Every year folks all over make new year resolutions. Some folks want to loose weight or quit smoking. Some will say they are going to get out of debt or build better relationships. One statistic says that only 40-45% of those who make a new year resolution actually attain it, although, those who make a resolution are actually ten times more likely to attain their goal than those who don't.
So, here is the way I have it figured: if I make ten or so resolutions I should be able to attain about four or five of them. I think those are pretty good odds so here are my resolutions for the new year.
1. Fish more - yes that's a pretty simple one but one I'm going to work hard at. Over the past four years I have been in college and had little time to fish. May 5th I graduate, Lord willing. This should free me up to fish more than I did last year. Plus, this semester I only have one class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Also, I have a new fishing partner that has a similar class schedule, so we hope to hit the water for a couple of hours on Friday mornings.
2. Salt Water Fly Fishing - We are planing a vacation to Florida this summer. My hope is to be able to fly fish for some Redfish and Sea Trout while we are there. We will see what happens. Right now we are just praying for a similar hurricane season as last year.
3. Improve my rod making skills - I have only been making fly rods for a short time, and I need some considerable improvement. I have a rod under construction right now and I am searching through taper catalogs for the next one. I also hope to go and spend some time with a few of the rod makers in the area.
4. Improve my writing skills - In reading any of my posts, it will not take very long to notice that I am not a proficient writer. One of the reasons for starting this blog was to improve on my writing skills. I hope to see some of that happen this year.
5. Learn to tie flies - I have heard that this is addictive. That there are those who said, "I can handle just tying a fly here and there it's no big deal." The next thing you know they are attending fly tier's anonymous. I hope this is not my demise. I already have a book or two with patterns laid out in it, and I have been eye balling a vice at the Creel, which is a local fly shop I frequent.
6. Fish tailwaters more - Fishing a tailwater is something relatively new to me. I grew up in an
area where there are no tailwater streams like the ones in Tennessee. The tailwaters I grew up around were popular for their Smallmouth Bass and not their Trout. The Clinch River, a popular tailwater in this area, is only a few miles from where I live, but it is one of the toughest streams I have ever fished. I really want to get to the point where I can consistently catch fish. I know, I know, it's suppose to be all about being out in nature, but it's also nice to catch some fish from time to time.
7. Enter a fly casting competition - I have wanted to do this for a while now. So, I figured why not this year. Thankfully I found one close by. It doesn't cost a lot to enter, it goes to a good cause, and I could win a new fly rod. Troutfest raises money every year to give to the Great Smoky Mountian National Park fisheries department for brook trout restoration projects.
8. Improve my carping skills - Well, I will admit it, I have caught a carp on my fly rod. To some out there this nears on fly fishing blasphemy. For me it was a lot of fun and I hope to do it again. I am getting ready to order the book "Carp on the Fly: A Flyfishing Guide
9. Lose weight - Four years of studying has slowed me down a bit and in turn increased my girth. Hopefully all this extra fishing will help to slim me down some.
10. Fully explore my favorite stream back home in Virginia - It is sad to say, but one of my favorite streams, near my old home place, I have never explored it all the way to its source. My dad told me that when he was a boy he could catch his limit on its tributaries. I figure it needs some digging into and I plan to do just that. The only problem is the stream bed is slicker that snot on a door handle, so I need to find someone to go with me. This isn't an easy task. Every one of my friends tell me that there is nothing worth catching that high up in the national forest. My dad gets really aggravated with me when I fish that stream by my self, so this may be my hardest task on the list.
Well, there it is. My list of resolutions for the year. So now the question is turned to my readers, What are you resolved to do this year?
Matthew
Photo by: Nicholas_T
1 comment:
Most resolutions don't hold up because folks are great at setting goals, but less skilled at figuring out a way to reach them.
It's the process -- not the end product -- that's the tricky bit.
As for the Clinch, I used to head out and fish the monster Sulphur hatch every spring. That was big fun, but sadly, those days seem to be gone.
I did miss a couple of huge browns on streamers fishing with Ian Rutter (I think he ages five years every time I visit TN), but I gather it's still mostly a midge game there?
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