2021 to 2024 lost interest

 Health issues, a shoulder injury and a new job have slowed down my fishing exploits considerably. Some where between my psyche, (soul, mind, or spirit) and my love of fishing, I lost interest in going fishing. I never thought that would be possible. I had lost a good friend and fishing buddy, and it just did not seem like I would enjoy the experiences of the past.

So I found myself making excuses for not putting a line in the water. I'm busy this weekend. I'd rather be watching football. It's raining to much, the stream will be blown out. I should visit my mom. So many excuses for avoiding my sport. Then days became weeks and weeks became years and here I am thinking about the satisfaction my past fishing had given me. The stream is calling me, as I write this blog, instead of putting my gear in the vehicle and going fishing for possibly the first time in about three years.

Now where did i put my fly rod?

Working For the DEC of NY

 In February of 2021 I had acquired a position of maintenance at the Lima DEC department of environmental conservation. It was a dramatic change from sitting behind a graphics computer. I cut lawns and picked up trash at several boat launch locations. I even helped clear trees for a pond levy project. I enjoyed doing this job until the it ended abruptly in October that year. Meanwhile at home I found time to tie flies and even made a fly tying station out of english walnut. There was some fishing in both Cohocton and Naples.

May 14th of 2021 there was an outing with an old friend who met me at Oatka. We fished late in the day and caught up on some things.  The evening brought out the spinners and some nice early evening sunlight. 

 Brian brought his nice camera and took some great photos. I still have thoughts of rising trout and chasing the current with an elk hair caddis dry.

May 21st i took my wife Kim back to Oatka in the late afternoon. I gave her a choice of fishing spots. She chose a calm pool and I went upstream to fish the fast water. She made the correct option. Within minutes she hooked up and i had to walk back downstream to record her catch. We fished that pool the rest of the evening. It made for a very pleasant closeness to the stream and my lovely wife.