My rod, my dad, my memories

Melissa and I happened to head over for lunch at my parents' house yesterday.  For those that may not know, my father is rather sick.  He has serve memory issues and has either dementia or Alzheimer's.  There are other things as well, but no one is really sure what else is going on and there is no definitive answer.  While there, I decided to take a look around the house.  My parents and I moved to this house when I was two years old.  Many things and places in the house brought a smile to my face and reminded me of better times.  I meandered downstairs to the workshop.  This area has always housed our fishing gear, tools, etc.  Much to my surprise, I located a long forgotten item here.  The moment I saw those green wraps of thread and that white rod I knew exactly what it was.  My face lit up and my eyes got huge.  I pulled my recently discovered, long forgotten gem out of the can and raced up stairs to show my father and Melissa just what I had discovered.  What was it you ask?  I was able to locate the first ever fishing rod and reel I ever had.  Pulled from a trash can of neglected fishing equipment was my green Zebco 202 reel paired with a 5', (pretty sure fiberglass) Zebco Centennial rod.  Man, oh man did I strike it rich with this find!  They really don't make rods like they used to.

My father has been a lifelong fisherman.  Growing up in Michigan, he chased panfish with cane poles throughout the Great Lakes region in an effort to put food on the table .  Upon hearing the news that he was going to be a father, and he was having a son at that, he rushed out to buy a rod and reel.  Before I was even born, I had a fishing rod.  Maybe I was destined to be involved in fishing?

Very early on, my father took me fishing.  My first trip was to Deep Creek Lake.  Before I was allowed to even touch that green and white beauty, I was instructed using a cane pole.  We camped out at the lake and caught bluegill and perch for dinner.  As the years have passed, memories of that time have faded but I still remember my father holding a cane pole and lifting up a perch with a smile on his face.  I caught my first bluegill there.  I am positive that I was hooked on fishing from then on.

Having mastered the cane pole so to speak, I was allowed to advance to my shiny green and white Zebco.  Before each fishing trip, my father had me practice with it by casting in the back yard.  I had a little plastic plug tied on to the end of the line to aid in casting and reduce potential injury from a hook.  We all know how awesome (not really!) kids are when they first start casting.  It wasn't long before I got the hang of pushing that button on the reel and letting her fly through the air.  Man could that rod cast and that reel sing!!

Between fishing trips with Dad and family vacation, some friends and I discovered a small pond down the road from the house.  Seemed like it was miles away when I was walking there as a kid.  Now I doubt if it was even a mile.  I chased bluegill and largemouth in that pond with my friends for many years to come.  Always with that Zebco.  Looking back on it, those were some of the best times I ever had fishing.  Many laughs, many smiles and a tremendous amount of fun.  I used to come home with a stringer full of fish for dinner.  I guess I am a little ashamed to admit that now.  Oh well.  Ignorant youth I suppose.

In my teens, I discovered girls but I kept on fishing with that Zebco.  I can't for the life of me remember when, but at some point I broke the tip of the rod off and moved to a spin cast rod/reel combo.  I am not sure if breaking the tip off caused me to make that move or not.  I guess, looking at how we all progress as fishermen, it might have been inevitable.

I love fishing.  Nowadays fly fishing and tying have become a way of life for me.  I can't thank my father enough for introducing me to this most wonderful pastime   I think my love for it may exceed his own love for fishing but not by much.  The amount of joy that Zebco brought me cannot be measured nor accurately described in words.  Seeing and holding it yesterday opened the floodgates allowing wonderful memories of outings in the past to wash in.  It was amazing for me to race upstairs and share them with my wife and father.  Some he remembered, and laughter rang out in the house.  Almost thirty-nine years later, that Zebco can still bring a smile to the face of son and father alike.  I do regret never having the time to honor my father's request and teach him how to fly fish.  I think he saw very early on just how much I loved it and wanted to be a part of it.  I also wish we could have taken one more fishing trip together.  While he is still with us, fishing now is impossible for him.  Memories never made and time lost.  I am glad though I can still remember what it was like to fish with him all those many years ago.

It has taken a beating but still looks good!

Whole Lot Of Goodness Heading Out

We are finally down to one order here at J&M Flies.  This one is a whole lot of goodness heading out to entice some warm water fish into biting.  Nice assortment of Retro Lime-A's, Chili Frogs, Safety Cone Slayers, Fire Tigers, one lone Fruit Cocktail as well as olive and orange Road Kills.

