President's Message March 2009 - "Just One More Fish"
By Rob Burlingame, AFF President
Ah, the comfort of the late South Texas winter is upon us again. I have to conceal my grin when speaking to friends in the northeastern states when they mention the high for the day being 20 degrees. As I head out into the mid 70s day here I am reminded why I don’t live that far north. The weather is not the only reason I have settled in Texas for some time, for the spring brings many more joys.
Soon, the wild flowers will begin to dot the country, the waters will quickly warm to comfortable wading levels and the warm water fish that inhabit them will come to life. Among these slimy South Texas rascals is the infamous white bass, staging for their annual spawning run that I am sure seems more like a gauntlet run through the hoards of wild eyed, winter stricken, fishing fevered anglers wetting their line for the first time in months. Sure there is trout fishing on the Guadalupe and occasional coast trips between cold fronts and windy days, but finally, the spring brings more predictable patterns and lots of hungry fish.
It seems that every year I find myself looking forward to our club’s annual David Young White Bass Extravaganza. As the name itself implies, this is one of our greatest and best attended outings, and has become nearly an annual pilgrimage for many in our club. The buckets of fish you can catch, group fish fry and the awesome fellowship aren’t bad either!
But, there is one particular White Bass Extravaganza that stands out most in my mind. Many of you have seen my wife Anna (aka The Cookie Monster) off and on at the club meetings and outings through the years. Several years ago, when we were new in the club, we attended what would become our favorite trek to Colorado Bend State Park each year. To set the scene, my wife had always been somewhat intimidated by fly fishing after her first attempt during a very cold spring break in Colorado. We spent the better part of a day trying to catch trout in the frigid waters, between “thawing sessions” in and out of the stream. From that day on, the common comment I heard was that fly fishing was just “too much work” to be fun. After several later attempts to teach her to cast and get her excited about the sport, the result had not changed. This may be a familiar observation for many of you.
With that in mind, you can picture Anna at this event armed with her favorite rod and Zebco 33, loaded with a casting bubble tipped with a fly. I will be the first to say that this set up works very well! Really, I was just glad to have her come along and share the adventure. Thankfully, Bruce Young stepped in to save the day. During a lunch time fly tying session to kill time and replace a lost arsenal, Bruce silently assembled his extra rod and set it aside. He then asked Anna to follow him out to the field and gave her a fine casting lesson. Working through her intimidation, she quickly began shooting line like a pro! After a quick thanks, she returned to the picnic table and Bruce subtly mentioned that she was welcome to use his spare rod for that afternoon’s adventure.
Hesitant at first, I suggested that she leave the Zebco at camp and at least try the fly rod. After a few fish that afternoon, she did not want to put the rod down. In fact, as she began to pull in one fish after another just before dark, she quickly out fished me that evening (and often still does!). I clearly remember her child like enthusiasm as the darkness swept the river and I could not get her to leave! I kept hearing…”Just one more fish!” From that day forward, she has been addicted to fly fishing nearly as much as me!
As simple as that story is, it gave great lessons to me. First, sometimes the best way for someone to learn something is from someone else! Regardless of your casting skills or fishing experience, many times it takes someone else’s style to break through. Second, if someone is new to the sport, try to teach them in a setting that has a high potential for reward. What better reward than to catch a lot of fish with their new found skills! Take them to a white bass run or a farm pond full of blue gills. These simple rewards will pay huge dividends. Last, take your fishing a trip at a time and enjoy every minute you have on the water. Find that enthusiasm you had catching your first fish on a fly and share it with those around you!
Keep these simple lessons in mind as you plan your next fishing adventure. Take a friend, a spouse or a kid with you to share the sport we all enjoy so much. What better time is there than this month’s White Bass Extravaganza?!? Tight lines…see you on the river.