Until Now ~ Sunday Tippets, Damsel Style

APPREHENSION is not an easy thing to live with.  But, I have been living with it for awhile now.  Call me cautious to the wind!  I found my safe haven of nymph (wet) fly fishing and there have been many a time that everyone else down the stream are throwing dries.  Especially when there is an epic hatch going on.  I totally understand the concept.  I do.  But, my frustration and lack of confidence in myself on top water have pretty much squelched my desire to try it again... 

UNTIL NOW...

Yes, it happened.  Just minding my own business and all of a sudden, a total stranger, who's now my friend... Jeff, corrals me into casting a dry fly.  He said that he was tired of seeing a person with "pretty good skills" not catch as many as I could using a soft hackle.  (Or something to that affect).   Haha.   The conversation went something like this.  "Thanks, Jeff, but you don't understand.  I can't see those tiny flies on the water.  And I don't know how not to pull that perfect drift when I mend.  I'm ok with nymphing.  I catch enough!"  Jeff responds with, "Tell you what,  I will trade you the fly that I have been using for one in your box."  He didn't want me to miss this epic hatch with trout slurping everywhere...I had no problem with that.  And there wasn't anyone to watch my debacle of learning to cast and mend a dry fly.  So, what could I lose?  It was time to face the music.  I'm supposed to want to be experienced in all types of fly fishing.   But, I am... well, SCARED.

  Of a little dry fly. 

UNTIL NOW...

As my new found friend walked off to go home, I tied on the big 'ol, bushy caddis that he gave me.  I would definitely see this guy on the water.  No problem!  I have 20/20 vision, but I sure can't follow the dries on the top of the water in the bubbles, film, etc. etc.   After about 20 casts and 5 or 6 late sets, I had my brown trout.  Whew!  Worries were over.  I could now relax and look forward to trying this again!  This is like the third fish caught on a dry in 4 yrs... if that tells you anything about my anxiety issue...

So...  Don't Worry ~ Be Happy!

Isn't that what they say???

~ SUNDAY TIPPET ~

We all have apprehensions.  And sometimes they can be for good reason.  Like moving to a new city.  Starting a new job.  We have all been there probably!   These are things that require time to get used to things.  And I guess that is what I am going to experience now.  Getting used to something, that looks like it could be a good thing... just don't have too much experience with it yet!  But, I will be patient.  And in time, I will see my friend, Jeff, again on the river bank and say to him... "Hey, I'm still working on those pretty good skills"!!   I guess that you could say, I now have ANTICIPATION!  That's progress... haha!