Almost Gone Fishin'
The coming week I will be off fishing a bit. This year's first trip for me. My fishing sure isn`t what it used to be.
There was a time where I'd be out fishing 70, 80 and 90 days a year - not counting my traveling to places like BC, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and whatnot.
It's not like that any more!
Due to unfortunate health circumstances, the first 100 days or so of 2013 have passed, and I haven't been out once! Not a single day or even hour, and my waders are dry, my boots are as stiff as logs and my flies are buried deep in a box somewhere... I think... I hope...
I the old days I might have skipped January and some of February - especially a year like this where it's been really cold. But March and the beginning of April? No chance! Any day with good wind and a bit of sunshine would have stirred me and there would have been a very short distance from thought to action.
Things are different when short walks require a cane, longer ones a wheelchair, wading is impossible and even standing upright for more than 10-20 minutes is hard work - and impossible if the ground is uneven.
I invested in a pontoon boat some years ago, but even though it seemed promising being able to get out where the big ones are, I must admit that my fishing has never been worse, and that I downright detest the boat and long for the days where I could walk and wade as I pleased.
The pontoon boat might be a nice alternative to wading if you can use it when you want to, but a true curse when there's no alternative. It's cumbersome to bring and to assemble and inflate, it's a pest to fish from, drifting in the mercy of wind and current and it has an amazing ability to grab the fly line when I cast or in the unlikely situation of hooking a fish.
I rarely complain over my situation. I'm a lot better off than many other MS-patients not to mention people with serious diseases like cancer, but sometimes I admit that I can turn slightly bitter over my situation.
Well, enough complaining!
It seems that spring is coming to Denmark next week, and luck has it that I will be off fishing exactly in the coming week!
Come Monday I'll be outta here. Whaddayasay?
Our annual spring trip for sea run browns will be to the southern part of Denmark by Haderslev Fjord, a place that I never fished before. I have no big expectations, but certainly look forward to the trip.
Not even the worst fishing or the most rusty pontoon boat in Denmark can take the joy out of being away, together with good friends, close to the water, fishing every day if you want to, indulging in good food, wine, beer and whiskey, tying flies and taking pictures and just goofing around.
I have no idea whether I will have an Internet-connection. Most houses have one nowadays, but if not, well then GFF will have to sail its own sea while I'm gone. I will bring a computer and might be able to connect, but if not the machines will have to take care of business while I'm gone.
I will make sure to shoot some pictures and do a little writeup when I get back home.
Until then...
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Comments
Marten, I read the G
Marten, I read the Global Fly Fishing website all the time and find it to be educational and inspiring. I am truly sorry to learn of your health situation. I had to retire three years ago for health reasons. I have Osteo Arthritis, Rhuematoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Neuropathy. In addition to these debilitating diseases, I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. You can imagine the constant pain that I am in 24 hours a days 365 days per year. It has finally come down to pain killers because nothing else would help to lesson the pain. Even with pain killers the pain is present all of the time.
I made a realization last year that I was going to fight until my last breath and keep trying new things that interest me. Last year I took my spinner rod and went to a near by lake to wet a line and just to relax and not think about my miseries. While I was there, I saw a gentleman wading down the tributary fly fishing. It was a beautiful thing to watch. I pulled my line in and just watched his artful style. He realized that I stopped fishing and was watching him. He waded over and appogized for interrupting my fishing. I told him that watching him fly fish was a beautiful experience. One thing led to another and he asked if I would like to learn and I of course said yes but I have no equipment. He handed me his rod and gave me a quick lesson. We ended up next to his vehicle and he showed me all of his rods and reels. Then he pulled this large oak box with drawers toward us. He said the second part of fly fishing is creating your own flies. There must have been hundreds of flies in the box. Everyone was a work of art. As far I was concerned the only thing that was hooked that day was me. The rest is history. I've been fly fishing and tying ever since.
I live in Sullivan County, NY about 30 miles from the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum. I'm very happy that you will be coming to our area to experience our beautiful part of the world. There is an area just before the museum that is handicap excessible on the river where you can fish. When I go, I take a high folding chair to sit on because I can't stand for long periods of time either. The State of New York has made a lot of fishing areas handicap excessible. Best of luck and I hope you continue to have "tight" lines for many years to come. I look forward to your articles and enjoy your tips. I have created a lot of tube flies for fresh water fishing and enjoy every minute. Tying takes my mind off of everything else.
Best regards.
Kate, I did go. I
Kate,
I did go. I didn't get to fish much, but had a great time anyway. I'll see if I can compile a few images and post them in a blog entry.
Martin
Martin, Did yo
Martin,
Did you go on your proposed fishing trip in April? I have not seen a follow up article although I may have overlooked
it. Perhaps unsettled weather came your way as it did in many areas of the US in April.