Phil Monahan: "Should I Teach My Wife To Fly Fish?"
- This topic has 9 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Sep 9, 2013 at 10:26 am by
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Our old friend Phil has some excellent thoughts on this over on Midcurrent:
http://midcurrent.com/experts/should-i-teach-my-wife-to-fly-fish/
Phil’s takeaway: teach her if she wants to learn, but don’t do it yourself. Which is pretty much how I come down as well (although I’m currently teaching my girlfriend).
Zach
I taught my wife years ago thinking that I would love to have her on the water with me. She now appears to be a better caster and usually out-fishes me!
She’s my best friend and we love to fish together.
Kelly.
Great article, but it misses one important point. Be careful to time your marriage properly with the right person. If the wife doesn’t become an avid angler then anniversaries and birthdays can become obstacles if they coincide with prime fishing seasons. Spring and Fall are prime times in the northern hemisphere and when available days to fish are scarce, you don’t want an anniversary or birthday in the way. There’s a bit of a window out here in the northwest in June-July during runoff, but since timing and duration of runoff is variable, anniversaries or birthdays during this period can be risky. I always advise young fly fishermen to marry someone born in the dead of winter during the dead of winter. Even if the wife becomes an avid angler, it’s much easier to forego a December midge hatch than it is that Mother’s Day Caddis hatch or Streamers in the Fall. I know this from experience. After 42 years of marriage, that May 2nd anniversary and Sept 7th birthday still sometimes gets in the way of an opportunity for a good fishing trip.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
All in timing and family dynamics. Lesson #1, I had a buddy teach his wife, she fell in love with fly fishing. Then they drew a permit to float the middle fork of the salmon. He said all he heard for thee days was, “Back-row, back-row sweet heart” so she could hit the good holes. Lesson #2, How old are the kids? Not all streams and rivers work for a family outing. Who will end up watching the kids, you or your Wife. Lesson #3, Once Kids are old enough, They will keep asking when they can go next, so why not bring the wife along.
Of course you should give it a try. But I would talk with her as see if she might be not only interested in fly fishing but photography as well. Since trout, generally do not live in ugly places, the camera has its place and either interest will have you both looking forward to the next trip.
I love this thread and by all means teach her to fish. My bride of 36 years got started and is the best fishing partner.
MartyAttachments:
A couple more fishing, while you are at it teach her to hunt also,
MartyAttachments:
Guys I have the full package here. One of these pictures I suppose borders on spousal abuse? I am so lucky and I wish you the best,
MartyAttachments:
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