Adventure Magazine

The Zen and the Art
of Fly fishing
Images courtesy of Orvis
Fly fishing means different things to different
people, but for those who participate a lot,
there becomes a time when it is less about
fishing and more about the process. Flyfishing
is like a spiritual temple for folks who
thrive on the unseen.
Before I started fly fishing (at an older age), I
dove headfirst into stories about this intriguing
pastime, I read everything I could get my
hands on, my wife still laughs at the number of
books that line our shelves. Some were about
the nitty-gritty techniques, while others delved
into the craft of creating those teeny-tiny lures
called "flies." And then, there were the tales
of fly-fishing as a journey of the soul. People
using it to relax, to untangle life's perplexities,
to be one with nature or simply find inner
peace. Somehow, fly fishing seemed to hold
the key to all of life's mysteries.
After a time of trying to perfect the craft on
my own, I decided to reach out to a local fly
fishing guru, John Summerville, (now sadly
passed). A hobbit of a man, full of life stories,
a twinkle in his eye, a packet of krispie
biscuits in one hand and a love of adventure
in the other.
We embarked on our fishing journey
equipped with boots, waders, and a sense
of exploration. We were venturing into the
unknown, deep into the heart of the local
bush, where no roads dared to tread. After
an hour of walking, we eventually emerged
beside a serene river, quietly undisturbed
flowing through a bush-covered landscape.
John stood in silence, eyes fixed on the
water's surface, searching for elusive fish
rising to catch mayflies.
We stood in silence too, not for the last time
and simply watched, John broke the silence,
sharing his evolution as an angler. It started
with catching fish, then catching many fish,
and eventually, catching bigger fish. But now,
his satisfaction now lay in helping others
achieve their piscine dreams.
46//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#240