My husband was first introduced to the sport of fly-fishing as a boy while visiting his aunt at the fittingly named “Trout Club.” From the moment he first cast, he was hooked. I never tire of watching him as the line weaves back and forth in flight, landing effortlessly on the water, mimicking a may fly touching down. He began to tie his own flies shortly after, a true craft in itself, fascinating to watch. When my son was in third grade, he had a special teacher who was a fly fisherman. I asked my husband to make him a home-made fly as a teacher gift and my son presented it to him at the end of the year in a tidy white box. A gift from the heart. The design of feathers, combined with precise tying and gluing make this a hobby of precision. The result, when examined is indeed intricate in design. I have photographed below a series of flies, both store-bought and home-made for this week’s challenge.
“Fishing is the chance to wash one’s soul with pure air. It brings meekness and inspiration, reduces our egoism, soothes our troubles and shames our wickedness. It is discipline in the equality of men–for all men are equal before fish.”
“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.”
Quotes by Herbert Hoover, an avid fisherman
https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/intricate/
Beautiful captures. At least your Hubby has gone fly fishing, mine keeps making the flies (which means package after package arriving of exotic, brightly coloured “bits”), buying more rods, reels, outfits, magazine, books, etc, etc, but STILL has yet to cast a line… lucky he’s cute! 🙂
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So funny Joanne! I hope he takes to the waters one of these days to enjoy the fruits of his labor. .My husband has some machine for tying flies that looks like it is from a different era. When he is hunched over, deep in concentration, you would think this hobby is akin to brain surgery. Though I have to admit, very cool to create and use the flies. Thanks for reading!
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It is amazing how beautiful they are…Great post. Cheers
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Thank you Christopher. Yes, fly-fishing is a beautiful sport but sadly a bit of a lost art these days.
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They are beautiful, and even more so, what a wonderful gesture to give such a special gift…a wonderful lesson for your son 🙂 .
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Thank you Lola!
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Great post and beautiful capture. 🙂
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We have a box of fly-tying materials moldering in the closet, which I plan to produce, oh, about three months after he retires and starts trying to re-arrange the spice cupboards. Lovely photos.
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Thank you J.B.! Perhaps you can also present him with a small tie-flying vice for hours of creating. Anything to keep him out of the kitchen 🙂
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A handmade gift — always so nice to receive. Your post brought back memories of my brother, nine years older than me. He also tied his own flies. He showed me on one of our visits to Denver, the box of many compartments, with all the strings, feathers, doo dads, etc….and was quite proud. I really didn’t understand until he showed me the finished products. Works of art in themselves and what precision – yes, great word for it. Interesting, because I never thought of my brother as being very patient. One of the last phtos we have of him was taken at sunset….and he’s in his waders in the midst of a lake with mountains around him….you can see his shape and know it’s him. It was made into a large picture and framed and is in my sister-in-law’s living room. She sits in a chair that faces it all the time, reading or relaxing. There’s a poem about him in Cherished….thanks for jogging this memory! 🙂
lillian
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I read your poem. Absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking Lillian. Literally took my breath away. I am so sorry for your loss but am happy my story brought back a nice memory of your brother. I can see the photo of him in the waders in my mind…
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