Skipper Bruce and my new fly-fishing career!

Another piece of chapter 1 of Fishing For Reality.  It was a unique experience hooking my first ever Atlantic salmon at age 12 but the scene is set below...stay tuned for what actually happened on day 1 of my new fly-fishing career over 25 years ago! Wow...where does the time go?!

pmw

 

Childhood and Youth Memoirs

Mother Nature offers a place of peace and tranquility, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Those, who can relate, know what we mean by the term “the great outdoors.”  I have spoken to many retired individuals who claim that if they could do it all again, they would make more time for fun with nature, smelling the roses along the way.  There is something to be said about Mother Nature…and childhood. 

Amazingly we can remember childhood experiences when someone made us feel super special.  With my father working on the United States Naval Base (Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador) as a civilian, and my mother a stay-at-home Mom helping to raise my brother and me, I was the perfect protégé for “Mr. Mike”, as many of the locals called him.   

Skipper Bruce was one of these extraordinary human beings who could “hook” anyone on his solid presence, dazzling personality, charisma, leadership and unusual kindness.  As a young boy of about five or six years old, I remember driving with him in his green Dodge car, as he revved up the engine saying to the slow drivers, “COME ON! Drive it or park it! Get out of our way!”  Of course, he did this for fun to impress me.  I liked it when his voice rose as if he meant serious business.  As safety was a major concept in his life philosophy I knew it was only for my amusement. 

Seatbelt on, I could barely see over the dash.  Away we went to our destination.  There we were in the real classroom of life, learning about the things that matter most.  I am certain that he learned, too, because he always commented that we learn best by experience and through teaching others.  Those that teach, learn best.  When we struggle to make something clear for another we help it make better sense for ourselves.  Skipper Bruce was rarely, if ever, stuck for the right words at the right time in helping someone. 

I vividly remember that day as if it were yesterday, when Skipper Bruce and I first decided to try fly-fishing for Atlantic salmon.  Being only twelve years old, I was ready for action.  While many of my friends in junior high school were wrapped up in their girlfriends and preliminary teenage temptation experiences, I was engrossed in my other classroom of learning with Mother Nature and, Skipper Bruce.  

In some areas of the world, a fly-fishing angler can use bait, lures, and other contraptions to fish Atlantic salmon.  In Newfoundland and Labrador where I grew up, it is “fly-fishing only”, as a means of conservation.  More importantly, I see it as the ultimate challenge, hooking and landing an often acrobatic Atlantic salmon on a fly rod.  The Atlantic salmon is anadromous.  As an adult it first spends its life in the ocean, feeding for survival and its journey ahead.  When Mother Nature calls, it arrives in its river of origin to pass on the ultimate gift for future salmon generations.  The Atlantic salmon lives in fresh and salt (sea) water during its life cycle, a unique combination for a life species. 

During those early years of fly-fishing adventures, many changes were happening in the salmon fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.  Conservation measures were implemented and pressed on everyone to help prevent future extinction of the Atlantic salmon stocks.  Simultaneously, Mother Nature had her own agenda.  The rivers on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland were often low and warm; often they were closed to fly-fishing.  Nevertheless, I kept my positive attitude toward my new sport, as Skipper Bruce had told me to do so, especially after our first attempt at the new adventure.

The Northeast River just outside of my hometown, Dunville, was a raging flood on our opening day.  We had our fly rods, salmon licenses, leader material to attach fly to fly line and, of course, our new selection of artificial Atlantic salmon flies.  Skipper Bruce took me to fish a section of the river where many youth, including me, would swim in the summertime.  There was a huge cliff on the other side of the river with trees overhanging, having been washed out from the torrential rain.  I remember swimming there as a teenager, doing jumps, belly flops and dives off the main rock.  On this day though, we meant business - fishing business that is. 

When we got to the river it was evident that Mother Nature had been at work because the river was extremely high and there were many tributaries.  Here salmon could swim more easily.  Oftentimes fish take the path of least resistance.  This is a life philosophy applicable to us all on occasion: when you must, take the path of least resistance.