WRITING ON THE FLY
By GEORGE LISET

    There is a direct correlation between how long it takes your cast to straighten out and the amount of stress your body is carrying. Some people carry their stress in their back or shoulders, others have that tension headache that just sort of hangs on like a hangover you didn’t earn. I have found the best remedy for this is to grab my fly fishing gear and head to the nearest river.

    On this day I needed a little more time to unwind so I headed up to my favorite little river that runs into Lake Winnipesaukee to see if I could get into a late arriving spawning trout. The little extra ride and some good tunes on the radio provide a certain amount of calm that is tempered by my excitement to get on the water.

    I noticed that there didn’t seem to be anyone fishing as I drove along certain parts of the river which I was happy about, but also knew that it was probably not a good sign. After I parked, I walked over to the river to see how high it was and what the flow was to determine what fly rod I was going to use and how I was going to fish. It had been a tough winter and there seemed to be a lot of debris in the water.

    With that in mind I put my seven foot six inch G. Loomis three weight rod together with a Ross reel and tied on a size eighteen Caddis with a size twenty Pheasant Tail nymph dropper. This is a nice set up for exploring small rivers and streams without losing too many flies. Another factor about fishing small water is that it is never too crowded.

     I started casting at the bottom of the first pool I came to just to get the kinks out and to start to relax. I took a number of deep breaths just to calm down and look around. The fragrance of wild Lilac was infused in the air; a sure sign of spring. A welcome sign of spring. It was a while before I got my cast back, which after I did, I walked upstream to find a pool.

    This river is like the proverbial “Box of Chocolates,” all kinds of fish swim up from the lake and you never know what you may catch. I came to a pool that was formed by a fallen tree where a pair of ducks made it into their private swimming hole. I was smart enough to keep on walking, hoping to fish it later when they left.

    I started casting at the next pool I came to which had another fallen tree lying in it which makes for good cover for a trout. I cast in a spot that allowed my flies to pass by the tree without getting hung up. On the second cast I felt that elusive tug which got my heart racing. What I enjoy about fishing a light weight fly rod is that even the little fish feel like monsters. As I reeled in I saw that I had caught a hand sized Rock Bass. Not what I wanted but I was happy to be on the board.

    I have fished this river enough to know that the water was warming up and that I could expect to catch more bass and perch and other pan fish until the fall spawn. I try to not be a “Trout Snob,” but it is like expecting to get a piece of nice dark chocolate candy and getting a cream filled. So I adjusted my expectations and hoped for the best. A few casts later I netted another Rock Bass.

    I sat by the pool and enjoyed the sun on my face and the smell of Lilac. It was quiet and the stress seemed to dissipate from my body, so much so, that I was contemplating a nap. Then I worried that if anyone saw me they would call 911. Not wanting to cause anyone else some stress I decided to keep fishing and enjoy the beautiful New Hampshire day.

 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.