A comment from SOL

Thinking about fishing memories this past week.

The moments I remember the most, that live in my minds eye, the moments that I can play in my mental movie theater are not the moments I am holding the rod.

Nope.

The moments I remember most, that I relish in, that make me smile are the moments when a guest, a friend, a family member are fishing.

I sit in the boat watching fishing. That is my job. I truly love coaching, watching, learning, and enjoying others fish. Those are the moments I love.

I love watching anglers succeed. I love watching trout eat a dry fly. Refuse a dry fly. Or just observe trout simply rise.

In the moment when you, I, are fishing is a different joy. I love feeding trout. But, I do n to see the entire scene. I see parts of that scene when. actually angling.

To really see all the components/moments, parts, visions, the entire scene…you must be observing and watching.

I would argue that most of my learning about the cast, rising trout patterns, i.e. fishing, have been spawned by the moments not casting. Those images and learning nuggets come when I am watching anglers fish and cast.

And, looking at a moment through the lens of camera erases the memory of the moment, in your head, in your mind. Truly.

The moments I remember most, that I play repeatedly in my head, when laying in bed at night, when daydreaming on a flight, when fantasizing about the next great mayfly hatch are those moments when I am watching, viewing, digesting the entirety of the event.

Watch, and learn.

And re-live.

Set the rod down, hang out with some friends, and simply observe.

And re-live.