I have spent the past few years fly fishing one of my local streams for
smallmouth bass. Like many fly fishermen I began my fatal attraction with fly fishing in pursuit of trout. Living in Michigan grants me the chance to fly fish for brook, rainbow and brown trout. All three species are residents in many of the streams. However, there is a bit of travel time involved in gaining access to the prime trout waters.
The incessant need to hit a stream to cast my fly rod around in pursuit of landing a game fish led me back to my childhood fishing roots. I grew up fishing the Huron River Watershed. Namely, I spent my entire summers as a youth in a row boat on a motor free
lake that was thriving with
largemouth bass, pike, and all sorts of
panfish. They say you can never go home again, but I have spent many S
unday mornings fly fishing the same watershed upon which I grew up.
My focus has changed with age from casting a worm on
bobbers for
largemouth to fly fishing a 2 fly rig under a strike indicator for
smallmouth bass. Regardless of my fishing method I have found that the item that I pursue is the same today as it was when I was 10 years old. It is good company and time well spent that I pursue. Tying flies all winter. Talking with my family and friends about our next trip. Researching new spots to try. Talking and joking as we put on our waders and assemble our fly rods. These are the truly great moments involved in my time fishing. The
smallmouth bass I may or may not catch are the rainbow after a wonderful shower.
A wonderful conclusion to the event.