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Current Pursuits: Winter Fly Fishing
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by Meredith St. Clair
The osprey, or “river hawk”, is the constant companion and competitor of morning fly fishermen and women on the Boise River. For those who frequent the banks of the river, or who wade into its icy current while pursuing elusive trout, the patient gaze of these familiar raptors is like a meditation. Almost by the design of nature herself, the metronomic cast of the fly rod begins to beat to the rhythm of the river; the osprey as conductor. Fishermen become one with the morning’s symphony as steam rises from the burbling river.
It’s part of winter in the Treasure Valley. Crisp leaves. Skiffs of snow. Ice on the edge of the pond. Families in Eagle are particularly fortunate to have these morning experiences before heading home for a shower and coffee, pulling out of the driveway, and making the commute to the office. While proverbial and cliché, it’s also true: it’s the best of both worlds. You’re having your cake and eating it, too. I could go on, but you know what I mean. You feel like you’re Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It, but really you’re just, well…you, and you’re parked out behind the Hilton Garden Inn on Riverside and Eagle.
For those of you who’ve not tried fly fishing before, why not give it a shot this winter? In the words of Norman McClean, fly fishing is “an art that is performed on a four-count rhythm between ten and two o’clock.” Now I have to tell you, I love how that sounds even though I really don’t know what it means. I believe, though, that you have to be wearing tweed to say it without someone laughing at you.
In truth, there is something viscerally spiritual about being outdoors. Fly fishing is a patient and pure art form. And while perfecting your cast may take decades, it’s also true that you can, with a little investment of time and money, become reasonably adept at tossing around a fly with a stick and a long piece of fishing line. Perhaps I’m failing to properly convey the zeitgeist of fly fishing to you. Perhaps you’ll just need to give it a try.
To that end, you and the family should consider hiring an experienced guide for a few hours or a few days to show you the ropes. Dennis Udlinek, writer in Idaho Rod & Reel, shares, “a professional guide is someone who knows more about a particular method, body of water, and the fish that lie within those depths than most people will ever know.” That sort of guidance at the outset could be just the thing to get the family pointed in the right direction.
Our area has many sports shops such as Idaho Angler (www.idahoangler.com) in Boise that can refer you to a guide who will make certain that you will have fun. Fees vary from group rates to private sessions, hourly or by the day or week. Organizations such as the Women Fly Fishers of Idaho at www.wffid.com whose mission is to encourage and support women in the sport of fly fishing, and the Boise Valley Woolly Buggers (which is the world’s largest youth fly fishing club) at www.woollybuggers.homestead.com, also have information to help you get started in the sport regardless of age, gender or ability.
Depending on your needs, guides can even provide you with all your equipment, helping you become comfortable and knowledgeable with the gear before shopping. Anyone who has perused the assortment of flies in a fishing shop can tell you how overwhelming the selection can be. As clever and eye-catching as these tiny, colorful creatures are, with names like “Olive Serendipity” and “Parmachenee Belle”, if they don’t look like the insects the fish are biting on, you are out of luck.
Joe McCarthy, a second generation river guide, his wife Shellie, and their fourteen year old son, Cody, are Eagle residents who are happy to share their personal experiences in fly fishing. Both Joe and Shellie began fishing as youngsters and Cody was exposed to the sport at age four. “Going out on the river for the day, being in a calm, relaxing environment where each bend of the river offers a new challenge is like my own oasis in the middle of town,” says Shellie. In her opinion, the Boise River is great for beginners because it has a lot of open space and is shallow enough in the winter that you can wade to the middle and fish up or down stream. It is also small enough that you don’t have to cast very far, making it simpler for the first timer. The holes aren’t too far apart and you don’t need much line to reach the places where the fish may be resting.
Joe and Shellie share these tips for the novice angler or family looking to try something unique over a winter weekend. Once on the river, a guide can ferry you from spot to spot in the river, assisting in casting and learning how to “present” the line to the fish. Don’t forget that a fishing license is necessary and can be purchased for one day or by the month. All of this can sound complicated and beyond the ability of the average person. But with the right guide and the right river, any person open to trying something new can have the time of their life, forever “hooked” on a new life experience!
