For me, this time of year is often a time of sorting fly boxes. Rearranging, noting what needs to be tied, mentally giving priority to those patterns that seem to work, or at least did the last season or two.
I recently have come across some old fly boxes and old hook boxes that have a few experimental or forgotten flies in them. The above fly was found in such a box and I immediately recognized the fly. I originally had two such flies, the other long lost. The beauty of this fly is how it came into my possession on Laurence Lake (Oregon).
It speaks to the intent of this post: some fly fisher took the time to give me a couple of his hand tied creations as he came off the lake. By doing so he gave me a wonderful experience and planted a seed to pay it forward.
He’d had a particularly good day’s fishing. I had been struggling against the winds and really had no sense of what I was doing. I exchanged pleasantries. He asked how I was doing and I was honest. He was kind enough to pull out a tin box that had held cough lozenges, but now held his loose flies. He presented me with two yellow bodied, red tailed flies and told me the where, how and having given me the what, told me to have a nice afternoon. And, I did.
That kind of generosity has happened to me quite a few times and I have paid it forward every chance I get. Gentle pleasantries and when I see a receptive person, I pass on what ever help I can plus it almost always includes a few flies.
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