Fly-fishing secrets

This is the second of a two part contribution on “Keeping Secrets in Fly-Fishing” authored by Carl Ochnio, an avid freshwater fly angler who lives in central Connecticut.  Carl is a former higher education professional who now finds as much time as he can wading in moving water. All photo credits belong to Carl. carl.ochnio@gmail.com

Joining the federation of tight-lipped anglers

As many of you know, it often takes time, effort and a bit of luck to find honey holes. If you choose to share a tip on a hot spot and someone spills the beans, it does kind of force you step back and reassess your choices. Now, I’ll tend to divulge them judiciously and often to people who have shared some of their prime locations with me. Recently, I met a very knowledgeable angler who revealed a few of his favorite spots and was kind enough to guide me into landing my first Atlantic Salmon. In return, I have shared some locations with him. To this point, it has worked out well and as far as I know, our swaps have remained as they say, “in the vault.”

Take care in choosing your angling partners

Now don’t get the wrong impression, it’s not that I choose to be alone and dislike being around others. I would never consider going to a movie, concert or a baseball game by myself. Yet somehow, fishing solo doesn’t seem that strange. I will disclose that I tend to have better focus when fishing alone. The days can be less complicated and I can come and go as I please. There are also instances when it is much more pleasant to go solo, so it is wise to cherry-pick your angling partners. It could be a long day when you’re fishing with someone who consistently jumps ahead on pools and blows them up by stumbling and fumbling around.  An outing like that helps to validate the old quote, “90% of the time I fish alone, the other 10% I wish I was.”

Recently, I was completely caught off guard by one of my new angling partners. We were fishing a rather secluded spot on a river which necessitated a bit of a hike to get to. He was dredging the bottom of a run with nymphs just upriver from me. Suddenly, I heard something other than the sound of rushing water. I couldn’t make it out at first, but it sounded like someone singing. Behold, it was. Seems that particular evening was karaoke night and he was practicing. Not a dealbreaker, yet it was rather amusing to hear someone belting out Taxi by Harry Chapin while on the river. It is hard to predict what a day might be like with a new companion.

The reality is the more you fish, the greater your chances of uncovering some outstanding new locations. What one chooses to do with this acquired information is a personal decision. The quandary often revolves around whether it is appropriate to keep to some of your waterway discoveries to yourself?

How to safeguard secrets (and honey holes) in fly-fishing

Of course, the easiest way to sidestep this predicament is to fish alone. By simply going solo, you can lay “claim” to your discoveries and become a charter member of the Federation of Tight-Lipped Anglers. For many, fishing solo just isn’t very appealing. So, what are some strategies that can be used to help balance the dilemma of safeguarding prized locations and sharing river time with others?

Initially, take the time to carefully vet fishing partners. Allow relationships to develop at their own pace and don’t go blabbing away all you know on your first outing with someone new. Do consider yourself an extremely fortunate person if you already have one or a number of trusted angling compadres. Be sure to nurture and value those relationship and don’t take them for granted.

Not long ago, I was sliding into my waders on a river in southwestern Colorado when a SUV pulled up. The windows were decked out with an assortment of fly-fishing stickers and it had a very nice rod vault mounted on its roof. An angler eagerly jumped out and had the look of a fellow who knew what he was doing. I heard the passenger door shut and around the vehicle came his girlfriend or wife, also looking very accomplished and ready for whatever the day would bring her way. My immediate thought was how nice it must be to have a significant other to share your passion with. I thought of Joan and Lee Wulff and how they travelled the world together, laying out fly line in some of the world’s most famous destinations. Then my mind quickly turned to a Seinfeld episode (The Pool Guy, Season 7, Episode 8) where there was concern about “worlds colliding” when independent George runs into relationship George. I cannot offer any personal insight on this matter and simply offer congratulations to couples who can make fishing together work.

If you’re extremely fortunate, one of the greatest river pairings is having the opportunity to fish with your eager children, grandchildren, nephews or nieces. In that case, it seems the appropriate thing to do is to “share everything you know” and treasure every possible moment.

Specific tactics for safeguarding secret fishing waters

What are a few clever tactics savvy anglers have used to conceal and keep their favorite places off the radar screen?

·       Consider parking your vehicle in a pull out that is nowhere near where you plan to fish. If your car is regularly parked right next to your desired run, people get curious.

·       Try not to leave boot prints along the bank. The old mantra for being in the woods was take pictures and only leave foot prints. Try to avoid leaving foot prints along the bank because foot prints tell stories. Make an effort to vaporize every trace of your presence. Some folks will judge the popularity and quality of a pool just by the number of people who seem to be fishing it.

·       If you are fishing one of your favorite spots and another angler comes along, consider slowing you’re roll. A number of years ago I was fishing a small run on a stream and there wasn’t a soul around. I was fortunate to have netted a few fish within a very short time. While releasing one of the fish, I happened to look up and spotted another angler on the bank. Next thing I knew, he was standing right next to me tossing a streamer. He was so close I probably could have read the numerals on his fishing license. Ugh. Since that experience, I try to limit my catches in front of an audience. If someone comes along and I know they are watching, I’ll pull in my line and work on my leader or adjust my split shot for a few minutes. Most onlookers get bored pretty quickly and move on. This dodge generally works pretty well.

Ultimately, the way you choose to spend time on the water is up to you. Continue to have fun wandering the waterways. Keep in mind the more one explores, the greater the chance of uncovering new locations. The joy of finding something pristine is special and what many anglers are seeking. How you choose to reveal them to others is a decision you will have to make on your own.

Have fun and continue to stay well!