to observe the minute details of the place
you are fishing. Start with the big picture, the
water flow, clarity, time of year, guess at the
water temperature (some take a thermometer),
consider the time of day, the air temperature. Then
look closer, look at the current world of the fish
you are trying to entice. Turn over a few rocks,
look at the bugs there, some take a screen and place
it in the current to view the offerings fish are
being presented with. Observe the surface of the
water, check for dimples, for feeding fish right
below the surface. Actually spotting fish in the
water takes practice. Then look for hatching
insects, for insects laying eggs over the surface,
and of course that greatest of all fly fishing
prizes the rising fish.
Observe it all, not just before fishing but the
whole time, watch for nuances, changes in the air
temperature, changes in the sunlight, the hatches,
the surface activity. Are you hooking up deeper,
shallower, suddenly less frequently. Be a part of
the fly fishing equation, at peace with it, in
harmony with it, and you will be amazed how much
more you enjoy it.
As you go along, you will find yourself unable to
look at any river or lake, without observing it in
this way. Even if you are just driving by it. You
will be amazed at the hatches you can observe from
your car, you wil find yourself analyzing the bugs
on your windshield. Angler's Attention will just be
the way you looki at the entirety of the fish,
insect relationship, and everytime you find yourself
fly rod in hand, you will be the better fly fisher
for it.
Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier
and fly fishing guide. He now operates The Big Y Fly
Company.
www.bigyflyco.com/flyfishinghome.html He can be
reached at info@bigyflyco.com. This article will
appear in the Big Y Fly Fishing E-Zine at
www.bigyflyco.com/Bigyflyfishingezine.html |
