Resolution Calling

It's snowing outside. For those of us who thought that we'd rush right into spring and soon find ourselves back out on the water, this is a mental setback. A couple of weeks ago I ran out to the Casselman in hopes of stealing a decent day on an empty river, but it was high, fast and that shade of chocolate milk brown that tells you that you're several weeks away yet. Maybe the best you can do is stay home, tie flies and try not to let your spirits get too low. I actually enjoy fishing through the winter. There's a unique satisfaction that comes from being outside in bad weather, and catching fish makes it that much better. I've made it a personal tradition to fish on the last day of every year. So far there have been two exceptions. In 2007 I was recovering from back surgery. In 2008 I was in the process of healing fresh tattoos. This year will be different. I'm aware of the need to make 2009 much more extreme than the last couple of years have been. My back has been a major setback, but I'm determined to overcome the constant pain and get back to doing what I love. Maybe I'll camp on New Year's Eve and fish on New Year's Day. That way I can catch the last fish of 2009 and the first of 2010. That seems like a pretty good plan. The camping part will make up for missing the last 2 years...

I used the word extreme and maybe I shouldn't have. It's become overused recently and I don't want to be associated with the latest extreme fly fishing fad. It's a curious thing. It seems to me that the fly fishing manufacturers have teamed up with some young, adventurous folks and have created new ways to sell products to people. I fell into the trap myself until I realized that I have no use for a lightning fast fly rod that will cast every inch of fly line from my reel. I'll spend the $700 + on something else. I also can't see myself standing in a river wearing a pair of $800 waders. Mine were less than $100 and they keep me dry, which I understand to be the main selling point of waders. Truth be told, I wet wade more than I wear waders these days , so the decision not to spend that kind of money on waders is easy. Not to mention the fact that I don't have that kind of money just laying around anyway, but I seem to have gotten off topic a bit here.

My plan this year is to spend the kind of time on the water that I've been telling myself I am going to spend. I intend to walk a line somewhere between casual and extreme. I think if I can manage two trips a month I'll be happy. Any more than that and I will consider myself lucky. I don't have the kind of life that allows me to spend weeks or months in exotic destinations, so I will focus on the areas that I can drive to within a day or so. It's pretty much always been this way for me. Still, I hope for one trip out west somewhere and I'll plan and save and if it happens, it'll be great and if it doesn't, at least I have Maryland, Pennsylvania and maybe even West Virginia and Virginia. So while it continues to snow, I'll take the time to fill in some of the gaps in my fly boxes in preparation of a very active spring.

Yes, this year will be different. I'll fish more. I'll tie more flies. I'll sleep outdoors more. I'll teach more. I'll write more. I'm bringing back my old South Mountain Angler site and I intend to make it bigger and better than it was before. The Trout Tribe will be much more active this year as well. I'll tell you more about the Tribe and it's members in the days ahead. For anyone that finds this blog and decides to stick it out with me, I thank you for that and promise good things to come - both entertaining and educational. I'm not much into resolutions, having never really lived up to them in the past, but I feel inspired to be better this year, and I look forward to telling you all about it!

Talk to you soon.