Meet my buddy, Chris. He's a heck of a good, all-around guy. He's smart, easy-going, and always upbeat. I think he could build anything with his hands (something I am jealous of) and is knowledgeable about as many things as anyone else I know. He is also a military veteran which, to me, puts him in another stratosphere. He's fun to be around, reliable, and would give you the shirt off his back. So when I got the chance to teach him how to use a fly rod, I jumped at the chance.
One random day last summer, I invited Chris to join me on a short outing at Watkins Mill State Park. It was post spawn for all the species on the lake so fishing was a little slow. We weren't catching much on conventional tackle so I decided to downsize our lures to flies and see if we could pick up some smaller fish. Chris had never fly fished before so I wasn't sure how fast he would pick things up. Good gracious is he a fast learner.
He started off, like many newbies, just learning how to roll cast. He mastered that concept quickly. Next, it was on to hook-sets and how to play a fish that had taken a fly. That too came quickly for him. Before you knew it, the guy was casting at structure and cover and bringing in fish left and right. He ended up catching three different species that day and I darn near had to peel him off the water.
It's a good feeling to teach something new to someone. It's a better feeling when they want to learn that skill and accept instruction. It's the best feeling when a person can take the knowledge that you have given them and then become independent with what was taught. At the end of the day, Chris had a great time casting and bringing some fish to the boat without needing any help. For me, I was rewarded with feeling like maybe I had given him something in return for all of the things that he has done for me over the years. It's a drop in the bucket to what I owe my friend, but it's a start.
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