"Screw That, this is a perfectly good fly and I'm gonna fish it"

At Babine Norlakes we have a satellite camp 15 miles downstream from the main camp.   Once a week guests names get drawn from a hat and we make an overnight trip to it.  The trip consists of a guide with 3 clients, fire cooked steaks, hearty breakfast and more time to fish on the lower river due to reduced travel time.

There is a tradition started many years before my time of leaving a fly on the windowsill.  Over time some are faded and look pretty haggard but its something to look at, its a kind of fun tradition that many folks take part in.

This past season we had a client in the camp that was new to us, new to steelhead fishing and had never spey cast before.  He was quite popular in camp and amongst the guides. He previously knew little of how “into it” some guys are.  He was astonished at all the gear and the cost of it. He also commented several times about how we were all crazy, was surprised at how hardcore people were about the sport and referred to the other guests as “professionals”. 

Despite being new to the game he did well, caught several fish and had as much fun or more than anyone in the camp throughout the week.  During breakfast on this satellite camp, he had found a fly on the wall of the Cabin and said “I’m gonna fish this one”   Not that I was all that opposed but we joked with him “ awww man, I dunno if you should do that, could be bad Karma”  He had no time for steel headers foolish superstitions and said “ Screw that, this is a perfectly good fly and I’m gonna fish it”.  He took his new to him fly (Purple fish taco) and started into his day.  

On these satellite camps the guide acts as the guide, cook, and cleaner so after the guys get their first assignment of the day, its back to the cabin to tidy breakfast dishes, take down the bedding, clean and mop up.  On one of the many trips back and forth from the cabin to the boat, I came around the corner and saw him hooked up as he had been assigned the home pool.  I ran out with the net but I had no waders on.  As I approached he bellowed “ I got it on that F$%King stolen fly” we laughed and laughed, fish came off luckily and we laughed some more.  He was delighted to have made the connection and on a fly with some “history”.

It was a unique and very enjoyable week having him in the camp.  No expectations and not really any idea what he was getting into other than knowing that he wanted to experience steelhead fishing. This had been a memorable satellite trip.