Pipe Dreams

So, I haven't written a blog post in a long time as I have been very busy with work just finishing up for the season a week or two ago. The majority of my free time however, has been spent fishing. I have also been working on getting my fishing career going. It has been a dream of mine for years now, so I'm just gonna run with it... You may think I'm crazy. But, I always say I'd rather be poor and enjoy life, than rich and miserable... On that note, I will continue to pursue a life and career in this crazy fly fishing game. The dry fly season came to an end weeks ago, and even the lake run season is beginning to slow down until Spring. This time of year is fly tying time for me. I have a few orders to get done. Then, its on to refilling my personal boxes and messing around with new patterns and ideas. All in all, this has been one of the best years I've ever fished in my life. My buddy's and I have visited many new streams and rivers. We camped, drank, laughed, lived, loved, and managed to make it back home in one piece. Its not about just fish, or fishing. Its about commraderie and sharing moments with friends while meeting new friends and sharing great moments with them as well. It can also be about solitude, and time to think. We still enjoy catching fish, but that's only part of the total package of fishing in my eyes. Some of you know what I'm talking about. Others will learn. There will also be some that could give a shit less and keep taking hero shots and nothing else. In the long run, if it were only about catching fish, I think it would get very boring and monotonous. We enjoy doing the leg work to find new streams, or new areas on familiar streams. Its funny when people want to know where we are in our pictures, like I'm just going to send them GPS coordinates. If you get out there, you can find these places just like us. I cannot tell you how much time I've spent staring at a gazetteer and various other maps, just to find new water to explore. It makes it even better to find your own beauty and solitude, than to have someone point you right to it. I'm not saying I've never told someone where to go. I'm also not saying that I haven't gone somewhere after someone told me to. Just put in a little time, and you will be greatly awarded. Another thing I advocate heavily is to not just fish when you go out. Check out your surroundings. We, as fisherpeople have the luxury of seeing some sights and meeting some folks that others may not in a lifetime. I can't tell you how many Bald Eagles I've seen this year alone! Along with the countless other wildlife and scenery that would just be a background to fishing if we didn't stop and slow down to take it all in. The beauty of nature is infinite, and it never ceases to amaze me. Just when you think you've seen it all, she lights another firework to provoke your sight and mind. Unreal. Enjoy the pics, and keep on keepin' on, Joe