Remembering Labor Day 2000
Remembering Labor Day 2000
Snowing 23 years ago this weekend. Today.I was producing flies, streamers, at my tying desk Wolf Creek Montana.Drinking Bailey's and Coffee, just like this morning, and watching the oversized flakes fall heavily to the ground.Every couple hours I would coax my Suburban from the driveway behind the Canyon Store and wander around the river. Over the ranch road from WC dropping down to Holter Dam. Guides rowing diligently with lots of net play. I vividly remember watching Trapper Badovinac back rowing on the east shore a couple hundred yards above the bridge thinking to myself between Camel cigarettes that my hotboxed GMC Montanalac was a better place to be than on the water this day long ago.Fast forward 23 years, nd I am on my deck writing this passage watching the rain come down and enjoying once again the safety of the roof over my head.My inaugural year rowing for dollars and was so thankful to not be guiding that day. Shouldering the heavy and wet snow was what I did in the other season. Instructing skiing full time in the Cascade Mountains @ White Pass will teach any individual about quality outdoor wear. A bombproof rain jacket is imperative if you consider longevity in the outdoor business.I am writing today thanking Mother Mo for creating and facilitating these memories. I feel so thankful to live near the river. I fell so thankful for the friendships. I appreciate it more and more everyday. I relish time on the water. I am absolutely aware that those moments, hours, days are fleeting. That it will all end. Soon? Boy I hope not. I am looking forward to as many more moments as I have left on this earth as I am granted.It is so valuable to reflect on time. To plan ahead for the time ahead. To enjoy the entirety of the outdoor life. Good raingear can increase those moments!Rain day here on the Mo. A great day to be out there. Probably quiet on the waters with many headed home on this rain soaked holiday. For many this is a terrible end this Labor Day Weekend.For others it is a blessing. Which camp to you belong to?
Other topics today on the HH Blog
SOL speaks on a podcast with Matt Supinksi's Hallowed Waters for about 3 hrs. Listen to the discussion about Montana, the Mo, Mark and Matt discuss their opposing theories about dry fly tactics...A quick reminder that all things having to do with all movements of our bodies can be boiled down to fundamentals. The basics. The bottom line. Fundamentals. Often in the boat one of the anglers will give the other angler a suggestion about how to improve the fly cast. It often, mostly, is a movement that has nothing to do with fundamental movement patters of casting. Things like "I think you should tweak your wrist a bit at the end and you will be able to cast better. " Huh? "Or you are tweaking your wrist wrong." I always interject and immediately let the caster know that anything his buddies tell him about casting should be ignored. It is always about fundamentals. Always. The most often mistake for casters is, never stopping and pausing for the line to extend, never once during the false casting session, not one stop of the rod during the fore and aft strokes. The fore, and then the aft. Not connected. And, you do not have to ram the rod tip towards the water as fast as possible every cast. It is OK to stop it on the aft stroke, and then stop it on the fore stroke. A rainbow like casting stroke can never ever, ever, be good man. Nope. Check it out online if you still don't believe me. You cannot improve your cast if you do not understand, or exhibit (any!) the fundamentals of the cast. Check out the 5 Essentials of the Cast, look it up man, if you truly want to improve. If not, listen to your buddies suggestions...