My Life Line
The drive always starts the same way. I have my fishing rod and gear packed into my car as I drive to my favorite river. The music is playing on the radio, the roads become narrow, and the terrain a little bit steeper as I descend down toward my destination. It’s when I start to get close, the music cuts out, and I am left with silence. I roll down the window, and that’s when I hear the soft roar of the river on my left. The same thoughts enter my head every time this moment occurs. I wonder what is waiting for me under the surface of the water, what the day is going to bring, and if I am going to catch the fish of a lifetime or go home without a single story to tell.
Fly fishing is something that has shaped me as a person, changed me for the better and above all, has taught me that you only get “lucky” when you work hard. For those of you that are not familiar with fly fishing, it is an angling method in which an artificial “fly” is used to catch fish. These flies are tied using thread, and binding down various furs, feathers, and other materials onto a fish hook to imitate certain insects, baitfish, and other food sources fish desire. This type of fishing has quite a different approach to the traditional worm-on-a-hook method, and requires a different type of personality. You learn very quickly that the fish cannot be bribed, coerced, or forced in any way to take what you are offering it. It requires thought, reflection, analyzing, and above all, patience.
I find people today live in an era of constant stimulation. Cell phones going off every moment in their pockets, rushing to get to work only to be in a fast pace environment, fast conversations, fast meals, working at home, raising a child, keeping up with dates. This list can go on for miles. We find ourselves waking up the next day to this routine all over again, never getting a moment to slow down. Never getting a moment to hear the silence of just the river. This is where that chatter stops for me. For me, this is where I find my solitude. I have been taught some of life’s most important lessons standing in the water, waving a stick.
The first lesson I was taught by fly fishing was that it is important to schedule time for what you love most in your life. I find my life is full of obligations, like going to work, having time to play with my son, to be a father, spend time with my significant other, family and friends. Fly fishing brings me joy, and so it is treated as something important that I must do. When I first started doing this sport, it did not come with ease. Casting the line to make the fly look presentable to the fish opposed to a rock flopping into the water required practice. It demanded days on end where I would find myself frustrated, exhausted, and at times not even a fish to show for it. But this drive to get it right, to keep in mind that I will only get better if I try it tomorrow, taught me to never give up. Persistence is what drives results, and I realized all the great fly fishermen I knew all started in the same place. This practice has made me persistent in all other aspects of my life. It seems to rewire my way of thinking, and I approach everything in my life the same way I do with fishing. I learned that through this constant learning process, do not be afraid to ask for help. Many times out on the river when I could not figure out what I was doing wrong, I found that asking for help from the guy next to you might be the best decision you make all day. The days I found myself making leaps in progress, were the days I learned to listen. Now I know how important it is to listen to all the people I have in my life, and to consider things from an opposite perspective. It might give you insight to something you have never realized before, and help you be a better person to them as well. Fly fishing also reminded me while asking for help, that there is always someone that is better than you, no one is perfect, and that’s ok. This brings to mind a word I live by that I read many years ago, and has stuck with me ever since. “Kodawari” in Japanese means an uncompromising and relentless devotion to a pursuit, art, craft, or activity. It happens when a very high standard is set; when special consideration and attention is given to something; when a breach of the standard is unthinkable, and when compromise is intolerable. Remembering that the pursuit of achieving perfection never wavers, even when I am mindful that perfection can never be reached.
After spending years fly fishing, I have found myself in a community of fly fishermen. This fly fishing community had introduced me to many aspects of the sport I did not know. One of the most important ones are environmental conservation. A large number of fly fishermen belong to a non profit organization called Trout Unlimited. They are responsible for gathering groups, or “chapters,” of fishermen together to participate in protecting our favorite streams, rivers, and places we hold dear to us. The more I fell in love with fishing these beautiful rivers, the more I realized how important it was to protect them. If I wanted someone else to share the beauty of this place, I would need to do all I can to make sure it stays the way I best remember it. This made me more conscious of the things I do that impact the environment, and I am careful not to do anything that would jeopardize that. “Catch & Release” is another practice that impacts the sustainability of our fish. Instead of keeping the fish I catch, I was taught how to let them go, so they can go back into the river they came from, to grow bigger and spawn more fish. If I want my children, and my grandchildren to enjoy fishing these rivers, we need to have fish in them for that to happen. Keeping our hands wet when handling them, not keeping them out of the water longer than a few moments, and treating them with care when releasing them ensures a significantly lower mortality. When you take a fish from a river, you take away a small part of that special place. Watching them gently swim out of your hands and back into the water, brings me as much joy as catching them. In this short video, “Outside By the River” from the International Fly Fishing Film Festival, it showcases the natural beauty of fly fishing, as well as it having personal impacts on the fisherman and his life.
