Fly Fishing Area
As time permits we will be providing information about fly fishing in North Carolina, Virginia and Maine.
Home Rivers
I don't remember exactly when I first became interested in fly fishing.
But I do remember dapping flies on the surface of Morris County Park's
pond with my older brother Jim. It was a summer adventure, riding our bikes
beyond our set boundaries to fish for pan fish. They were easy marks for
our blundering attempts at fly fishing. I was just amazed that fish would
actually bite an artificial fly made of feathers and thread. I had always
thought that worms, the kind that you dug up, were the only way to catch
freshwater fish. My saltwater experience at that time was limited to using
drop lines with clams for bait to catch harbor pollock.
It was over a quarter of a century later that my interest returned to fly
fishing. My girlfriend needed some help picking out a present for her older
brother Bill who was living in San Francisco. We had just returned from
a visit with him and he had mentioned that he would like to take up fly
fishing on some of the northern California streams. I had an Idea. I knew
that an Orvis store had recently opened in our area and this was good reason
to go look at rods and reels. Overwhelmed by leaders and backing we turned
to the boxed outfits. Over my girlfriend's protest I picked out a Rocky
Mountain Western Trout outfit. I believe that it cost over two hundred
dollars plus the Federal Express Charges to get it to SF in time for his
birthday..
The next day, my future brother-in-law's birthday, was the day that the San Francisco Earthquake hit. No, fed x did not deliver the fly rod on time. No, we did not get a refund on the postage. The rod was finally delivered, but with all of the problems Bill had no time to think about fishing and the outfit was put away. To this day I think that Orvis rod is still in its shrink wrapped box. Bill, now living in Pinehurst, is a golfer, and it seems to me that golfers can't find time to fish just like fishermen can't find time to golf.
Years
later, after we were married and expecting our first child my wife bought
me a Father's Day present, a Cortland fly fishing
outfit. I think that she has some regrets about that gift. Trout don't
live close by and when I go fishing its usually all day. My yearly goal
is fifty fishing trips, during the long summer days, I'll leave work early
and head for one of the streams close by. On day trips I'll leave by 5am
and head for the mountains and the national forest. That's about as specific
as I'm going to be right now. If your need to read anything about the Blue
Ridge or Fly Fishing check out my booklist.
Here are some short fishing stories.
