What kind of Blog title is that? What is Hamilton talking about now? Answer: Three things best taught to your spouse by somebody else. I’m fortunate that my wife likes to walk the flats with me. I treat our time together on the flats as precious and do everything I can to make sure she enjoys the experience. Giving casting lessons while bonefish are approaching doesn’t qualify as “encouragement.” I’m thrilled to say that Kim is now catching bonefish on her own. She doesn’t need a guide or I to spot them, she knows where to put the fly, how to retrieve it and as with most women, is very good at the strip strike. What little assistance I’ve provided along the way is done on the lawn or windless days with no fish in sight. The more I am on the water, the more I realize how much women add to our sport. They tend to see the experience differently and their perspective can often be eye opening. Rather than measuring success in numbers their take away is often about the people, the environments beauty and a particular fish, all intertwined in a more complex story. I bring up the topic of female fishers because of a couple of recent encounters with women and the sport of fly fishing. The first instance was three weeks ago and occurred when I was set to float the Beaverhead River in Montana. My group arrived at the boat launch where I was introduced to Jen Taylor my guide for the day. Jen was assigned to me (I know, I felt sorry for her as well) as a result of the “guides draw” we had done the night before. It turned out to be a wonderful day on the river and since I was in a reflective mood (it was my 60th birthday) Jen followed my lead and took a more relaxed approach to the day, targeting rising fish with small dries. We had a great time together, she helped when I needed it and her enthusiasm for catching trout was contagious. I left at the end of the day with two impressions about her, first she was a true professional that knows her craft and second she was doing with her life exactly what she wanted. Not a bad bumper sticker…….Good at what I do and loving it! The next week, Kim and I were having breakfast in Redmond, Oregon when I noticed our waitress had a cast on her arm and asked “what happened?” “I broke my hand while fly fishing.” A girl, who broke her hand, fly fishing……..it doesn’t get much better than that. So down the pervervbial flowing river of conversation the three of us went. “How long have you been fly fishing?” “Where do you go?” “How did you get into the sport?” Between cups of coffee and pancakes the conversation never veered from the long rod and the small fly. But then she said, “And the other waitress is a keen fly fisher as well” “What?” Turns out they both love fly fishing and have been taught by their significant others. That began a lighthearted discussion about one spouse teaching the other to cast, drive a car or swing a golf club. I was firmly on the side that all three activities were best taught by those not intimately involved with the student……thus having a lot to lose. The three women were convinced that if only “we” taught them in a kind, considerate fashion without condemnation and criticism the lessons would go well. After 38 years of marriage I have learned that at this point it was time to keep my mouth shut. Bottom line is I was having breakfast with my wife, who is the best fishing partner anyone could have, talking with two waitresses who are fly fishing nuts, after just being guided on a famous Monatan trout stream by a woman who is as good a guide as any I have had. The answer as to who should be providing instruction remains up for debate, but I sure like having the girls on the “team.”
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