If you’re in this sport, there’s a lot to worry about beyond “did I forget how to fish overnight? because I’m sure I never really knew how to cast, anyway.” That sentiment, I think, is normal. But what about:

— local stuff: How to fix the San Gabes, which went from awesome to blown out in five years?
— regional stuff: Will Frogtown become private water as the rich buy up riverside properties?
— statewide stuff: come on, El Niño, where is Noah when you really need him?
— national stuff: will kids get interested in flyfishing, the magical line tug, tug, tugging its way into their hearts, or will the sport fade out with us older duffers?
After fishing with Roland Trevino and his son, Max, I can scratch the last one off my list, and get back to noodling that wind knot from my overpowered back cast.
What a day we enjoyed.
As I set up, I heard Roland counseling his son as they cast back and forth, back and forth, on the grass.
“That’s it, Max, now a little more forceful, get the line to shoot out.”

When we hit the water, it was Roland who stopped and got the three of intrigued in running fry, which we couldn’t quite identify. Even with our carp gear rigged, he stopped to tie an 18 on the line. The three of us had a blast watching Max cast and the fry chase that pattern, even though it was still too big for them. Suddenly, there were three kids on the river.
Later, on the carp search, we watched as three fish jumped out of the running water, as if a bigger fish gave chase.
“Mind if I put in?” Roland asked and just like that he’d captured and released two fish. But you could tell, his mind was on continuing to teach his son the tricks that make for solid techniques, and fun days.
“Right here, Max, stand right here,” he said, wet wading in the current. “Now, hold the line in your left hand, so you can feel it.”
Max got one tug, then another, but his timing was slightly off, so his prey stayed under water. He wasn’t discouraged.
I broke into a smile, thinking of how I’d done the same with my son, now so many years ago.
This is called “hope,” and it is beautiful to let the mind wander, thinking, once Max has caught his fair share and put on some years, maybe someday, he’ll pass along to a younger generation what he learned on the water that day.
See you on the river, Jim Burns
How lovely, I think that we all need to remember that wherever we are in our fishing careers we never got here completely on our own. There was always the friendly gent who provided a fly or helped untangle a leader. There have always been those who came before, who stocked waters, fought legislation, experimented and pioneered. In life, “no man is an island” and in fishing that is doubly true. So it is refreshing that people continue to put back into something that gives us all so much pleasure. Oh and by the way, your wind knots aren’t from “overpowering your cast” they are from putting in the power too early which results in the rod tip dipping and then climbing instead of tracking straight.. 🙂 Regards Tim
Hey, Tim, thanks for the comments and the fishing tip from afar. Hope all is well in South Africa!
That was a wonderful little journey! I fill lucky that 2 of my own sons, of 3, picked it up whole heartedly. Now my oldest grandson tries mightily. Max is set for life, sweet. As to the other stuff…
Gregg
Hope to follow in your footsteps one of these days, Gregg. Just got to get me a grandson first!