Hey Guys,
The majority of my time in college (while I was'nt fishin) was spent in class learning how to write better (english major).  In general I am a pretty expressive guy, and needless to say my experieces these past few weeks have evoked a number of sentiments that I felt like writing about.  As I am considering some kind of career in outdoor writing I decided to compile my thoughts into what resemples a rough version of an article in a fly fishing magazine, and I'm hoping you guys can read it and let me know what you think.  Even if you hate it and you think i'm stupid, your input is very helpful.  Anyways, here it is.

Humble Beginnings:

Lessons Learned Getting Skunked on Putah Creek

Making the switch from standard tackle to fly fishing is a daunting task for any fisherman.  The plethora of new terms, tackle and techniques can be enough to make your head spin, but combine with these obstacles the challenge of learning a new body of water, especially one reputed for large, pressured, intelligent trout, and suddenly the task of catching fish can seem like nothing short of completing your Ph.D.

            With my background as a bass fisherman using baitcasting and spinning tackle, replacing the spinner bait with a baetis spinner made me feel like I was trying to shoot out the stars with a bb-gun.  I blundered clumsily around the stream splashing my fly into likely “holes,” only to leave moments later impatient and confused.  It was not until I literally stumbled across my first Putah Creek trout that I buckled down and built the confidence needed to become a decent fly fisherman.

            There I was, at the end of my first day of fly fishing at Putah, beaten, depressed and thoroughly disappointed.  Not only did I succeed in losing every fly in the meager selection I hastily purchased before hitting the creek, but I didn’t have a single fish to show for it, not even a strike!  As I sloshed my way back downstream to where I parked, I would stop and make a few haphazard casts to good looking spots.  After searching one of these places and determining that there were no fish, I stepped off a rock into a shallow foamy pocket and watched a beautiful, fat rainbow trout shoot off into deeper sanctuary.  Even when we are not fishing properly we are always learning.

            Since that day I have returned a number of times with hopes of fooling a big, feisty trout and cementing my place in the world of fly fishing.  Although I have not yet landed the fish of my dreams, I have hooked many, and every day I come a little bit closer to making the next step in the long journey that is the fishing lifestyle.  Offered here are a few observations that have helped me climb the steep learning curve at Putah, and will hopefully help you fully enjoy the fishing experience.

Slow Down and Concentrate:

My first encounter with a Putah Creek trout taught me the greatest lesson I have learned in fly fishing.  To be a successful fly fisherman you must be in tune with what is going on around you.  This requires that you consciously slow yourself down and pay attention to every little detail.  This includes looking for insect and fish activity as well as other wildlife.  I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have ruined a good fishing spot by charging in and spooking a flock of ducks, or even worse, a pod of fish!  Fishing slowly and patiently and being in tune with your surroundings can seem like a lot to concentrate on, but in time I found I was able to get into a rhythm and tune in naturally.  Suddenly I was automatically noticing subtle things like shadows of fish finning below subsurface and insects in the film because I conditioned myself to look out for those things. You’d be surprised how much of a confidence boost a little patience and concentration can give you.  Try it next time you are feeling frustrated and cannot seem to make anything work.  Sometimes as anglers we just get a little “out of tune,” and a bit of concentration is all that is needed to find the right frequency.

Learn the Hatches:

            This one may seem obvious to some, but it is vital to have a comprehensive understanding of all the organisms that trout feed on, and specifically the most important ones on the body of water you are fishing.  Equally important is understanding the distinguishing characteristics of each species’ life cycle, and the ways trout adapt to feed on them.  For example, I read on the forum that recently a Fox’s Poopah was catching fish, but with little knowledge of what the fly was supposed to represent I was unable to utilize it and catch fish.  Dead drifting it in pocket water was not producing any strikes, but I was getting savage hits as swung the fly out of the current to make another cast.  Knowing that caddis pupae are highly mobile and trout will often chase after them with a vengeance was the key to presenting the right fly in the correct manner and getting the most strikes.

Be Thorough:

            Another no-brainer, this piece of advice seems to be the first one to go out the door as the day lingers and the rod remains unbent.  It is all too easy to go on autopilot and start skipping over possibly fishy areas in order to “find a better spot.”  The sense of urgency involved can be compounded when there are many other anglers on the stream and you are not getting bit.  This argument goes back to slowing down and concentrating.  Some times a fish hits on the first cast, but often you don’t know when a fish will hit, or how many fish are in a certain area.  With this in mind, it is important to fish the area that you have chosen confidently, exploring every nook and cranny from as many angles as possible.  This way, you know when you leave the guy behind you isn’t going to stroll in and start cleaning up after you!  This is the hardest one for me, as I find it takes all of my concentration to get a good cast and presentation to every spot, and be confident that there could soon be a fish on the end of my line.

