Posted by Jim E (24.117.251.11) on October 21, 2004 at 15:40:16:
Gettin’ Lazy
This is something I often find myself plagued with, gettin’ lazy. Too lazy to do something that I know that I should do (just speaking about fly fishing of course. LOL). In some aspects I am doing better, namely taking the time to add split shot, as needed, to nymphing rigs, but in other areas I neglect or tarry to the point of often suffering the consequences. One of my better examples was once when I was throwing streamers with a little wind. Not much was happening and I had only caught a few. When I reeled up to move to a secret spot a ways down stream (I checked to see that no one else was around before moving) I found a wind knot in my tippet. Well, laziness overtook me and I moved on, giving it no more thought. Later, after finally arriving at the hard to get to spot, I pulled out some line and started casting my offering. And after a few casts, you guessed it, I hooked up and a solid hookup it was. Immediately realizing this was a serious fish I reeled up the extra line on the reel readying myself for the ensuing fight. Then, it began to strike me…oh yeah, the knot…..THE KNOT !!! The knot that isn’t supposed to be there. A very weak link.
There was no “going easy” on this fish. She was hooked and didn’t like it. No long runs, just the short, hard “dogging” pulls, quickly telling me that this unhappy camper on the other end of my line was a brown. A BIG brown. First sight of her was a large flash, hinting towards possibly being the biggest brown I’ve ever tangled with. Why oh why was I too lazy…?
At other times, I find myself knowing it would be better to change patterns. Be it a different style, color or just size. But, yet again, laziness gets the better of me. My last outing proved itself to be a mostly dry fly day. I caught numerous finned friends but knew that I wouldn’t have missed so many other takes if I hadn’t been too lazy to go back to the truck and change rods (I’m bad about striking too quickly with my fast action 5 wt. [good for nymphing not for dry flies], jerking the fly away from the fish before it closes its mouth. That is one of the main reasons I bought a med/slow 3 wt. years ago, for fishing dries and midges).
Checking and changing out tippets is another place where I fall short. Getting caught up in the moment, catching one fish right after another. Knowing the tippet is really getting chomped on and, that’s right, being too lazy to do anything about it. Sure, I take the time to change it “after” I break off the fly and lose the fish. Then of course the next step is, adding insult to injury, to realize that that fly was the one, and only one that I had like it. When ever will I learn ? But I could go on and on !! O.K., one more.
It used to be a habit when I would catch a nicer fish to automatically retie my fly after it’s release. This is a habit I started years ago when bass fishing Lake Fork (conventional tackle), knowing that my next cast could easily produce a trophy fish. Anything I could do in preparation for a big catch would increase my chances of landing it. “Be prepared” !!! Yes, I was once a Boyscott. Now, after a few years of age (That’s an excuse, isn’t it ?), I have become lazy with this practice also.
Well, by now you are asking “so what’s the tip” ?
It is to go with your instincts and NOT BE LAZY. If you think you should check your tippet. Do it !! Time to change spots ? Do it !! Do you need to change flies ? Do it !! Retie ? Do it !! etc., etc.
I really blame some of my laziness on my just enjoying being there. Some times I’m very serious about catching numbers of fish or large fish and other times it’s just nice to be engaging in the “quit sport”. I won’t go as far as saying I don’t care if I catch anything at all, because if that was the case I wouldn’t have a rod in my hand and I would have to call it hiking, not fishing.
As always, thanks for reading and comments are welcomed.
Jim Enns <*;)))))))))))><
P.S.- As luck would have it, I did land that large brown. Kind of netted her, although much of her wouldn’t fit. I paid the price of my laziness with the extra worry and fretting over THE KNOT.