All Good Things In All Good Times: An Idea About The Intangible.
Growing up on Cape Cod and spending a life on the water has been a privilege. Learning all about nature at a young age was more than a privilege, something like an exclusive right to life. Cape Cod always has a sight to admire from the sand dunes, striped bass cruising the shallows of wide expanse flats, muddy and vibrant green marshes, orange sunrises, crashing waves on the oceanside cliffs, baitfish a mile wide across blue water.
The main point of this post is to recognize an intangible quality that makes anglers successful. Over the years of guiding and meeting anglers from all over the world, there’s a certain kind of angler you notice after enough time on the flats while sight fishing and the successful anglers have a common thread between them. Those who are grateful for the all encompassing experience of the hunt that is sight fishing.
Because of their attitude of gratitude, it seems they don’t move quickly. They’re not trying to force anything. They walk with intention, stop often, and spend more time watching than casting. When something doesn’t go right, it doesn’t follow them for long. It’s not that they don’t care about the catch. They do. But they understand that what’s happening out there is a little more involved than just the outcome. Learning from every interaction had with either the target species or passing by wildlife. Over time, these interactions become the whole thing. Not separate from the fishing, but the core of it.
Why is this important to mention?
Learning to bring in that “smell the roses” awareness doesn’t come from trying harder. If anything, it comes from letting go of the need to control the outcome. Allowing you to process more information and absorbing the teachings from nature.
Referencing a very insightful book by Jonathan Olch named “A Passion for Permit”, there's a story that is very compelling about a long time salmon guide that believes the fish in the river can feel your energy. For example, if you are in the water wanting to catch a fish so bad, that the salmon will feel that. On the contrary, if you are relaxed and enjoying the river's offerings, he claims that you can almost feel the moment that a salmon is going to take your fly on the swing.
This has to be true on the flats. Taming your energy to a vibration that doesn’t reverberate against the natural rhythms of nature around you can only make you blend in more, be stealthier and more in tune.
In guiding we often talk about trying to create the space for the client and relax them into an interaction with a wild animal. We all know in sight fishing you can do everything right and it might not work or vice versa, but when it comes together it's almost like it's meant to be. As if ‘“All Good Things In All Good Time” manifests itself. So next time when your on the hunt, take it all in and remind yourself of the privilege to be out there.