Wizard's first Brookie!

[tnflyfisher]

Originally Posted by mattblick

Congrats to you Wizard.. I am determined to also bust my brookie cherry this year!

And with all those years of experience you have, I would have never guessed... we can surely fix that on your next trip down.

Originally Posted by Mac

As i know, Duckypaddler makes for great company and fishing guide.

After reading his countless trip reports and posts, curiosity finally got the best of me. I needed to experience it firsthand...

Tight Lines,

[mattblick]

Originally Posted by tnflyfisher

And with all those years of experience you have, I would have never guessed... we can surely fix that on your next trip down.

Tight Lines,

That is the wonderful and frustrating thing about fly fishing - years of being a fly angler, tying flies, buying and building more rods than you can use - time on the water is what really does it I think (I hope!). I picked up a fly rod and cast for trout the first time in 1992, but I am still a total amateur. I don't think I'll be a competent fly angler until after retirement unless my son develops my same passion. I'm hoping we can get some more time on his "Reddington Minnow" fly fishing outfit this Summer..

I stalked and spotted 2 sets of those beautiful orange fins last May in a pool not far from the Chimney Tops picnic area. I had caught 3 little 'bows in a short while on this trip, and was introducing my wife's cousin Colin to the sport. There was a big boulder and uprooted tree to hide behind, and the sun was throwing our shadows just fine. I instructed him to remain out of sight and just lightly drop the fly and tippet to the water as gently as possible and one of the trout would surely take his fly. SMACK went the fly, leader, and a couple feet of fly line. The two trout I had spotted (and another 3 I hadn't) bolted upstream. Busting that cherry will be great, but sharing the joy and excitement of the sport is better. Colin wants to join me fishing in Virginia in 3 weeks..

I've been down to the park 4 times this year and hit the Mad River to the North of me twice - but have totaled less than 20 hours on the water. I'm just guessing, but I suspect you get that much time weekly, don't you Kevin? There's a reason I spent a long time watching you fish during our outing .

I'll definitely be down in June with my son and Father-In-Law, but might also convince my wife to let me come down around Memorial Day as my birthday present.. Hopefully we can meet up again this year before it gets too hot.

-Matt-