You Don’t Always Need the Comfortable Cast

Reid Auger

You can see it…that perfect spot on the river you know is holding a fish. There’s a seem coming off the big boulder, leaving some slack water just behind and to the left of it. It’s deep. Your years of fishing experience have taught you; there is a fish there, 100%, maybe multiple fish. You sense the likelihood there is a big fish.

However, getting the fly there requires you to maneuver. You can’t just simply cast from the safety of where you are. You must venture into an uncompromising position. Wade further out into the fast moving water in front of you. Try to find a foothold on the slippery rocks.

Once you find some “stability,” you still aren’t comfortable. There are willows to snag your fly on the back cast; the breeze is strong enough to wreak havoc with your presentation; the angle with which you need to cast in order to avoid those willows isn’t what you are used to; and the awkwardness of it all could easily cause the slippage of your wobbly feet. You don’t have an endless number of attempts, as these fish aren’t that dumb.

You take all that into account, then you make your best cast.

Sometimes you gotta be in that uncomfortable position to get that fish you want.

#ThisIsAboutFishing #ThisIsNotAboutFishing