Last Friday night, I returned from a wonderful fly-fishing trip to the White Mountains. On Saturday morning, I was greeted with Billy Baker’s front-page story “Fly-fishing with the star of the cast,” recounting his day with Tom Rosenbauer of Orvis fly fishing.
With due respect to Rosenbauer, I am self-taught, having gone out with guides a few times in my 50 years of fishing, primarily to find the best spots. The advice I got then, and think of when I’m getting skunked, is “That’s why they call it fishing and not catching.” Also, as a woman, for years I was seen as a novelty on the water, so Baker’s Brad Pitt in “A River Runs Through It” thing didn’t apply.
True, like any sport, there is a lot of peripheral unnecessary equipment that can drive up the cost. Yet once outfitted, I’ve found that gear lasts many years. Unlike golf, for example, there’s no entry fee to the water. Even Orvis has outlet stores.
My casting is not elegant. I use wind direction or the river flow to counter this. In addition, fly casters are sensitive to and knowledgeable about the environment. The sport requires it. It’s a great thing to teach kids (including my own).
Finally, let’s not forget the feeling of being out on the water. Like Rosenbauer, I can fish for hours at a time, even forgetting that my fingers are freezing. There is a Zen. The organization Project Healing Waters helps give that feeling to disabled veterans through fly-fishing to aid in physical and emotional well-being.
Maxine Dolle
Brookline
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