Thoughts on Fishing...

This page is dedicated to a portion of the insight gained from being waterside for 36 years of my 47 years in Natures Big Office. Nature is an incredibly large office...Have a seat and enjoy!

Fishing is not just catching, it is the process and all that nature allows us to be a part of while we are fishing. This thing we call fishing, the sport we all enjoy immensely, is a learning experience. The sport is a combination of great things....The dynamics of the river and surrounding landscapes, the cast, the bugs, the swing, the drift, the flora, fauna and birds, the camaraderie with others and the solitude of none.

The knowledge I have gained over the years is a compilation of personal experiences from leaning over the shoulders of others, trial and error, 10 mile walks, twenty mile drifts and asking questions. Although I would like to give myself credit for all the knowledge I have... that would be fairly egotistical. So with all that said....Help the youngens feel welcome and if you can't be friendly to the fellow fisher, don't say anything at all

We suggest you experience being waterside in reality. Make it a point to visit a different watershed each year while continuing to fish your favorite home waters on a regular basis.   Jack Mitchell, The Evening Hatch

 

Below are a couple 'thoughts on fishing' .... more to come!

#1 - Arteries of the Earth
A good friend recently told me that river rambling is a worthy pursuit. It was a validation of my last 20 years. Not that I needed validation, but somehow it helped qualify my desire, twenty years into the love affair. Perfect. Clear. Concise.

Passionate endeavors can be misconstrued. I love my work. Is that bad or good? Most would say that is awesome. If you think it isn't 'a good thing' to love your work, well then... It is what it is.

Watersheds are so dynamic, powerful and fragile in the same sentence. The entire earth depends on water; Flora, fauna, drinking water, spawning beds, rainforests, shrub steppe, transportation, photosynthesis. It might be a bit overwhelming to list all factors that watersheds affect especially when sometimes all I want to do is double spey a fly out into a broad riffle/run. How selfish is that?

Tailwaters are wonderful fisheries, but deep in my heart the freestone river is incredibly special. An unencumbered watershed is more romantic. Simply navigating the river is inspirational. Now let's cast a fly into likely waters, surmise the insects of the day and release a wild and possibly indigenous fish back into the flow. How cool is that?

Cool stuff at times doesn't come easy and is not without a price. It is easy to point fingers and accuse everyone else be it the big companies, special user groups, small companies, and the like for the decline in habitat our waterways face. With all that said, the problem we face requires a joint effort from all user groups and we cannot continue to point fingers. We all have to cast our fly where it counts! - jm

 

#2 - The Pulse of Nature
The rain was relentless and the river rose accordingly. The cloud cover was dense. Thick like a pea soup. The power a river possesses as it cuts and weaves through the landscape of the earth is truly remarkable. So remarkable that man has harnessed this power. Who said that was a good idea?

A river like spring gushed out of a basalt wall, liking a bleeding aquifer. I could only imagine what the headwater streams flowed like as the deluge continued. Nestled riverside in the trees and enjoying a bit of hot food, we relaxed watching mother nature sweat as logs and other debris traveled the artery. It was time to continue down river as the power of this river looked to be increasing. We boarded the drifter and shoved off.

At this point, the river was not dangerous under the guise of an experienced oarsman. The water flowed like wonka chocolate. Steep canyon walls of basalt and orchard like natural groves of scrub oak painted the riverside.The water lapping against the side of the drifter was almost rhythmic. Therapy comes in many forms for the open minded individual. There is something peaceful about a river that is changing. The cloud cover continued its 'rain on the parade' with no end in sight. It seemed as we were the only ones alive. Not a sole to be seen, nor a road to be heard. Mother nature has a way of humbling humankind. Man has tirelessly tried to control the natural dynamics of the earth, ultimately to no avail. There was no controlling the river we were on as it was swelling from top to bottom. Sheer power with no on/off switch. Beautiful yet unpredictable. The only taming would be from the hand of the earth

The landscape was full of wildlife yet they were hidden; tucked away under a canopy weathering the storm. Brother bear, in his infinite wisdom, was close to a long sleep. The deer were hunkered and hidden knowing they were easy targets while their sense of smell compromised. The cougar, hungry and stealthy, was most definitely on the prowl. The golden eagle and his bald cousin were drying wings in anticipation of pursuit. And us, we were floating one of mother earth's arteries surrounded by the pulse of nature.

Progress was quick. Not like nascar, but resembling a road rally. The dodging of logs and other debris was becoming a nuisance. The precipitation lightened for only a short time, only to resume at its previous pace. This day was not made for photography, yet it was stunning in a gray way. I felt lucky to witness such an awesome display of nature. It was beautiful. Not picture like beauty, but life like beauty.

Where does the day go when you are surrounded by natures simple song. It sails by, as does the hawk; almost surreal. How fortunate we are to experience life face on. I for one, will never quit.

 

#3 - River Roads
Have you ever noticed how time flies (fast) when traveling alongside a river? No wonder my wife gets a bit nervous when I am driving as my focus tends to sway from the pavement to the flows and turns of the river.

It is apparent that building roads alongside a river was not the smartest construction as it impeded the natural progression of the flood plain; however in the same breath, riverside roads are 'kinda' dynamic and romantic.

No matter how familiar you are with the 'river road', and no matter how many times you have traveled its' generally windy path, the journey always seems quicker. How cool is that?

 

509.773.3460 or 509.962.5959
Copyright 2009 - Mitchell's,The Evening Hatch Inc. - Elllensburg, WA 98926
Web site created and maintained by The Evening Hatch and Magic Web Solutions
Contact information ~ Visa and Mastercard accepted