Snosrap Publishing

PROGRESS (OR OTHERWISE) OF A FLY FISHERMAN

A fly fisherman is a true artist. He casts and performs a beautiful display of loops and curves with his line as he sends it spinning over the water, eventually placing the fly at the end of the line in front of the fish lurking just below the surface; the fish doesn’t stand a chance. For the fish it is fatal temptation and it is not too long before our artist and hero is ‘bringing in the big one’ (all 12 inches of it)! What poetry in motion, what a feeling of satisfaction, what a tale for the telling.

These thoughts were not exactly in Denis’s mind when, in the early 1980’s he thought he would try his hand at fly fishing. The nearest river was out of bounds so he spent hours of practicing in a field and even more hours untangling the line from the ledge behind him. As he practiced he dared to think of the triumphs that would be his – perhaps in the not too distant future.

Unfortunately, due to a busy workload and lots of other problems that beset our hero, it was not until six years later after arriving in British Columbia, Canada that he dared to dream again.

Denis was sensing that this fly fishing business was not going to be a piece of cake. Weighed down by all kinds of equipment that he didn’t really need as a beginner, he joined the ‘experts’ at two local lakes in Victoria. To his horror his casting had deteriorated, he was using the wrong type of flies and worse still, was creating too much of a splash on the lake, immediately advertising his presence to the fish and irritating other anglers nearby on the lake.

After a few weeks of getting nowhere, he got fed up and decided on a bit of an excursion into sea fishing. With Michael, his stepson and Brian, the next door neighbour, he spent many happy but not so fruitful hours, trolling and spinning for salmon in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

As he became more practiced in his art, our intrepid hero had to suffer the indignities of overturned canoes, soaking clothes, flies in the hair, stalled engines on the boat, tangled lines and countless other stories to explain ‘The one that got away’.

Like so many other amateurs wanting to reach the height of perfection, a never ending cash flow was required to purchase the ‘vital’ equipment needed to assure success. This included rods – not just any rod but the best hand-made rod of baron/graphite, a descendant of the bamboo rod used in fly fishing because of its lightweight and flexibility. Naturally, there was an array of back-up rods designed according to the species of fish to be caught.

Of course, there was the reel to go on the rod. Reels on fly rods are for carrying the fishing line and that is all as far as the layman is concerned. But as with all other equipment, reels come in a variety of sizes for various purposes. Clearly, nothing but the best of each type would be appropriate for Denis.

Hooks and flies – without which it is difficult to catch a fish, were added to the ever swelling inventory. Hooks vary in size, again depending on the type and size of fish being pursued. Prior to the acceptance of the environmental footprint, barbed hooks were used giving the fish little of no chance of survival. From the writer’s point of view, this was particularly cruel when it came to trying to remove them from the fish because the barb was almost impossible to remove without tearing the flesh. Now barb less hooks are encouraged and indeed, in many places, they are the only hooks allowed. These provide a sporting chance for the fish to ‘de hook’ itself as it jumps out of the water and also the hook is easily removed without harm if the fish is to be released back into the water.

Flies – a fly, is a fly, is a fly – not so when it comes to flies for sports fishing. They come in a beautiful array of colours for all kinds of fish and all kind of weather as well as ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ flies. The dry flies float on top of the surface and the wet fly (lure) swims on the surface water or below. In both cases the choice depends on what type of fish the fisherman is chasing, their feeding habits, the environment and the weather.

Having spent a small fortune on equipment so far, it was something of a surprise when our expert decided to tie his own flies. Now, fly-tying was the all consuming hobby when he was not fishing and it was much less expensive than buying flies.

Clothing was not exempt from the ‘I definitely need’ list. When he started fishing, Denis was content with the basics which comprised a good pair of stout shoes or gum boots. As he progressed in his art, he found that waders were a definite asset which enabled him to go into the river (hip or chest waders being available). His forays into the river also necessitated a wading stick to test the depth of the waters and at the bottom of the river (mud has a habit of sinking).

It was not too long before he realized that it was easier to deal with a broken line or tippet in mid-stream, rather than returning to the river bank to look for the necessary implements and materials to mend the break. Therefore, a fishing vest had to be purchased; otherwise it would be impossible to fish!

