March 3 2012~ Dreams of Warm and Shining Places

Trolling for the big one, 2011

Technically, it's still winter in Maine.  Last night, we got another few inches of snow in my area. Heavy, wet, sticky snow. While I planned on getting out on the trail today, I think I will take my chances tomorrow. The snow falling from the sky during the night has turned into a heavy wet drizzle, broadening the chances of heavy snow covered branches falling in the woods. I like my noggin pretty well, so I think today I will allow my mind to drift to warmer thoughts. Fishing lines, tackle, and a new to me fishing adventure.

Fly fishing.

It has been years since I've even touched a fly rod. And to be honest, I have approached fly fishing somewhat backwards. I was introduced to the casting technique by a teacher in high school when we had an outdoor activity day, and he offered to teach us kids how to cast with a fly rod. I remember being impressed with how natural the whole setup felt to me. Swaying the rod back and forth in the air, letting the line out a bit at a time until it was out at my desired distance, watching the fly hover in the air before it took a nose dive into the 'water'. I was instantly hooked.

Now, several years later, my desire to fly fish has taken a strong hold. After high school I worked two to three jobs at a time and lived on my own. The funds to buy a setup were never there. For going on five years now, I have been a single mother, so naturally my funds are still limited. But I can no longer deny this delightful addiction that started years ago.

And here is where my backwards approach plays in. Years ago I was given a fly tying kit as a Christmas gift. Still in love with the prospect of having my own pole someday, I started testing out my tying abilities I have been tieing flies for a few years now, and this in itself is an addiction. Wool ants, woolly buggers, nymphs, and more. I have given many of these away as gifts, but have never had the opportunity to use them myself. I have a collection of flies that have been untouched, and they are dying to fly out of the boxes that contain their freedom and fish luring abilities.

The very first flies I made.

I pulled these flies out of storage, and started looking at their intracit webs of dubbing, tinsel, feathers and thread, while imagining a trout lunging out of the water to grasp these tiny morsels of hand wrapped goodness. Reeling in a rainbow or a brown, fighting it until it gave in to exhaustion, and pulling the trophy winning monster out of the water for the world to see.

I couldn't take it anymore! And before I could even realize what I was doing, I was off in search of a rod and reel setup!

Now here in Maine we have two of the most renowned outdoors sporting goods stores known in the states. L.L. Bean's, and Cabela's. While I am in love with both of these stores, and would be more than happy to set up shop in both of them, they are a little out of my price range at this point. So, I went bargain shopping instead, and ended up at Walmart. Here I found a Shakespear rod and reel setup, with the leader and line for a fair $30.00. Not exactly what I wanted to get for a combination, but it will do the trick to start with.
Waders, floating fish basket, and any other items I may need will have to wait until I get closer to getting in the water.

I brought home my new treasure, laying the package down on the table, still with reflective visions of sun, ripples, and fish in my mind, all the while thinking to myself, I have finally done it!! No, this may not be the most grandiose fly fishing pole, but it's something I have dreamed of for too long.

My first fly rod, FINALLY! 

The back of the package gives you general directions on how to setup the rod and reel, and on how to cast. These will come in handy if I can't find a casting course in my area. I'd like to hone in on the tequnique again before hitting the open water.

Finally, I released the rod from within it's plastic entrapment, and started putting it together. My excitement was building the the point that I realized I was jumping up and down with a smile on my face that I could not make disapear even if I had wanted to! This pole was tall, a whopping 8'. For my small 5'6" frame, it towered over me like a giant and shook with every move I made like a spindly alder branch.
I attached the reel, threaded the line through the loops, and even attached one of my flies to the line, and then...........

Smacked myself in the forehead as I stood there WISHING that there was an unfrozen body of water that I could go to at that very instant!!! Yep, I jumped the gun! I could have waited until signs of thaw were apparent outdoors, but I had to go out and get my setup at a time that I couldn't use it. AH!!!

Oh well, I am prepared now anyways! I pulled out Mia's little fishing pole, went over it to make sure it was all set to go, checked how many bobbers she had and such, and then packed all of my spring dreams into the closet. In the process I found her tiny fishing vest from last summer (insert sentimental mommy moment here!), and added a larger one to my list of things to get.

I can't wait to take on this new adventure, and to show Mia what fun fishing is!! We've done a lot of brook fishing, and lake and pond fishing here and there, but this will be a brand new way to spend some time together!!!