Sometimes the stars align, and sometimes they don’t. Fly fishing is notorious for leaving us with a plethora of “what if’ moments that haunt us when we sleep. “The one that got away,” isn’t just a saying, but a harsh reality that most experience far more often than they would like to admit.
In these periods of fishing hardship, I find myself second-guessing my motives. “Why am I out here?” “Is this really worth it?” It becomes easy to separate the real ones from the weak ones. Subzero temps, frozen guides, and fishless days are what make or break a fly fisherman. This sport is demanding. True grit is required, and without it, dreams stay dreams.
At some point, the opportunity presents itself. The countless hours and numb fingers pay off in one magical moment. The fish of your dreams comes out to play, and everything comes together in perfect harmony. Time itself freezes. Screaming drag, racing heart, 27 inches; kype. The moment when adrenaline sucks the cold from your bones, surroundings fade, and there is nothing in the world but you and that fish.
It’s what we are all after; that shining feeling of success. It drives us day in and day out, cast after cast after cast. The ever-elusive fantasy fish always lurks somewhere in the depths. Maybe today’s the day, maybe next year.
Any true fly fisherman understands that these moments do not happen all the time. They must be earned through dedication, suffering, and unwavering passion. Without putting in the hours, you never know what is truly possible. Your one moment may be waiting just behind the next bend, in the next riffle, or on your next cast.
Next time you find yourself with little motivation, questioning if getting out of bed at 4:00 am is even worth it; the answer is simple. Maybe. Just maybe; but you’ll never know until you’re out there, on the stream, in the moment, with nothing on your mind but the fish of a lifetime. Grind, grind and grind some more because sometimes, the stars align.
Angler and article by Ameen Hosain, check him out on Instagram @thefishboulder. Additional photos from Mark Rauschenberger (@markierausch), who was able to provide Ameen with mental support in landing this epic fish.
