As a writer/blogger, the chance meeting of many amazing people is common. I have, through networking, met so many cool folks in places that either I have never visited, or will most likely drop in on at some point. But there is one element to making friends in the world of fly fishing that is elusive. The story is common. You meet someone who fly fishes...you hook up and fish together...this is almost mandatory. But what do you do when you make a friend and they are hundreds of miles away?
Well...I came up with this plan....
I became friends with fellow angler Steve Zakur through the Outdoor Blogger Network. He and I are the same age and have amazingly similar approaches to both our crafts, angling and writing. So I thought...what the heck, lets go fishing.
But how, you ask, could you do that if he is hundreds of miles away? Fear not! The resourseful one here at The Perfect Drift contacted Steve. He would fish his water, I would fish mine, we would use the same flies, and then put out a combined report. He would be on the legendary Housatonic River, and I...I would find myself in God's Southern Holy Cathedral...The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
So here is how the report is gonna go...
Over the next couple of days, I will be combining Steves Report with mine as if we were together. The text will be presented in somewhat of a script. Here is an example...
Steve: Nice catch Marc!
Marc: Gee thanks Steve!
Marc: Do you have another Parachute Adams? I seem to have lodged my last one in the back of my head!
Steve: Of course! Here take two in case you once again impail yourself!
Marc: Thanks Steve!
I think you get the picture.
We each used Parachute Adams for dries, and Pheasant Tails for subsurface. Generic flies to be sure...but as you will read over the coming days....very effective.
Here are my friend Steve's opening remarks:
Fishing with Marc
Marc and I first met when we were both competing for the Trout Unlimited bloggers contest on the Outdoor Blogger Network. We’re both non-winners garnering not even an honorable mention (a point about which we both remain remarkably less than bitter. See, there’s that sarcasm again). But perhaps we took away from that event something more profound that an all expense paid trip to Montana.
From a blogging perspective we’re kindred spirts. Our blogs seem to have a similar mix of reports, commentary and sarcasm. And we both seem to enjoy fishing the same kind of water. Sure, we’ll fish a Blue Ribbon fishery if we get the chance but we do share an affinity for smaller streams that wander through rugged terrain.
Marc’s backyard is the western edge of the Smokies. Mine is the Housatonic. And yet, Marc suggested we fish together some weekend. And so we did last Sunday. While we were fishing on two streams hundreds of miles apart, in a stroke of brilliance Marc suggested that the way to connect the two experiences was to fish the same flies. It’s something I think of as a Two-Fly Trip.
The idea of Two Fly is to select a surface and subsurface fly and fish them exclusively. Beyond that, there’re no rules. Enjoy some time on the water. Catch fish. We then agreed to collaborate on a report. That report is below. We hope you enjoy our first Two Fly trip. I hope there are more to come.
You can read Steve's outstanding Blog here: http://sippingemergers.blogspot.com/
Tomorrow: WE GO FISHING!!!!!!!!!!
