The advantage of having kept a log is the perspective you can achieve by looking back over seemingly random events. One thing led more quickly to angling success with trout than any other: a 5-weight rod.
I'm guessing that most readers will interpret FFLog, the subtitle of RANDOM CASTS, as Fly Fishing Log. Many years ago, I created a habit. I disciplined myself to keep a fishing log, mainly because of my unreliable memory. I have friends who have a good memory - my brother, Dave, has a phenomenal memory, but when they ask me if I remember a person or event from our shared past, too often they are greeted with a blank stare - I just don't remember. Ergo, the FFlog!
One thing I do remember is singing in a community choir with a man named Wayne Crouse. We struck up a friendship through our shared interests in music and flyfishing. Wayne built custom flyrods, and my hobby was woodcarving and building 'crooked knives'. We also struck a deal - my project during the winter was going to be a mounted fish for Wayne's cottage wall, and his project was to be an 8 foot # 5 weight rod, crafted from Sage RPL Graphite blanks.
It was a long wait for fishing season to arrive, but when it did, Wayne had delivered my new fly rod. I went from a 'best ever' record of 50 trout a year, to catching and releasing 150 that season. My success steadily improved to 300 a year - and I was not a fishing pro - I worked a 5-day week like you.
What does that say about catching trout? It tells me there are 3 keys to success:
- Presentation
- Presentation
- Presentation
- Random Phrump
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