My mother's father took me fishing for the first time when I was five. I'm sure I begged him to take me, but I don't remember how it came about. My parents had given me a plastic fishing kit, complete with three plastic fish that I would "cast" for off the front porch of their cabin when it rained, and I know I was doing that at least by the time I turned four.
So anyway, Papaw gave me my first rod-and-reel the summer before I started school, a Johnson Century Model 100B spin caster (picture) mounted on a Berkely F21 5'6" rod (I still have it), loaded me in his van and took me to Grapevine Lake in Madisonville, Kentucky. I was still small enough that he had to cast for me, but I did everything else. Oh, and using an artificial minnow, I caught my first fish that day, a smallmouth bass, just over 13" long. I was hooked.
Until he passed away, I spent a good portion of the summers camping with Papaw and fishing the ponds and lakes around Western Kentucky. My aunt's boyfriends were also kind enough to take me along around here, as did friends of the family, often trying to impress their own girlfriends by hanging out with the kid. As I got older, I went fishing with my own friends, mostly on farm ponds, and the occasional stream. I also spent quite a bit of time fishing with my great uncle and a first cousin in Central Arkansas, but other than that, I have not fished much outside of Kentucky.
I pretty much fish for smallmouth and largemouth, but I don't mind catching bluegills either. My philosophy is pretty simple, I get enjoyment just from enjoying nature and the act of fishing. Actually catching something is a bonus, and I am willing to play whatever is biting. I'm fine with catch-and-release, until the last few years, I didn't carry a camera, and though I've caught some nice ones, I've never kept a trophy.
My father, "Chief," is an Eagle Scout, but I never went camping with him or even fishing. In his sixties, he came in one day in May 2011, talking about a childhood memory of watching people fly fishing in Eastern Kentucky. Commenting that it was one of the most graceful things he had ever witnessed, he decided he wanted to learn to fly fish and asked if I was interested in taking it up with him.
Ten years ago, I inherited a nice fly rod from my great uncle. There was a red popper tied on the end, and so I took it out several times and mimicked my uncle. I had success immediately and was hooked once again. I began talking to everyone I knew who fly fished, trying to learn more, trying to find a mentor. The timing never worked out. But now was the time to take it seriously.
So off to Bass Pro Shops in Indiana to start learning. Not having a lot of people around here to lean on, it was a starting point. I just wanted a book that I could read and start learning, but I couldn't get a good recommendation. Frustrated, Dad and I returned home, bought a couple of starter kits, practiced in the yard, and began making plans.
And then on the Sunday after Father's Day, at 35, I went fishing with the Chief for the first time! We have been at least once every week since, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am proud to say we are catching fish--like crazy. We are devouring everything we can read, and learning as much as we can along the way.
And one of the things I have discovered, is that this can be somewhat daunting for beginners. I've already learned a few hard lessons, because quite a bit of the literature I have had available leaves out some of the small details. I am often confused. I could have used a better guide, especially right in the beginning.
Regardless, my time with the Chief is something I am sure I am going to want to remember for the rest of my life, and I thought a blog of our adventures would be an excellent way to do that. Friends and family can follow our successes and failures, and perhaps you can learn a bit about fly fishing and avoid our mistakes. Maybe, it will make it easier for you to get started, or if you are experienced, you can just laugh at my mistakes. Either way, I hope you find this helpful.
For what it is worth, I've enjoyed this so much at this point, that I don't think I want to fish any other way, so long as the conditions permit it. Well, I might be interested in sitting on and old dock with a cane pole and bobber, but I suspect I will have a fly rod nearby when I do!
ABOUT UNCLE FUP
Nope. My real name is not Fup. My nephew bestowed that moniker on me unable to pronounce my given name correctly, and having reached middle age never having had an interesting nickname, I've embraced it and not tried to correct him.
I am a Kentucky-native, having lived here all of my life. I've been to every state but four at the time of writing, and three continents. I enjoy most outdoor activities, but rarely have the time do all of the things I would like.