Swingers get Laid More Often:

            However socially condemnable this fact may be, it is nonetheless true in sex as well as fly fishing.  Letting your fly swing up out of the current at the end of the drift produces results. Period.  Consider any time your fly is in contact with the water as part of your presentation.  I learned this one the hard way after being surprised by numerous large, beautiful fish, all of which swam away laughing at my feeble attempt to pull myself together and set the hook.

Maintain Contact With Your Rig:

            Whether this means mending your line to get a drag free drift, keeping it taut just under the rod tip as it bounces along the bottom, or just watching your fly/indicator carefully, keeping contact with your rig is the key to understanding the water you are fishing and eventually detecting strikes and catching fish.  If you aren’t in contact with your rig, you won’t feel the take and you have a low chance of catching fish.  Concentrating on keeping contact will also improve your awareness of how your fly is being presented to the fish.  You will know if you are fishing too shallow or if there is drag ruining your drift, and you will know when a fish takes your fly, enabling you to get a good hook set and land that Putah monster.

Learn the Water:

            Each body of water you fish has its own set of challenges and idiosyncrasies.  Only by exploring all the water and keeping an eye out for fishy situations will you be able to adapt to the constantly changing conditions that make fishing so tough.  This goes along the lines of concentrating and being observant, as well as learning the ecology and entomology of the place.  Ultimately, fishing is about forming a deep connection with a place.  Only by knowing the place as intimately as ourselves can we hope to truly unlock all of its fishing secrets.

Keep a Record:

            Keeping a personal record will allow you to reference specific situations as well as remember hot areas and little details.  In short, a record will help you permanently catalog your memories while fishing, and create a firm bond between you and that place.

Adapt:

            Maintain a balance between fishing with confidence and knowing when to change your approach.  It is important to be confident in your fishing choices, but you should not get stuck doing the same thing over and over if it is not working.  To avoid this, don’t switch tactics until you have fished thoroughly and you are certain you have covered all the likely spots.  Then begin by making subtle changes in your presentation such as adding or removing weight, moving the indicator up or down, and changing fly colors.  Changing fly patterns or re-tying your rig should be considered a last resort.  With this in mind, you must be observant and choose the setup you start with carefully.  See what is going on in the water before you tie up so that you avoid switching setups an unnecessary number of times.  Also, pay attention to the area you choose to fish in.  If the fish are no longer holding where you found them yesterday, don’t be afraid to move around, just make sure you aren’t leaving any stragglers behind!

Learn From Others:

            When all else fails your most valuable resources are the thoughts and observations of your fellow anglers.  Don’t bug people while they are fishing, but a small exchange in the parking lot or even just watching an old pro fish your favorite spot can give you the insight needed to land the big ones.  Most fishermen are friendly, and even though we complain about each other getting into out favorite hot spots, we all share a common bond that we should take advantage of for the betterment of ourselves as anglers and the places we fish.

Be Patient and Don’t Get Discouraged:

            Anyone who fishes knows that there are times when you feel downright frustrated and angry.  Constant snags, thorny bushes, insects, missed fish and a variety of other variables can all build up and turn a great day away from work into a stressful and fishless excursion.  When I start becoming frustrated, I fish more hastily, I get more snags, I don’t concentrate and I don’t catch fish.  Ideally, a fishing trip is meant to be an enjoyable time when all your worries and cares float away with the insects in the surface film, but as anglers our competitive natures and dreams of landing big fish often get the best of us.  Instead of flaring up, I just stop fishing for a while and remember that I traveled all the way out to stand in the middle of a freezing stream because it means something more to me than just catching a big fish.  It means a chance for me to set aside all of the troubles that exist in day to day life, to re-connect with my basic primal instincts, and become part of something larger than myself.  For those lucky enough, fishing becomes a state of mind, a place where we dwell on and off the water.  It becomes so vital to us that it flows through our veins, bringing light into every aspect of our lives in much the same way as water brings life into every corner of the globe.  Fishing is life, and if you understand that, you will never stop improving.  Getting skunked on Putah suddenly doesn’t seem all that bad, does it?

Written By,

Charles Robinton

If you are still with me at this point you have my greatest thanks and appreciation!  Good luck fishing and I hope this helps you become a better fisherman.