WRITING ON THE FLY
By GEORGE LISET
It is a cold winter day. The fire in the fireplace takes the edge off the drafts that follow you around the house. I am sitting at my dining room table with the sunlight shining in. I have a nice view of the bird feeder that keeps me entertained. Every once in a while I get an unexpected visitor. I have had Red Tail Hawks and even a Peregrine Falcon. I’m not much of a birder, but the big birds usually get my attention.
Today I begin one of my winter rites of passage. I am attempting to go through my rods and reels, my sling pack and my many boxes of flies in an attempt to get organized and figure out what flies I need to restock and which lines need new leaders and tippets. My wife asks my grandson “What’s Pops doing?” My grandson replies, “Playing fly fishing.” I laugh.
The old adage that “The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys” never rang more true. I’ve gone from playing with blocks and army men to rods and reels that cost more than I could ever have imagined at nine years old. I think of the “Toys” that I am surrounded with more of an investment than actual playthings, although I do play with them.
“Playing” with my fly fishing gear is a task that I take more seriously. I used to just toss my stuff in a gear bag at the end of the season and then get it back out the first day of the new season. Eventually this would come back to bite me. There was the time that I caught a twenty inch rainbow. I was bringing him to the net when my tippet busted, the tippet that I didn’t replace from last season.
Another time a similar thing happened but this time my leader broke. You never enjoy losing a fish, but when you lose a big one, because you were lazy, you feel really dumb. So I make the effort to try to prevent dumb from happening. At least the dumb I can prevent. Let’s admit it, a certain amount of dumb follows you around if you spend any amount of time on the water.
My main task is to clean all my lines. I’ll wash the lines and dry them off with a soft cloth. I’ll take the leaders off and will usually replace them. I will sometimes shorten the older leaders and use them for streamer fishing or have them for an emergency. They can come in handy if you need to tie something up. For instance, the laces on your wading boots when they break.
I have certain rod and reel combinations that I have set up for different fishing situations. I have gotten past the one rod fits all situations, hence, the pile of reels on the table. Again, the difference between men and boys. I can’t remember where I got them all, but I am sure I got a deal. Tippet is another luxury I don’t skimp on.
This last couple of years I have begun each new season by buying all new tippet. I used to buy a bunch of it when I would find a deal, however, I have found that it seems to have a shelf life. Manufacturers will tell you differently, but I have found that the more time I spend on the water, it seems to be a fact. I won’t put a tippet on until I know the fishing situation.
Organizing flies takes a little more time. I think I organize them differently every year. Currently I put similar flies together. Nymph, streamers and dry flies in larger fly boxes, and then saltwater flies and bass flies in another. I fill smaller fly boxes with a combination of flies that I might use on favorite small streams, rivers and ponds so that I can travel light. It is only when I go overnight or fish a new piece of water that I will bring the bigger fly boxes.
I realize that after going through my flies that I probably don’t need to buy any more for at least a while. Now that I think about it, my son might need some more, and we do have a trip coming up. Plus Eldredge Brothers fly shop is having an event and there will be some good deals. Then KTP will be having their event with more good deals. And of course, I’ll need more things to play fly fishing with.
George Liset of Dover is an award-winning outdoor writer and avid fly fisherman who shares insights of his time on the water exploring New Hampshire streams and rivers as well of those around New England. George is a graduate of Wheaton College, Illinois, and the University of New Hampshire. His column Writing on the Fly has been honored by the New England Press Association and the New Hampshire Press Association.