[VFB] Realization?

[Bmf12]

Yesterday was opening day of trout season here in North Carolina. Hatchery supported waters with no lure or bait restrictions that is. Well, I decided I would go and do some spinner fishing (GASP!) Anyway, after about 2 hours of losing every fish that hit my spinner I realized something, finally. I AM A FLYFISHER! How did I realize that? Well, the short spincasting rod felt heavy and awkward in my hands like it didn't belong. Before every cast I would check the general proximity of trees and bushes behind me so I would not get snagged on my backcast. As the lure hit the water with a big loud splash I would think it put down every fish within 100 feet. Of course it didn't, these are hatchery fish and they are use to seeing people and a loud splash usually meant "time to eat." When a fish did hit my lure I found myself raising the rod tip to set the hook, let me tell you that does not work while you are spinner fishing. And my drift was never correct...that's right I said drift. I don't know why it took me a little over 2 hours to figure out I am a Flyfisher but it did. Also, it may have had something to do with the fact I had just lost my last spinner due to it becoming snagged on the bottom. I finally broke out the fly rod which, by the way, felt like and extension of my arm. The comfort made me smile. My cast was smooth and the loops small. The fly landed perfectly in the seam and within a few seconds a chubby brown rose to meet my fly in a swirl of floating vegetation. As I set the hook, by raising my rod tip, and feeling the fight of the brown down into the grip of my fly rod it was at that moment that I realized exactly what I was.   Bart Fitzpatrick