05-12-08

Doctors Mark and Scott and Scott’s son joined me for what proved to be an excellent day of fly fishing for steelhead on the Muskegon today. Mark and Scott, like some other clients I have had the privilege of guiding, had taken courses in fly fishing and had even spent a couple of hours on a river applying what they had learned. All well and good, but even for these capable gentlemen, the classroom experience wasn’t enough to enable them to enter the stream confidently with a reasonable chance of experiencing success. Hence, they were most eager to learn via some nine hours of hands-on practicing of their newly acquired fly fishing skills. Yes, they wanted to bring steelhead to hand, but most of all, they wanted to finish the day with enough skills and knowledge so that, if they wished to rig their own rods and reels and fly fish on their own, they would be able to do so with a good chance that they would connect with chrome. Mark, Scott, and Joe will have to evaluate whether that objective was reached, but judging from their casting, line management, and fish fighting skills at the end of the day, they are well on their way toward meeting their goal. All in all, the guys did just great. C & D was the method of the day, though Mark tried his hand at indicator fishing with floating line. The steelhead were plentiful and cooperative, and while the weather started out nippy, the day soon settled into primo atmospherics. For his part, son Joe did a superb job, even in the face of an upstream wind that would carry his fly line into the anchor winch and into every conceivable nook and cranny. The steelhead with which he is pictured was his first steelhead and taken with a fly rod to boot! Congrats, Joe! Stone flies, Steelhead Buggers, and nuke eggs again carried the day. All in all, it was memorable, most enjoyable day astream. Guys, I hope we can work out that fall float trip we discussed! You’re a pleasure to host and have in the boat. Pictured left to right are Mark, Scott, and Joe.

Tom