2009 vs 2010
// February 6th, 2010 // Comments Off // Angles
I have put myself in the shoes of a noob in 2009 with fly fishing. I took it very seriously and after one year, I look back smiling.
It’s going to be hard to beat 2009. It’s one of those years where I did so many things that help shape things for me, going forward.
2009 is the year that I seriously took up fly fishing. I’ve had an outstanding rod for some time, a reel that was good enough for some serious fish and a vacation to a place that has some giant fish.
I’ll tell you a secret; if you want to shorten your learning curve, you make your mistakes way ahead of time. It might not make sense to you, but here’s what I did: Thailand presents itself as a unique fishing destination. There are really big fish and a lot of shots at them. I wanted to get as much experience as I can in the shortest amount of time. So I forced myself to take just a flyrod with me on this trip. I had a time limit…1 day. I had a fish in mind and I didn’t want to go back to Dubai without nailing one, on a fly. The Arapaima.
While this might sound crazy, for me (and I know how my mind ticks), It was worth doing simply because it wasn’t EASY to do.
So here was the challenge: One day to gain as much experience as I can and targeting a fish that is considered as one of the most difficult freshwater fish to catch, if not, THE most difficult…on a fly.
Naturally, I went there to make mistakes, in fact, as much as I can; so when I really go out and do some serious fly fishing, I would know what NOT to do. The place also guaranteed me some big fish which would teach me how I should be fighting them with a flyrod; which has different dynamics from a baitcaster and an eggbeater. While most of the fish (and trees) that I caught busted me off in the morning, I could see my casts getting better and better (The lure of big fish always gets the better of me; I had to learn how to cast in tight quarters quickly!) by mid morning, I was already casting way better than when I first started and even nailed a few fish already.
After a few good fish and being towed around the lake on a float tube, I’ve learned a lot.
I’ve been trying for the damn Arapaima for the whole day with no purchase from them. I quit floating around the float tube and decided to cast from shore. I got the strike that would make the trip at sunset…The rest is history.
So…what have I learned? A lot. 3 months after nailing the Arapaima, I became a milkman.
While trying for the milkfish, I caught some spotted grunts which were apparently also not that easy to catch. Later in the year, I bought a Kayak, made new friends and just got better and better at what I love doing.
2010 has some big shoes to fill. While I forge ahead, learning new things and making the skills I have even better, I look back with a smile and think to myself…if 2009 was the start, boy, I can’t wait for the things that 2010 will give me.