A fishing vest is a waistcoat composed of a multitude of pockets upon pockets to hold all the tools of the trade and a variety of clips on which to hang the implements not suitable for pocket storage. Amongst other things, the vest may sport pliers, penknives, files, flies, fly boxes, a thermometer, a flotant, scissors, a fly drying patch etc. In fact a well equipped fly vest, fully loaded, succeeds in presenting our intrepid fisherman as a ‘Pearly King’ or Christmas tree without lights.

As he climbed the expensive ladder of success to fishing competency and in some cases, outstanding flashes of brilliance, Denis had one very important lesson to learn – times and weather. The optimum times for fishing would appear to be between 11.00 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. and one hour before dusk to half an hour after dusk. There are, of course, other times to be tried – all day long if necessary, but those are the times yielding the best results.

As in countless situations, other than fishing, the weather is crucial. Equipment and knowledge is required to supplement each weather condition individually. A strong cold wind can cause the fish to go deeper into the water. Bright days with a cloudless sky or white clouds tend to enhance the vision of the fish. The ideal condition may well be the still, dull warm day in excess of 50ºF. Fish will not rise if the outside temperature is colder than the water.

Finally, what does our hero see in this sport of fly fishing? To the layman or onlooker it is a dull, boring, slow and often futile sport, to say nothing of the cost which does not stop at equipment. To fish the rivers can be exorbitantly expensive in fees, unless you are on special waters used by fishing clubs.

As Denis points out, it is the enjoyment of pitting his wits against those of the fish. What wits does a fish have, I ask? He maintains that he does not have time to think about other mundane problems, he is getting plenty of aerobic exercise, climbing, walking and casting. Above all there is the solitude, the river or lake, the countryside and the communion with nature. Then there is always the anticipation of catching ‘The Big One’ or just ‘a fish’ to show for being out all day and half the night!
©2008 Susan Lancaster.

Self-Confidence

Dog and I go to the beach every morning. Dog swims. I sit and celebrate life and how comfortable I feel with everything – well, almost.
It was not always so. For years lack of self-confidence plagued me and I often wonder what I could have done or where I could have been if self-doubt had not existed. I’m sure this is also true of many other people. To help those who suffer from lack of self-confidence, I wrote everything down in a booklet in the hope that it will encourage people to get help if needed.
If there are people in your life whom you feel you could help, perhaps you can. If they have a confidence problem, you might want to pass along the following – WRITE IT DOWN. Let me explain.
By putting thoughts and feelings down on paper, we cannot push them out of our minds – we have to face them. Just like a shopping list, if we don’t commit our needs to paper we find later that we want what we don’t have because we never wrote it down.
Today people go to the gym to tone their bodies; enjoy a massage to alleviate stress; have their hair done with a facial and a manicure to help them look more beautiful; but what about their minds? Do they do any exercises to improve the brain which governs all positive and negative thoughts?
The mind is clever, it manipulates and if we decide not to deal with something, even remotely unpleasant, the mind just shuts it out of our thinking, and periodically that something keeps coming back and gradually trouble starts. But, if that something is written down, we are not able to ignore it– it’s there and we must deal with the issue. The black and white scenario of paper and pen also helps us to think more logically, and urges us to find a solution because we can’t stand the sight of that wretched piece of paper any longer!
The negative event that triggers defeatist thinking and subsequently self-doubt can be large or small. Whatever the magnitude, the subject can be less overwhelming if the facts are written down. This can be done like a shopping list – one brief statement at a time for you to revisit on a regular basis. Slowly, as one small part of the issue is solved, our confidence and peace of mind grow on a relative scale. Gradually, the whole issue is resolved and negative thoughts are replaced by positive attitudes enabling us to move on.
Along with the shopping list comes the necessity to address areas of our lives that prompted or contributed to self-doubt initially. For example, my booklet suggests that we take a look into the following areas of our lives: our belief system, people, attitudes, self-awareness and acceptance. There are many details under these headings worth looking at twice, because we will no doubt identify with some of the points that caused self-doubt in the first place. If we recognize a personal attitude that needs fixing and make an effort to take action, as we work with either ourselves or someone else, we get good vibes and good feelings.
Many of you who are reading this article will have probably come to terms with a number of life’s problems and, like me, your inclination is to let people know that WTSWTG (what they see is what they get.) But, what about the many people who still have major problems? Can we help them realize that they can help themselves or seek outside help to combat this insidious feeling of self-doubt?

