Don’t Suck!

As I see it there are three states of suck that a person could be in. I believe some to be better than others. Here is a tentative list not in any particular order

1. You can suck, know you suck, and be ok with that. I believe this may be the highest form of suckers.

2. You can suck and not know you suck. You might even believe that you are above average at the activity. You are not, but you never have to feel the emotional distress. Hopefully…

3. You can suck and just quit taking part in the activity or never start it at all. You still suck, but you no longer have to deal with the emotional distress of finding out that you are below averageat the activity. Of course, you are missing out on one of the best hobbies.

4. You may also suck but be determined to not suck. The activity seems like it could be fun, and your level of success is mediocre at best. You want to have an enjoyable time and be successful. This is my favorite group: Those that are studying, practicing, and they know that they need to.

These groups are not necessarily partaking in any specific activity. Golf seems to come to mind when I look back at my little list. I obviously look at the group suckers with fly fishers in mind and will try to convert appropriately.

The group of people that know they suck and don’t care are at a level of Nirvana that I will never be able to reach. These are the people that are just out there to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You may catch them saying something like, “Well, that’s why they call it fishing and not catching.” Although it drives me up a wall to hear that phrase, I think that they mean it with no ill will attached. They may also say something like, “Well it beats the hell out of working.” “No, it doesn’t, David. I’ve been tying all week, the river is blown out, I have a hole in my waders, I broke off on a good fish, and I slipped and snapped my rod on the 2-hour hike out. I think I’d rather have done anything else today, asshole.” Some days I can take that little phrase of encouragement better than others. I don’t stop to smell the roses as often as I should, I guess.

The second group, the saltwater fly anglers are already cheering and should not be, are often found of among fly anglers of a particular area or ones that target a specific species. For example, I’ve been told 200 times now that trout fishers just aren’t equipped to fish the salt. This can be true. I’ve been told that there is no reason to cast more than 30 feet several times. “I don’t need to haul. I fish for trout.” “You can’t even set the hook with your fly more than thirty feet away.” That is a crock of shit, no question. It may make someone feel like they do not suck if they lower the bar to a skill level they have achieved. When these fly fishers decide to spend vast sums of money going to a foreign country chasing bonefish, they realize (THE HARD WAY) that it really does suck to suck, and some of them even come home with their hat in their hand and ask me for help.

Although, a vast majority of my coaching, instructing, teaching, or whatever you want to call it, involves me preparing trout folks for the salt, them salty boys would not be as AWESOME as they believe themselves to be fly fishing for trout the way I like to do it. Ok so you can throw a streamer 80 feet with ease. Good on you, you must be straight, you have to have good timing, and you must practice casting to get to that distance with any sort of accuracy. Kudos. On the other hand, I like to dry flyfish 2-foot-wide feeder creeks in the summer with wind. There are lots of bends and turns in the creeks, the fish are super spooky, many of these situations force me to land my fly on a saucer and reach mend so that the line lands on the water rather than in the grass. If you folks are so confident, then come suck at fly fishing with me, and learn how it's emotionally distressing to perform below average at a fly fishing activity. I’ve done it a lot. I cannot handle the feeling. Maybe that is something for which I should learn to meditate.

Ah the third group. There are several fisher people that have looked me dead in the eye and said, “Well hell man I’m not nearly coordinated to do all that twirling around. I’ll just stick with my Zebco, ugly stick, and panther martin, and I’ll catch as many as you any day. Not to mention they’ll be bigger.” They are usually correct, and I always give it to them. This is where I get into the cognitive dissonance portion of my rambling. I am supposed to tell you that fishing their way is lame, because it is too easy. “Sure, fish that way all you want, but don’t show me pictures like you really accomplished something.” I am supposed to tell you that a great fisher eventually evolves into a fly fisher. “Oh, is it too hard for you to fly fish?” However, I am not that militant anymore. I know that the world of fishing is growing. Fly fishing is still a small community compared to those gear fishing Large Mouth Bass, and it always will be. I know that I hate to see a stringer of 5 near world record class Brown Trout being dragged through the city to the back of a van bound for a freezer. But I am also aware that if those guys were not buying licenses and stamps the fishery would likely go to shit. The majority of the money in the industry and the money that goes to support places of great fishing comes from these guys. I will never stop proselytizing for fly fishing. I will convert as many people as I can before I die, and I’ll feel good about doing it. If it wasn’t for them, we would have less places to do what we love.

Here’s to you gear fishing, eat everything you catch, out there for a fun time guy. I’ll try to not look down at you from my high horse for not walking The Fly Road with me. May your lines always be tight and your fishing trips many, but may my fish always be bigger! Cheers! 

Lastly, my group. The never-ending journey group. I know that many people that know me would balk at calling me below average or unsuccessful at fly fishing, but it is all about perspective. My favorite thing about fly fishing is that the number of rabbit holes are vast and deep.

I know very little about catching Giant Snakehead. I’ve read about it quite a bit. I’ve tied some flies that I think would work for them. I might even know a great guide to take me, but I’ve never been successful at it, and I wouldn’t dare claim to be above average. So if the opportunity ever presents itself you better believe that I will work my ass off trying to be as good as I can be at it so that I might be successful.

The same goes for spey fishing. I actually fish two handed spey some. I practice in the grass. I’ve caught nice steelhead. I’ve learned quite a bit about heads, leaders, tubes, and so on, but I’m way below curve when it comes to ability, knowledge, and success. And you know what? It Sucks to Suck! I will get better I will learn more, and I will one day be quite successful at it, because I have the drive, I need to get better. Or in other terms I have not reached the state of nirvana where I can just let the joys of spey fishing go.

Here’s a good one for you… Competition casting. Look at comp casting as a whole I do suck. I can’t make my own rods. I can’t make my own lines. The leaders I make… well they might be pretty good, but I certainly am not the best competitor in the world nor do I have much confidence that I will charge pass the halfway point of the group of casters at the World Championships in August. However, I do have the fire to get up every day and do something that will make me better, and I hope that after many years of trial and tribulation I will be able to stand atop the ole podium and proclaim that in fact…

I don’t suck!