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                 

Lower Mountain Fork River/Beavers Bend State Park Fly Selection Guide

I found this posted on the Beavers Bend Fly Shop Forum, and thought it was too valuable not to share here. If you're planning a trip to the Lower Mountain Fork River in Southeastern Oklahoma, this is essential information. I have it as a Word document as well, and if you contact me at castyourcaresaway@gmail.com  I'll be more than happy to email this list to you.  

This, along with A First Timer's Guide to the Lower Mountain Fork River by Untamed Outdoors, and you'll be set for your trip!                  

         Lower Mountain Fork River Fly Selection Guide
 

FLY PATTERNS THAT CATCH FISH YEAR ROUND:

Near Deere
Bead Head Pheasant Tails (Size: 14-18)
Hares Ear (Size: 14-18)
Orange Soft Hackles (Size: 16-18)
Red Hackles (Size: 16-18)
Bead Headed Wollybuggers (Colors: Olive, White, Black, Rust) (Size: 10-20, I like Big WB’S)
Black Midges (Size: 12-22)
Red Midges (Size: 12-22)
Blue Winged Olive (Size:16-22)
Sulpher (Size: )
Cahill (Size: 18-22)
San Juan Worm

Patterns more specific to the season, hatches etc:

January:

Hatches: Baetis, Blue Winged Olive, Light Cahill, Midge
Flies to use: Pheasant tails, Red Fox Squirrel, San Juan worm, Egg Patterns, Griffiths Gnat, Adult Caddis, Emergers


February:

Hatches: Mayflies, Midges, March Brown
Flies to use: March Browns, Bead Headed Black and Red Midges (size 12-14), San Juan worms, egg patterns, Griffiths gnat, CDC, Emerger Patterns, Soft hackle

March:

Hatches: Blue winged Olive, Midges
Wet Flies to use: Soft Hackle, Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Egg patterns, Red Fox squirrels, crane fly 

Dry Flies to use: Griffiths Gnats, Hares Ears, March Brown (mayfly), Blue Winged Olive (mayfly)
Flies to use: Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams, Thread Midges, and Caddis Pupae Flies, Soft Hackles, Midges, Hares ears, Pheasant tails, Prince nymphs


April:

Hatches: Flying Ants, Caddis, Mayflies, Crane flies, Midges
Flies to use: Red Soft Hackle, Elk Hair Caddis, Midges, Ants,

May:

Hatches: Baetis, Beetles ,Blue Winged Olive, Brown Caddis, March Brown ,Tan Caddis
Wet flies (nymphs) to use: Cream Colored Soft Hackles, Nymphs, Adam Parachutes 12-16, Hare's ear Nymphs, Elk hair caddis
Dry flies to use: CDC Caddis and CDC Mayfly Emergers, EHC, Adam Parachutes


June:

Hatches: Mayfly, PMD's, Sulphurs
Flies to use: Grasshoppers, Ants, Midges, Mayflies, Caddis

July:

Hatches: Mayflies, Midges
Flies to use: Copper Johns, Griffiths Gnats, EHC, Ants, Griffiths Gnats, Soft Hackles, Hoppers, Soft Hackles

August:

Hatches: Midge, Hexagenia, Caddis, Mayflies, Mosquitoes
Dry Flies: Caddis and Mayflies (including dry, emergers, and cripples)
Flies to use: Soft Hackles, Midges, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Small Mayfly Imitations, Caddis Pupae, Emergers



September:

Hatches: PMD/s, BWO's Yellow Sally, Grass Hoppers and Katy-Dids, Hexagenia Mayflies
Wet flies (nymphs) to use: Green Bead Head Caddis Nymph imitations in about size 14-16, Egg patterns, San Juan Worm, Various Soft Hackles, Light Cahill, Grasshopper, Ant, Hex Nymph
Dry flies to use: Stimulators on a size 10 hook, Elk hair Caddis, Hex

October:

Hatches: Caddis, Grey Mayflies, Blue Quills Blue Winged Olives Midges, Sulfurs
Flies to use: Miracle Midge, Zebra Midge, Egg Patterns, San Juan Worm

November:

Hatches: Small Tan Caddis, Small Black Caddis, Midges
Flies to use: Thread Midges, Caddis Emergers, spiders, Copper John, Egg Patterns, San Juan Worms

December:

Hatches: Black Caddis, Blue Winged Olives (mayfly) and Midges.
Flies to use: Emergers, Caddis, Mayfly, Midges, Egg patterns
Dry flies to use: Griffiths Gnat, Blue Winged Olive, Black Caddis

I hope you've found this useful,

Tight Lines!

Shawn