[Bright Rivers]

All of my posts are tagged with the following quote: "If I don't catch them today, I'll catch them another day." It comes from the book Bright Rivers (my userID) by Nick Lyons, my favorite book about flyfishing (or about anything for that matter). Following is more an exerpt than a quote, but I'd like to take this opportunity to put my tag line in context:

"There is another reason Art spends less time on the water today. It's not his age; I'm nearly thirty years his junior and he'll wear me out any day. 'Lots of times,' he told me confidentially, 'when March Browns or Gray Foxes are on the water, I'll be on the stream in the late morning or afternoon, when they should be coming. But if they don't I think of my long-suffering wife' - he has one, too! - 'who has never said one word about my fishing, or when I should or shouldn't fish, in fifty years.' Mine has. 'I just haven't got the heart to stay out on the stream anymore, and lots of times now the flies will come after I've gone home to dinner. Back in the old days, I'd want to be there. I wouldn't miss one minute of it. But I've gotten over that feeling.' He pauses reflectively, then adds, 'If I don't catch them today, I'll catch them another day.' Art Flick, fisherman, usually does."

I have a wife and two kids now, and they are my first love (followed closely by flyfishing). Art Flick's sentiments are mine exactly.

db

 

[Bright Rivers]

Patrick --

It's better to learn the hard way that not learn at all, I guess. I tried to respond to you via e-mail but it was returned as undeliverable. Regarding "Bright Rivers," the book is out of print. I just checked Amazon.com and they have a used one for $6 that will ship in 2 business days. Mine is a limited edition leather-bound collector's edition (signed by the author :BIGSMILE) from Easton Press. I think they still have them, but they're slightly more spendy at $50. I hope you can get your hands on a copy as it will be worth your while. Nick Lyons has been called "the master of frustration." He speaks "for the poor guy who sits in his office all year dreaming, gets out for only two weeks a year, and then bungles everything." Very entertaining read.

db