Auspicious Beginnings

by Mark Denovich
(Pittsburgh, PA)

The USPS smiled upon me and delivered a Nissin Airstage 390, before noon. Recently I got a hot tip on where to find some brookies... somewhere where sanitary sewers don't drain straight into the water. So I loaded up the car and headed for the hills.

The pool I found was almost too good to use while I got the feel for the new rod. My worries were misplaced, I put the fly right where I wanted it. A few casts later I put it where a lovely native brookie wanted it and it was "fish on!"

I was so pleased with myself, the rod, the world, I almost wanted to pack up my gear and go home on a high note. But I stuck around, and I'm glad I did. I found another nice brook trout and 3 smaller ones, leaving only one fly behind in the trees.

I'm really pleased with the Air Stage 390. Light, crisp, well-damped... nearly every cast was delivered on target. I found that I quickly began fishing differently. With my improved placement I could pick apart the stream.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.