I think I fish, in part, because it's an anti-social, bohemian business that, when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstream culture without actually landing you in an institution. John Gierach More Quotes by John Gierach More Quotes From John Gierach Flyfishing does have its social aspects - on some of our crowded trout streams it can get too social - but esentially it's a solitary, contemplative sport. People are left alone with themselves in beautiful surroundings to try to accomplish something that seems to have genuine value. John Gierach sea beautiful sports Accurately recalling an entire day of fishing is like trying to push smoke back down a chimney, so you settle on these specific moments. John Gierach fishing sea lakes Trout aren't naturally as selective as they've become in crowded tailwaters - they've been trained to be like that by too much fishing pressure. I've seen tailwater fish that are so hysterical they'll refuse naturals. You wonder how they get enough to eat. John Gierach fishing sea lakes I like to do every operation the same way on each fly. In the course of tying a batch of flies, I might get an idea on how to do something differently, but try to save it to try out later rather than break my comfortable rhythm. I don't worry about forgetting it. In my experience good ideas stay with you, while bad ones go back to where they came from, and good riddance. John Gierach fishing sea lakes We do have to think seriously about conservation now, although it is chilling to realize there are catch-and-release fishermen alive today who don't know how to clean and fry a fish. John Gierach sea lakes thinking Successful trout fishing isn't a matter of brute force or even persistence, but something more like infiltration. John Gierach persistence successful lakes Fly tackle has improved considerably since 1676, when Charles Cotton advised anglers to 'fish fine and far off,' but no one has ever improved on that statement. John Gierach fishing sea lakes The things fishermen know about trout aren't facts but articles of faith. John Gierach fishing sea lakes Sure, it was your idea and your fly, but he caught the big fish. Remember, fairness is a human idea largely unknown in nature. John Gierach big-fish life ideas Luckily, though, there are still a few guys around who will look you straight in the eye and say, eloquently and to the point, ‘It’s been too goddamned hot for too long and the river has gone off.’ John Gierach eye rivers long I don't really know how to tie a fly until I've tied a hundred dozen of them. John Gierach fishing sea lakes Okay, I'm in the tampon aisle, but I don't see it. John Gierach aisle tampons okay
