There’s truly something cathartic about the repetitive motion of casting a fly. The trickle of the water over rocks has healing powers of its own, and catching the occasional trout lends a feeling of accomplishment that further enhances the catharsis.
That’s all just a fancy way of saying if you’re worried about any of the new strangeness that hasn’t really gone away after the pandemic, having to go back to work in the office, sick of high gas prices, or anything else, you need to go fishing.
And gas prices aren’t the only thing that’s gone up. Just about everything has risen along with it. It’ll still be a while before things get back to the way they were before the pandemic, and I think we’ll need to get out there on the water at every opportunity in order to keep ourselves sane.
It might still be hard for you to get away. Ever since all this weirdness started, there have been a lot of businesses that are short on help. If your company’s in that boat, it might be hard to get more than a couple days off. Or you might have to settle for short trips to places nearby, simply to save some money on fuel. But the benefit of a few hours spent fishing will be well worth the investment. And it’s a whole lot cheaper than a therapist.
Gather up a few boxes of flies, redress your line, and tie on a new tippet. Find some new places to go, if you haven’t explored those nearby areas yet. Or visit some of your old favorite holes.
It doesn’t really matter if you catch any fish or not, but it’s certainly better if you do. The important thing is to just get out there and get that arm moving between 10 and 2.
One way or another, get out there on the water. It’s good for your soul.
