by Marshall Estes
The Magic of My First Trout
I grew up in Iowa
fishing for catfish,
bass, crappie and
bullheads using some of
the worst smelling baits
you could imagine. But
my father loved to hunt
and fish so I went
along. On one summer
vacation to Oklahoma,
Dad stopped at the fish
hatchery in Bennett
Springs, MO.
I
can still remember
standing on the bridge
watching a fly fisherman
gracefully cast a dry
fly upstream to the base
of the little dam
feeding a pool by the
hatchery. On the third
cast, he hooked up with
a nice fat 12 to 14 inch
rainbow that leapt out
the water 3 or 4 times
trying to throw the
hook.
The
fisherman prevailed and
slipped the rainbow into
his classic wicker creel
with the slot in the
lid. (Back in those days
we ate a fish once in a
while) Turning to my
father, I asked what the
fisherman was using for
bait. Dad said, "He is
using an artificial fly
and not bait." "Does it
stink?", I asked. Dad
laughed and said "No."
Right then I knew one
day I would become a fly
fisherman. I was about
14 at the time. I never
touched stinky bait
after that.
I
would not take up fly
fishing until 1969 some
15 years after first
seeing it in the Ozarks
of Missouri. I had moved
to Colorado to learn to
ski and fly fish. Never
did learn to ski but I
did learn to fly fish.
When I was starting out,
there weren't a lot of
classes, guides or
instructors to teach fly
fishing. I purchased a
cheap rod, reel, line
and some flies from a
local sporting goods
store. Then I read a lot
of books and practiced
casting until I could do
a reasonable overhand
cast.
My first
fish was a 2 lb. brookie
caught on a brassie out
of the famed South
Platte river. That was
my only fish on a fly
rod for that whole
season. For the next two
seasons, I caught
exactly one fish a
season on a fly rod. I
had upgraded my
equipment so the casting
was a lot more
enjoyable.
In
1972, I was back to
drifting salmon eggs on
the bottom with light
spinning gear and was
catching fish. But
releasing them was
killing a lot of them I
knew. As destiny would
have it. A friend and I
ended up on Bear Creek
at O'Fallon Park one
Saturday. Jerry parked
the car and said, "Hey,
there's Frank Aubon.
Frank is one of the best
fly fishermen I know. He
can teach you how to
catch fish on a fly
rod." (Frank was from
Maine and had been fly
fishing some 40 years
when I first met him.)
Jerry introduced me to
Frank and explained the
problem I was having
with a fly rod. Frank
said, "Come here and
show me what you know
about casting." So I
dropped a couple of
reasonable overhand
casts out onto the
Creek. Frank looked at
me, "You know enough
about basic casting,
what do you do with the
fly when it is in the
water?" "Frank, if I
knew what the H--- to do
with the fly in the
water, I would be
catching fish!", I said.
"Come on and watch what
I do." said Frank. Frank
shook out a little line
and let it drift
downstream. Then he
flipped a "Tension" cast
back upstream. On the
3rd drift, Frank hooked
a nice bow right along
the bank. He looked at
me and said, "Now you do
it!" I tried to imitate
Frank but no fish.
Finally Frank asked me
what I had been fishing.
"Eggs on the bottom." I
replied. "Fishing eggs
on the bottom is the
same as fishing nymphs
on the bottom", said
Frank. "You make a
little J in the line
just at the water line
and watch it as you
bounce the nymph on the
bottom. If the J
twitches left or right
or hesitates, raise the
rod tip to set the hook.
And don't rip the rod
tip up. Remember that
hook is only a quarter
inch or less long to the
bend. A gentle tipup is
all that is needed."
Then Frank proceeded to
demonstrate with two
more fish.
I
watched Frank and tried
to imitate him with some
success. As I remember I
caught and released
about 6 trout that
Saturday. For me that
was the best I had ever
done with a fly rod.
Frank and I fished
together for some 5
years before loosing
touch with each other.
But I will never forget
the gift of a lifetime
fly fishing enjoyment
you gave me Frank. You
were a good teacher and
fine friend to wade the
waters with.
Whatever big river you
are fishing in Heaven, I
hope the fish are huge
and you are having a
ball.
Tight Lines
and Good Fishing,
Marshall, Editor
has
been a fly fishing and
fly tying
enthusiast
for over 30 years.
http://www.fly-fishing-colorado.com/
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About the Author Marshall Estes , editor Colorado Fly
Fishing Tips has been a
fly fishing and fly
tying enthusiast for
over 30 years. Check out
our other issues at
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com
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