I think most of us have a few rods that are like old friends. Fly rod tapers are highly personal choices, and when you find one that clicks with your personality and casting style, they become the ones you string up most often. It’s been a trying period in my life lately, but there is therapy to be found in quiet places where a weary spirit can re-connect with its center. I decided to take an old friend for the day, one that had not been out of the tube for years. It was the first quality fly rod I had ever bought many years ago, and it seemed like a logical choice to fish it again. It had been years since I fished it and it felt good to put it together and thread the guides. I had nearly forgotten how smoothly it cast a line. There were Marsh Marigolds and Trout Lilies in bloom along the creek bottom, a few pink colored mayflies over the water and a slow rise mid-stream. The little fly disappeared in a quiet swirl, and I was shocked by the resistance from the other end. A few minutes later a beautifully freckled girl with bright turquoise cheeks lay panting in the net. I felt my spirit smiling like it hasn’t in a while and I offered thanks as it paddled away. I don’t add numbers when I fish; but I can say that it was a remarkably good day, and a great feeling when I finally clipped the well-chewed Hendrickson from the tippet and put the old rod back in its tube. Sometimes it’s good to fish with an old friend. Till next week … www.ramsayflies.com #itsaboutthefish #getwild #thomasandthomas