I think we can all come to a great understanding that working towards something, whether it be your career, passion, or goals, require dedication and hard work. Work hard at keeping healthy relationships, moving forward in your career, your academic studies, and anything else that has meaning to you. I find that fly fishing is the threadwork to my seams, and I would not be the person I am if it were not for this passion of mine. Some people call it an obsession, a strong hobby, but to me, its simply a part of me. I feel most connected with my identity when I am on the water, focused on nothing else but that single moment. It brings peace, solitude, reward, and things I can never quite put into words. To conclude my thoughts, Henry David Thoreau once said, “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”
The drive always starts the same way. I have my fishing rod and gear packed into my car as I drive to my favorite river. The music is playing on the radio, the roads become narrow, and the terrain a little bit steeper as I descend down toward my destination. It’s when I start to get close, the music cuts out, and I am left with silence. I roll down the window, and that’s when I hear the soft roar of the river on my left. The same thoughts enter my head every time this moment occurs. I wonder what is waiting for me under the surface of the water, what the day is going to bring, and if I am going to catch the fish of a lifetime or go home without a single story to tell.
Fly fishing is something that has shaped me as a person, changed me for the better and above all, has taught me that you only get “lucky” when you work hard. For those of you that are not familiar with fly fishing, it is an angling method in which an artificial “fly” is used to catch fish. These flies are tied using thread, and binding down various furs, feathers, and other materials onto a fish hook to imitate certain insects, baitfish, and other food sources fish desire.
This type of fishing has quite a different approach to the traditional worm-on-a-hook method, and requires a different type of personality. You learn very quickly that the fish cannot be bribed, coerced, or forced in any way to take what you are offering it. It requires thought, reflection, analyzing, and above all, patience.
I find people today live in an era of constant stimulation. Cell phones going off every moment in their pockets, rushing to get to work only to be in a fast pace environment, fast conversations, fast meals, working at home, raising a child, keeping up with dates. This list can go on for miles. We find ourselves waking up the next day to this routine all over again, never getting a moment to slow down. Never getting a moment to hear the silence of just the river. This is where that chatter stops for me. For me, this is where I find my solitude. I have been taught some of life’s best lessons standing in the water, waving a stick.
The first lesson I was taught by fly fishing was that it is important to schedule time for what you love most in your life. I find my life is full of obligations, like going to work, having time to play with my son, to be a father, spend time with my significant other, family, and friends. Fly fishing brings me joy, and so it is treated as something important that I must do. When I first started doing this sport, it did not come with ease. Casting the line to make the fly look presentable to the fish opposed to a rock flopping into the water required practice. It demanded days on end where I would find myself frustrated, exhausted, and at times not even a fish to show for it. But this drive to get it right, to keep in mind that I will only get better if I try it tomorrow, taught me to never give up. Persistence is what drives results, and I realized all the great fly fishermen I knew all started in the same place. This practice has made me persistent in all other aspects of my life. It seems to rewire my way of thinking, and I approach everything in my life the same way I do with fishing. I learned that through this constant learning process, do not be afraid to ask for help. Many times out on the river when I could not figure out what I was doing wrong, I found that asking for help from the guy next to you might be the best decision you make all day. The days I found myself making leaps of progress, were the days I learned to listen. Now I know how important it is to listen to all the people I have in my life, and to consider things from their perspective. It might give you insight to something you have never realized before, and help you be a better person to them as well. Fly fishing also reminded me while I asked for help, that there is always someone that is better than you, and that’s ok. The word “kodawari” in Japanese means an uncompromising and relentless devotion to a pursuit, art, craft, or activity. Remembering that the pursuit of achieving perfection never wavers, even when I am mindful that perfection can never be reached.
After spending years fly fishing, I have found myself in a community of fly fishermen. This fly fishing community had introduced me to many aspects of the sport I did not know. One of the most important ones are environmental conservation. A large number of fly fishermen belong to a non profit organization called Trout Unlimited. They are responsible for gathering groups, or “chapters,” of fishermen together to participate in protecting our favorite streams, rivers, and places we hold dear to us. The more I fell in love with fishing these beautiful rivers, the more I realized how important it was to protect them. If I wanted someone else to share the beauty of this place, I would need to do all I can to make sure it stays the way I best remember it. This made me more conscious of the things I do that impact the environment, and I am careful not to do anything that would jeopardize that. “Catch & Release” is another practice that impacts the sustainability of our fish. Instead of keeping the fish I catch, I was taught how to let them go, so they can go back into the river they came from, to grow bigger and spawn more fish. If I want my children, and my grandchildren to enjoy fishing these rivers, we need to have fish in them for that to happen. Keeping our hands wet when handling them, not keeping them out of the water longer than a few moments, and treating them with care when releasing them ensures a significantly lower mortality. When you take a fish from a river, you take away a small part of that special place. Watching them gently swim out of your hands and back into the water, brings me as much joy as catching them.