Totally Forgot About My Return To Pond X

I have been so busy with poppers that I forgot to post about my return to pond X.  On 03/28/2012, Greg and I were again in the neighborhood of pond X.  We managed to squeeze in a few hours of fishing it.  We were also in the company of two other gents that day.  They were slaying the bass.  Me....I struggled.  So did Greg.  I am pretty sure I have worn out my welcome there.  I only managed to land 7 largemouth and 5 bluegill.  Nothing too big in the way of size.  My biggest was 2 pounds 6 ounces.  It was probably a false weight given the spawning time.  I am guessing she was loaded down with eggs.  Regardless here is some fish porn from the trip:

Told you the fish were kind of sad.  I took some photos of the pond so everyone can see what a pain in the ass it would be and has been to fly fish from.  It is a hard pond to work but well worth it.

Pond X

Got out this past Wednesday with Greg at Pond X.  This is the same pond we fish that is located in a neighboring county.  I managed to land 15 largemouth and one bluegill.  At some point, I have got to figure out how to fish this thing with the fly rod.  I have done it before but man is it hard.  There is usually so much underbrush and growth around the pond that it becomes impossible to swing a fly.  The few times I have fished it with the fly rod, I have almost always spent more time untangling my line from the trees and bushes than I have spent with the line in the water.  The fish though are always hungry and some can be rather large.  Very few people fish this pond.  It is on private land and it requires a hike to get back to it.  Given its location, there are a ton of ticks and chiggers in the area as well.  I picked off five on Wednesday.  I hate ticks but the fishing is so good that I keep coming back.  It is like crack.  I wish when I was there that I had more time to fish it as I would love to get my float tube out and use it at the pond.  Then I could use a fly rod and crush the bass!  Here are the fish porn photos:

Sinner Alert, Sinner Alert!!!!

That's right folks, I have sinned again.  Last week, on Thursday, Greg and I were in the area of the pond we fish at sometimes in a neighboring county.  So, of course, we have to give it a go.  Weather here in Maryland continues to be strange.  Thursday it was in the low 60s.  The next day it was incredibly windy and cold.  I just don't get it.  Anyways, having fished this pond with both a spinning rod and fly rod, I used the spinning rod.  Given the location, underbrush, trees as well as the time of year, it was just easier.  I tied on a small white jig head with a white grub and gave it a go.  Over the course of an hour, I managed to catch 16 largemouth.  Greg, I believe, ended with around 14 or so.  Not a bad outing by any means.  The action was hot and the fish were biting like crazy.  We could see them chasing minnows in the shallows.  They were just incredibly hungry.  I will admit that I felt dirty while fishing.  Almost like I had made some horrible sin.  I kept waiting for the lighting to strike me.  On one hand I know it is OK to use the spinning rod.  On the other hand, I am a fly fisherman through and through and feel as though I have offended the fishing gods.  Well I hope they give me a pass for a time or two.  Sometimes sinning can be fun....

I would show more photos but Greg has yet to give them to me.  We will be in the area again today but of course it is raining now.  Maybe it will slow or stop and the sinning can continue!  

Please Forgive Me For I Have Sinned!

I am a fly fisherman through and through.  I love it.  It is a passion of mine.  According to my wife it borders on an obsession.  It really is a way of life for me.  I am not really a purist in the sport since I tend to chase the green trout more than the others but it still rules my life.  With all that being said, I sinned yesterday.  Please forgive me.

Greg and I had a chance to slip away for a little bit yesterday during our lunch break.  We were in a neighboring county near the pond we usually fish.  Some may remember this place as I have talked and written about it before.  It is heavily wooded around the shore.  There is really only one place to cast from around the whole pond, this being a small little point.  This area has produced for me before on the fly rod with a 19 inch largemounth on a white Road Kill Nymph earlier this year.  Anyways, knowing that we would have some time to possibly fish this pond I brought my fly rod as well as my sinful device know to most as a spinning rod.  Rarely if ever now do I spin fish.  After picking up the fly rod, I have found it to be more rewarding as well as challenging.  I really cant describe in words how much I love fly fishing.

Meal time arrived and we raced off to the pond.  Here in Maryland it, shocker, rained all day yesterday.  At times it was a pretty hard rain.  We drove to the spot we normally park at and walked the ten minutes back to the pond.  Of course on the way there, the skies opened up again and it started to rain heavily.  We pushed on to the pond.  When we arrived, we discovered that the little point was totally under water from all the rain the past month.  Not only was that under water but the entire pond was surrounded by algae.  This ring started at the shoreline and worked its way out from there.  In some places it was out at far as say eight feet.  Taking a look around, I immediately knew I would have to sin with the spinning rod.  Given we only had an hour to work our way around the pond we moved quickly hitting the usual haunts in search of Mr. Bucket-Mouth.  By the time we finished, Greg had landed eight or nine fish and I landed four.  My first green trout was OK.  The next two were great though.  The first was 2 pounds 14 ounces and the second was 2 pounds 12 ounces.  The other first was a little bluegill.

It wasn't a bad hour of fishing at all.  It was nice to be out despite the rain.  My issue was that I feel as though I have sinned and offended the fishing gods.  Please forgive me.