When is a Catch a Catch?
There isn’t a nicer feeling then landing a big fish on a fly rod.
So then , “What happens next?”
You release it (of coarse) back to the wild. A little damaged but okay.
Yes. What a great feeling.
The question is, “Why do you have to land the fish to feel this way?”
Remember that landing a fish on a fly rod (we’re talking your standard small river trout for now)
is only 15 % of the battle.
Think about what it takes to even get to this point.
You must choose the right condition
You must choose the right fly
You might even choose the fish you are fishing for.
You must choose the right tippet and line setup to get you to the fish
You must have the right cast
You must have the right presentation
You must present the fly at the right time
You need to be stealthy not to spook the fish
You must set the hook without breaking your fly off
You must reel in the fish through many different currents
You must get the fish in your hands
If you tie your own fly, the best feeling is having a fish take your fly.
It means you fooled the fish – you won.
You overcame so many conditions to get that fish to take your fly.
You might have even been stalking or working on one fish for hours.
Whether it’s a small fish or a large fish, if it’s the fish you were working on; you fooled him or her.
That fish took your fly. You fooled him. You beat him.
So why do you feel it is necessary to get that fish in your hands just to rough him up a little,
Show him who’s boss,
And then let him go.
It is a great feeling to have a nice fish in your hands and maybe you’re lucky enough to get a picture.
But the best part is fooling the fish. If he’s lucky enough to get off on the way in, then you both won!
by Scott Nordby
