First Trout

The Magic of My First TroutSaturday. Jerry parked the car and said, "Hey, there's
I grew up in Iowa fishing for catfish, bass, crappieFrank Aubon. Frank isone of the best fly fishermen I
and bullheads using some ofthe worst smelling baitsknow. He can teach you how to catch fish on a
you could imagine. But my father loved to hunt andflyrod." (Frank was from Maine and had been fly
fish sofishing some 40 years when I firstmet him.)
I went along. On one summer vacation to Oklahoma,Jerry introduced me to Frank and explained the
Dad stopped at the fish hatcheryin Bennett Springs,problem I was having with a fly rod.
MO.Frank said, "Come here and show me what you
I can still remember standing on the bridge watchingknow about casting." So Idropped a couple of
a fly fisherman gracefully casta dry fly upstream toreasonable overhand casts out onto the Creek. Frank
the base of the little dam feeding a pool by thelooked atme, "You know enough about basic casting,
hatchery. Onthe third cast, he hooked up with a nicewhat do you do with the fly when itis in the water?"
fat 12 to 14 inch rainbow that leapt outthe water 3"Frank, if I knew what the H--- to do with the fly
or 4 times trying to throw the hook.inthe water, I would be catching fish!", I said.
The fisherman prevailed and slipped the rainbow into"Come on and watch what I do." said Frank. Frank
his classic wicker creel withthe slot in the lid. (Back inshook out a little lineand let it drift downstream. Then
those days we ate a fish once in a while) Turninghe flipped a "Tension" cast backupstream. On the 3rd
tomy father, I asked what the fisherman was usingdrift, Frank hooked a nice bow right along the bank.
for bait. Dad said, "He isusing an artificial fly and notHe lookedat me and said, "Now you do it!" I tried to
bait." "Does it stink?", I asked.imitate Frank but no fish.
Dad laughed and said "No." Right then I knew oneFinally Frank asked me what I had been fishing. "Eggs
day I would become a fly fisherman. I was about 14on the bottom." Ireplied. "Fishing eggs on the bottom
at the time. I never touched stinky bait after that.is the same as fishing nymphs on thebottom", said
I would not take up fly fishing until 1969 some 15Frank. "You make a little J in the line just at the
years after first seeing it in thewaterline and watch it as you bounce the nymph on
Ozarks of Missouri. I had moved to Colorado to learnthe bottom. If the J twitches left orright or hesitates,
to ski and fly fish. Never didlearn to ski but I did learnraise the rod tip to set the hook. And don't rip the
to fly fish.rod tip up.
When I was starting out, there weren't a lot ofRemember that hook is only a quarter inch or less
classes, guides or instructors toteach fly fishing. Ilong to the bend. A gentle tipupis all that is needed."
purchased a cheap rod, reel, line and some flies fromThen Frank proceeded to demonstrate with two
a localsporting goods store. Then I read a lot ofmore fish.
books and practiced casting until I coulddo aI watched Frank and tried to imitate him with some
reasonable overhand cast.success. As I remember I caughtand released about
My first fish was a 2 lb. brookie caught on a brassie6 trout that Saturday. For me that was the best I
out of the famed South Platteriver. That was myhad ever donewith a fly rod. Frank and I fished
only fish on a fly rod for that whole season. For thetogether for some 5 years before loosing touchwith
next twoseasons, I caught exactly one fish a seasoneach other.
on a fly rod. I had upgraded myequipment so theBut I will never forget the gift of a lifetime fly fishing
casting was a lot more enjoyable.enjoyment you gave me
In 1972, I was back to drifting salmon eggs on theFrank. You were a good teacher and fine friend to
bottom with light spinning gearand was catching fish.wade the waters with.
But releasing them was killing a lot of them I knew.Whatever big river you are fishing in Heaven, I hope
Asdestiny would have it. A friend and I ended up onthe fish are huge and you arehaving a ball.
Bear Creek at O'Fallon Park one