Joel, Dane....and Chevy

Two friends gather to catch up with life and while they are at it they will solve most of the world's problems. They will not solve all of the world's problems because some will need to be left for the next time the two get together. Joel and Dane were up late, or early depending on one's perspective, catching up and solving problems, but they were able to answer the bell to fish. Nobody likes to be late for fishing and these two are no exception.

Under slightly cloudy skies and with early morning starts we floated out to the middle of the river then began to work. Dane was up first and this trip, being his second time to fly fish, there were opportunities to improve on several fronts. He had some of the  fundamentals and we worked from the things he was already doing well. We worked on distance first. Dane quickly began getting good distance and with good distance comes opportunity. Then we worked on presentation. When he achieved the right distance and the proper presentation, Dane was soon setting the hook on his first fish of the float. "Bang that just happened".

Joel was up next. Joel had been on the river several times and already had good distance. We worked more on control and then presentation. The proper drifts would be more and more critical as the morning wore on. Joel was getting dialed-in, which was going to help his catch rate. It wasn't long before he was bringing his first fish of the day to the net. 

We began our trip down the river. "Mend" was the word of the morning. "Mend" is the word on most mornings. Presentation is everything when the water is as clear as it has been over the past month. As the morning wore on we discussed the advantages of the proper presentation and the mechanics of the cast. Then the wind came and presented a completely different challenge.    

The wind, oh that wind... The wind began to give the guys its own presentation. Some folks get frustrated with high winds and tangled lines, but these guys quoted Vacation movies instead. "Aunt Bethany does your cat eat jello?" A good attitude in a difficult situation is normally better than all the talent in the an angler's arsenal. With the good attitudes came better casts, more precise mends and improved catch rates. The guys began to really "fish" the river at the 3/4 mark of the float. 

As the miles passed the boat became less about instruction and more about good fishing. We ended the day with back-to-back doubles and smiling faces all around. Joel and Dane brought the first back-to-back doubles to the net this year which is no small feat.  And the fact they did it in front of a small audience made the doubles all the better. Guys it was a good float and a good time! Hope to see you on the drifter again soon. 

If you are a seasoned angler or have never picked up a fly rod and want to set up a day on the river e-mail or call/text 615-796-5143 to book a day on the water. For additional booking information see our Homepage and to see the latest fishing report click here.