No doubt Mother Nature rules. Different moods and all, I really dig her. You have to learn to work with her moods, her seasons. Arguing with her is the definition of a one sided conversation.
So winter is on it's way... Ho ho ho.
The traditional trout season has ended and soon too the striper season will come to a halt. Sure the closing can be softened by finding a nice day here and there to poke around a Catch + Release area or by grabbing your custom G. Loomis rod and following the fall migration of 50 lb. stripers or using up some credit card points to fly down to chase bonefish in the warmth of the Bahamas... all legitimate activities, all help in dealing with the dark claustrophobic cabin fever days to come.
There is one more useful activity ... The Fly Fishing Show.
Here in the North East we have shows in Marlborough MA, Somerset NJ and then Lancaster PA. The biggest and most bestest being Somerset with it's multitude of 200 ft. aisles chock full of product, lodges and tiers... and Cuisine Corner.
Ordering gadgets online is ok, I guess. Flipping through catalogues while lying in bed certainly brings on sleep. At some point though I need to go touch product, gaze upon what the marketing + technology elves have been whittling. The shows have classes, seminars and demos by figure-heads, the connected, and some not so.
Who among us wouldn't find happiness watching another fly caster throw picture perfect tailing loops at a green curtain... " poetry in motion" (sorry Mel). If you're not into publicly displaying your casting skills you could walk up to one of the rod manufacturers and just do the wiggle test on one of their 13th generation high-tech glue sticks.
So while many have baby powdered and hung up their rubber pants in hopes to have them sweet smelling and ready to go for the coming spring I say grab a pal and head to a show. Come on over to the FFF Learning Center say hello, tie your first fly or get a quick casting lesson.