I think we can all come to a great understanding that working towards something, whether it be your career, passion, or goals require dedication and hard work. Work hard at keeping healthy relationships, moving forward in your career, your academic studies, and anything else that has meaning to you. I find that fly fishing is the threadwork to my seams, and I would not be the person I am if it were not for this passion of mine. Some people call it an obsession, a strong hobby, but to me, its simply a part of me. I feel most connected with my identity when I am on the water, focused on nothing else but that single moment. It brings peace, solitude, reward, and things I can never quite put into words. To conclude my thoughts, Henry David Thoreau once said, “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”
Fly fishing is something that has shaped me as a person, changed me for the better and above all, has taught me that you only get “lucky” when you work hard. For those of you that are not familiar with fly fishing, it is an angling method in which an artificial “fly” is used to catch fish. These flies are tied using thread, and binding down various furs, feathers, and other materials onto a fish hook to imitate certain insects, baitfish, and other food sources fish desire.
This type of fishing has quite a different approach to the traditional worm-on-a-hook method, and requires a different type of personality. You learn very quickly that the fish cannot be bribed, coerced, or forced in any way to take what you are offering it. It requires thought, reflection, analyzing, and above all, patience.
I find people today live in an era of constant stimulation. Cell phones going off every moment in their pockets, rushing to get to work only to be in a fast pace environment, fast conversations, fast meals, working at home, raising a child, keeping up with dates. This list can go on for miles. We find ourselves waking up the next day to this routine all over again, never getting a moment to slow down. Never getting a moment to hear the silence of just the river. This is where that chatter stops for me. For me, this is where I find my solitude. I have been taught some of life’s best lessons standing in the water, waving a stick.
The first lesson I was taught by fly fishing was that it is important to schedule time for what you love most in your life. I find my life is full of obligations, like going to work, having time to play with my son, to be a father, spend time with my significant other, family, and friends. Fly fishing brings me joy, and so it is treated as something important that I must do. When I first started doing this sport, it did not come with ease. Casting the line to make the fly look presentable to the fish opposed to a rock flopping into the water required practice. It demanded days on end where I would find myself frustrated, exhausted, and at times not even a fish to show for it. But this drive to get it right, to keep in mind that I will only get better if I try it tomorrow, taught me to never give up. Persistence is what drives results, and I realized all the great fly fishermen I knew all started in the same place. This practice has made me persistent in all other aspects of my life. It seems to rewire my way of thinking, and I approach everything in my life the same way I do with fishing. I learned that through this constant learning process, do not be afraid to ask for help. Many times out on the river when I could not figure out what I was doing wrong, I found that asking for help from the guy next to you might be the best decision you make all day. The days I found myself making leaps of progress, were the days I learned to listen. Now I know how important it is to listen to all the people I have in my life, and to consider things from their perspective. It might give you insight to something you have never realized before, and help you be a better person to them as well. Fly fishing also reminded me while I asked for help, that there is always someone that is better than you, and that’s ok. The word “kodawari” in Japanese means an uncompromising and relentless devotion to a pursuit, art, craft, or activity. Remembering that the pursuit of achieving perfection never wavers, even when I am mindful that perfection can never be reached.
After spending years fly fishing, I have found myself in a community of fly fishermen. This fly fishing community had introduced me to many aspects of the sport I did not know. One of the most important ones are environmental conservation. A large number of fly fishermen belong to a non profit organization called Trout Unlimited. They are responsible for gathering groups, or “chapters,” of fishermen together to participate in protecting our favorite streams, rivers, and places we hold dear to us. The more I fell in love with fishing these beautiful rivers, the more I realized how important it was to protect them. If I wanted someone else to share the beauty of this place, I would need to do all I can to make sure it stays the way I best remember it. This made me more conscious of the things I do that impact the environment, and I am careful not to do anything that would jeopardize that. “Catch & Release” is another practice that impacts the sustainability of our fish. Instead of keeping the fish I catch, I was taught how to let them go, so they can go back into the river they came from, to grow bigger and spawn more fish. If I want my children, and my grandchildren to enjoy fishing these rivers, we need to have fish in them for that to happen. Keeping our hands wet when handling them, not keeping them out of the water longer than a few moments, and treating them with care when releasing them ensures a significantly lower mortality. When you take a fish from a river, you take away a small part of that special place. Watching them gently swim out of your hands and back into the water, brings me as much joy as catching them.
I think we can all come to a great understanding that working towards something, whether it be your career, passion, or goals require dedication and hard work. Work hard at keeping healthy relationships, moving forward in your career, your academic studies, and anything else that has meaning to you. I find that fly fishing is the threadwork to my seams, and I would not be the person I am if it were not for this passion of mine. Some people call it an obsession, a strong hobby, but to me, its simply a part of me. I feel most connected with my identity when I am on the water, focused on nothing else but that single moment. It brings peace, solitude, reward, and things I can never quite put into words. To conclude my thoughts, Henry David Thoreau once said, “Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”