Why I fly fish

Henry Winkler said it best when he said,  "The River is like a washing machine for my brain."   

That sums up why I fly fish in a nutshell. I started fly fishing in 1999. However, I didn't really get heavily into it until 2001-2002. I was going through a nasty divorce at the time with the mother of my two kids. She played all of the dirty tricks that heartless, immature women play in this situation.  She kept the kids from me when it was my time to visit them. She told the kids that I was a bad man, and that  "Daddy didn't love them anymore." You name it, she did it. So, I was constantly in court trying to fight for my visitation rights and to stay in their lives.

The only time that it wasn't on my mind 24/7  eating me alive. Was when I was on the water with my line tight. So, when it wasn't my weekend. I'd go fly fishing. When it was supposed to be my weekend and I couldn't get them for visitation. I'd especially go fly fishing. Needless to say, I kept the road hot between my home in Plano,TX and the Lower Mountain Fork River in Oklahoma.

I've tried to explain to many people the peace that fly fishing gives me. The just complete inner and outer calm that comes over me. It's hard to convey in words. I will say that if I hadn't discovered it right before such a difficult time in my life. I truly don't know if I would have made it though that awful period with my sanity intact. 

I've never felt closer to nature or God then when I'm in the river. No church experience has ever come close. Just being waist deep in the river. Feeling the power of the water moving against me. Having a fish hooked up, feeling it's strength as it fights to free itself. These are the things that I've tried and failed to explain to people when they ask me the question,"so why do you fly fish?"  Some still just can't understand that those Rainbows and Browns were and still are the only therapists I need.  

It was during one of my frequent trips to the Lower Mountain River during that difficult time. That I was just struck by a sudden and strong feeling that everything was going to be alright. I was fishing pretty far down into Zone 2 of the river watching two Crane fight over a smallish trout one had caught. When a light rain began to fall. It was there standing waist deep in the water. Watching that light rain pepper the surface of the water. When I knew that everything regarding my kids would be ok.

I'm happy to report that everything did in fact work itself out. To some degree at least. My son actually lives with myself and my new wife. Who is nothing short of an angel from heaven. He is 13 now. A straight "A's" honors student, and a three sport athlete. Baseball,football, and basketball. I say that things worked out to some degree, because my and my daughters relationship was forever damaged by my ex-wife's attempts at brainwashing and alienation from me. I see her now at least, but visits are spotty. I chalk some of that up to the fact she's a 15 year old too.

So, when stress at work gets to be too much. Or, I just need a "therapy session" I grab a fly rod and head to the water. Anyway..........that's "why I fly fish", and why I named this blog "Cast Your Cares Away", because that's literally what I feel like I do.


Tight Lines!

Shawn