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Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing
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I always wanted to write a book and decided to write it online. "Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing". This is not an attempt at a serious fishing book, more a collection of stories, experiences, and helpful information for beginners and old lags alike. I would appreciate your comments, suggestions or help with factual information. Feel free to contact me anytime you have something to contribute. This could be fun!
Introduction
I have spent many long and enjoyable hours beside, in and on the rivers and lochs of Scotland and savoured each moment as the swish of rod and splash of water lulled me into a meditative state. Some times the sense of relaxation and oneness with the surroundings that I seek while fishing takes a little time to achieve, it all depends on how much baggage your are carrying in your life at any given time. Sometimes and in some places the meditative state comes quickly and that condition is what I seek from my fishing, a near blank mind free of worldly thoughts unconsciously focused on fishing while I hum a silly ditty to keep external thoughts at bay.
With the exception of those few occasions where a fish takes almost immediately I find that it is when I reach the clear mind state I start to catch fish. You cannot force this condition of mind, it happens of its own accord. Some times I deliberately sing one of my fishing songs, an eclectic mix ranging from 'Puppet on a String' to excerpts from Hyden's 'Creation', but the music unconsciously fades to the background and the bone gnawing over work, the neighbours or finances soon bubbles to the surface. It is the medicine of the flowing stream, the smell of wild flowers and blossom, pine needles and damp soil after rain, the sounds of the natural world that clears the mind of worldly cares. Then and only then the mind is focused on the art of fishing. When you intuitively know the fly is fishing well; where, how deep, how fast and how right it is for the fish.
At these times you are at one with your fishing rod. With sense honed you feel the river through your rod and line, sense the fish, sense the take, even, on occasion, anticipate the take. This is the state I describe as angling Zen. Everything you are, everything you feel and do by the river or loch contributes to this state of mind. There is no single road to this angling heaven, no single trigger, you just need to open yourself to what nature offers and bask in its soothing warmth.
This book is not intended as a scholarly tome nor is it meant to fill you with brilliant angling theories and techniques. I am just an ordinary angler who has been blessed enough to find himself by the waterside, on occasion lucky, sometimes skilful, often patient. All I aim to achieve here is to pass on to you some of my experiences that have combined to bring me to my Zen place when I am fishing and hope that this might help you to find your sense of place in turn.
Lesson one 'grasshopper', learn that you cannot force your way to this Zen condition, it will find you.
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