Well numbers don't mean a lot to me, but I do have a few lucky ones. Then there are milestone numbers 39 to 40 now there is something to get excited about. Not really! The fact that in life you reach a certain point when you have as a global-ball-buster that I work with reassured me, "you probably have more birthdays behind you than ahead of you". Well that's a great way to look at it. That to me means I need to fish a whole lot more. As the change from 39 to 40 was quickly approaching, I took the opportunity to fish with a few friends that I rarely get to do so with. In the course of a week I took three days to fish three different tributaries, on two different Great Lakes, with two different friends, and one solo outing. Now what do I have to show for it? I appreciate my friends more than ever, my car doesn't know whether or not I catch any fish, I spent way too much in gas money, cold Italian sausage with pepper and onions is becoming a way of life, and though I don't have a lot to show for it I wouldn't change a thing.
Now for the fly tying. On the eve of the big day I spent a few hours trying to fill fly tying orders. When I reached to point of exhaustion I took the time to tie one more fly for me. Inspired by an article in the UK's Fly Fishing and Fly Tying August 2011 issue about Dick's Blue Bottle fly and midnight was just around the corner I tyed number 39 a small winter steelhead fly. Looking toward the future if you will.
Number 39
I went to bed now a little older than when I started. The following morning I was treated to my wife and kids making me pumpkin pancakes and chasing me through the house to give me my forty lashings. Later that morning I retreated to the basement to tie number 40. This was inspired by an article I've been working on, which involves adapting a traditional nymph into a Spey fly pattern. This fly has really gotten some water time from a fellow guide and shows great promise. All the smaller versions have been to my liking, but adapting it to size 1.5 Alec Jackson Spey hook has been a hurdle. A post by Kevin Hospodar on http://www.flytyingforum.com/ clicked the switch for me and I had an idea. Number 40 looks back at where I left off. Two very different flies, one great life even if I don't have a fishy picture to show. Next stop the International Fly Tying Symposium in Somerset, NJ.
Number 40 Head On
Number 40
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