New Year’s resolutions for most of us last about as long as it takes to eat a foot-long chili dog.
Actually that’s not true, though 25% of folks will have failed ALL OF their New Year’s resolutions by the end of the first week of 2011 and almost half by the end of January. That’s presuming that you’re ambitious enough to make more than one resolution.
According to the most esteemed researches in this area, just over 1 in 10 resolutions have actually been completed by the next New Year’s Day. They offer a number of 12% accomplishment to be exact, and that’s about six times what I’d have guessed.
Here’s a bit of useful 2011 resolution advice from the team – screw the typical resolutions this year.
Everyone wants to spend more time with their family, get organized, write that book, eat healthy food (skip the chili dogs) and be a better spouse / parent / significant other….blah blah blah blah.
Yawn. Snore. Drool.
Upon the encouragement of a slightly Shiner Bock-addled friend, we’ve come up with a list of much more meaningful resolutions for fly fishers this year. Resolutions that have more than a 1 in 10 chance of bearing fruit. Resolutions that make sense in a world full of tumult, stress and confusion.
How About A Trek to Fish the Upper Lamar?
All modesty cast asunder, these are damned fine objectives for the New Year, and we suggest you start your own list with something along these lines:
- Fish smaller water. The temptation of the big waters will remain, and there will no doubt be floats on the Madison, Missouri and Yellowstone with lots of cold beverages and able rowing companions. However, the lure of the little (if any) fished smaller water and native fish, in all of their 8 inch glory, has been calling louder than ever and cannot be ignored. To resist is futile.
- Get in better shape. See #1. above. Hello Mr. mountain bike and P90X. The headwaters of the Gallatin and the high lakes are a more than a few miles in and the cold-hearted bastards I fish with would leave my expiring body twitching in the dust in a heartbeat.
- Ancillary requirements for #1 and #2: New bear spray, chest harness for the .45 and make sure life insurance is paid up.
- Fish twice a week (at least) year round. Corollary to #1 above. Learn your local waters, brownline, even (gasp) consider ice fishing like the Roughfisher. Jake even has a new ice auger ready to go.
- Texas coastal trifecta on the fly. That would be redfish, sea trout and flounder. Or is it redfish, sea trout and snook? Or is it redfish, snook and tarpon? Or is it…..? Answer: all the above.
- Florida tarpon on paloao worms. ‘Nuff said.
- Jack Crevalle from the beach. Maybe even while naked. Dammit, watch that backcast and where’s the sunscreen?
- Fish the upper most Firehole river after the lower river has warmed up. Just because you can.
- Tie every fly you throw in 2011. (The secret – 90% of what most trout eat is brown and about 3/8” long – ugly flies catch fish. Salt water flies are big enough that my 10 thumbs can tie most of them. Barter the rest – make note to always carry a supply of cold beer and hand tied leaders – see #10.)
- Build your own leaders. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Customized performance, great barter and bragging stock. More to come in the next few weeks.
- Chase carp on the fly with the big boys. Maybe even try to fish the Carp Slam in Denver, though I still don’t know what to think about that smallmouth deciding the tourney last year.
- Teach a young kid to fly fish. You might create a fly fishing monster in their later years but it’s well worth the risk.
- Build a boat. Have done two drifters and a kayak, thinking it’s time for a flats boat or sled. Every fly fisher needs two boats of some sort (a float tube counts in my book), and at least one boat should be able to comfortably carry a shapely woman in a bikini.
- Donate time and cash to one of the many organizations doing good things for wounded vets through fly fishing – Project Healing Waters, Warriors and Quiet Waters, or Rivers of Recovery to suggest a few. Be careful here, you might just find this is more rewarding than fly fishing on your own.
Nothing too extravagant here – no extreme trips to Mongolia, Antarctica or the Seychelles.
You can drive to all of these locations from anywhere in the states enjoying your chili dogs along the way. Might have to give up some TV time to get it all done – better yet – kill your TV.
Get all these adventures done this next year and life really will never be the same again.
