Fishing & Karma: Finding Peace and Purpose on the Water

One thing I tend to believe in it is Karma, for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful. (good or bad) It is one of the many things that influence my decision making in life to include fishing.
As some of you who know me I try to get out when I can to help groups like Casting for Recovery, TU, and Project Healing Waters. This weekend I had a chance to go fishing with some vets in the Project Healing Water?s group from Denver. We met at Rainbow Falls http://www.rainbowfallsmt.com/ I was paired up with John who had gone through the PHWFF fly tying class. He was rigged up with a wooley bugger he had tied in class and was fairly new to fly fishing. I added some weight to the rig to get the line down a little farther in the lake we were fishing and gave him some pointers on casting. Like most people he was fairly good at casting and would forget to stop his arm on the back cast sometimes but he was getting the fly out there which is the important part. After a while we took a short break and I tied on one of the glow in the dark san juan worms he had also tied in his fly tying class and hooked him up with an indicator and explained that it was just like a bobber, if it moved or sank he wanted to set the hook. After his third cast a rainbow trout hit it and never looked back. After several runs and a few jumps we landed his first fish of the day. The fly was destroyed. Luckily he had like 6 of the flies so I tied on another one. This time we got 2 fish out of it before it was totally destroyed. He had just the worms in there without a hook also... even had burnt ends. So I overhand knotted it on his hook and Bam another one. The lunch bell rang and we headed back with a few fish under his belt and some confidence in a fly he tied.

After lunch John said he had to get back to Denver and they were leaving early. The vets that stuck around all had someone fishing with them so I was able to get some time on the water. I was targeting some bigger trout with a modified Amy?s Ant pattern a buddy of mine gave me. Right away I catch a 21? brown trout.

A few minutes after that I did one of those casts where I didn?t stop my back cast properly and broke it off on the bushes behind me. So I switched to another buddy?s fly pattern a skeletor a very effective white streamer pattern. I soon caught 3 rainbows 18?, 20?, and a 23? on my way out.

Was a great day on the water with some great people. I got to help out a fellow veteran and catch some great trout. If you get a chance try to effect someone or your fishing with some good Karma; help someone on the lake who is struggling by giving them a fly or a lure, pick up some trash someone left behind to make it more enjoyable for the next person or when you come back, or volunteer with one of the many fishing support groups out there. It won?t go unrewarded.

Float Tubing Adventures in the High Country: A Fishing Perspective

Fenwick HMX Fly Rod Review: Performance & Design Analysis

Fly Fishing: The Enduring Appeal of Fishing: Relaxation and Stress Relief; British Columbia Fly Fishing Lodges: Unforgettable Wilderness Adventures; Fly Fishing Vacations: A Guide to Casting & Catching; Essential Fishing Tips for a Successful & Enjoyable Trip; Florida Tarpon Fishing: Spring Adventures in the Keys; Fly Fishing Lanyards: Hands-Free Tool Access for Anglers; British Columbia Fly Fishing Trips: Adventure Awaits; Early Season Small Stream Fishing Report & Conditions; Fly Fishing & Bipolar Disorder: A Personal Reflection - October 10th

Outdoor Sports

Effective Leech Baits for Bass, Walleye & Trout: Tips & Techniques

Good Vibrations The wings of Evolve’s VibraGrub flap so naturally in current that smallies and wal

Protecting Hunting & Fishing Rights: Congress Under Pressure

It’s now or never for public hunting and fishing. For 2 million miles of stream habitat that su

Best GPS Fish Finders: A Comprehensive Buying Guide

GPS fish finders are a great tool for the avid fisherman. These devices can vary in features a