The E-booklet – “80 Ideas to Improve Self Confidence” is available for $10 Can.

© Susan Lancaster 2008
All rights reserved

Should our children know God?

For some children, who are part of a family where God plays an important role, they already have the advantage of knowing about Him.

For other children, where God is entirely absent from family life, they don’t know about Him.

And still for others, whose family members are lukewarm about any type of spiritual presence, the children really don’t know whether God exists or doesn’t exist.

As adults, we can either do something about this, or ignore it. The choice is that simple. I was on a cruise recently where I had a fabulous time. On the last day I was sitting in the lounge thinking about the cruise, and my thoughts turned to three adventure books I had written about children getting to know God. The books are about three teenagers who fall head long into exciting adventures. An ostrich, a tiger and a bald eagle, accompany the children. These animals are far from ordinary, they are angels, causing mayhem, disbelief and chaos as they stay firmly by Kate, James and Amanda. What a wonderful analogy, I thought, those children and this cruise. Let me explain.

Throughout the books, it is suggested, very subtly, how much a young person can benefit from believing in God who is always there for them, although they can never see Him.
Cruise travel has moved on since I was last at sea, but what has not moved on is the reliance and trust we place in the captain of the ship when we travel by sea. Our complete past, present and future is in the hands of the ship’s captain. We believe that everything will be just fine, in spite of the remote possibilities of serious problems, especially perhaps in bad weather where there is very limited control – even for the captain of the ship. This trust has developed because there is little evidence of major sea disasters involving large passenger ships for many years due to incredibly advanced technology.
We therefore board the ship with the confidence and assurance that the journey will go according to plan and there will be no problems. It never enters our heads to worry about anything. The captain will steer the ship; he will see that every little need or want of its passengers is met. We expect that he will keep us safe and ensure that the crew are also committed to this.
For the captain of the ship, the buck stops with him. His ship, crew and passengers are his responsibility. No matter what anyone else is doing, he, or his designate, will be at the helm 24/7. (Naturally, passengers do their part to make it easier for the officers and crew to accommodate them and carry out their work on the ship.) The position of captain of a ship and the response of the passengers to the rules and regulations in force, is called discipline. If passengers do not obey the regulations, they could possibly become a hazard and liability to the safety of the ship. All of this we accept without question when we book a cruise. During the voyage, we become complacent, forgetting about everything but having a good time and enjoying ourselves.
Given the above scenario why do we, as human beings, have so much trouble trusting in God? We go on a cruise or board a plane and we put our implicit trust in the captain of the ship or the plane. If we are not able to equate this trust with trust in God, why should we deny our children this opportunity? Encourage them to believe in God and that He is there whenever they need Him. There is no need to educate them at high school or college level about God, just assure them that there is a great being who is keeping watch over them as they start their lives. That is enough for now. When they are older they can learn more and start making choices. Why not let them get on the ‘cruise ship’ and know that a ‘captain’ is looking after them? They needn’t know His name or what their parents feel about Him, or what anybody else believes. But they do need to know that when they emerge from the love and protection of their parents, outside the home – especially during the school years, there is someone else who is there for them and will keep the ship on course.
For many children, until they become adults, they don’t really have a handle on the depths of religious belief. The subject of beliefs, religion and children cross paths from time to time, but the young person’s focus is more on growing up and coping with what lies before them. While exploring the theories and spirituality of life about them children will eventually accept or reject the theories and experience they have encountered. But, in order to make this decision, the child must be exposed to the facts. To encourage them in a simple belief initially, might also help them in the area of discipline.
The captain, crew and passengers of a ship have to depend on discipline on board. In Hell’s Gate Trilogy, the books I have written, when Kate, James and Amanda realize that someone is watching over them, they also learn that there is a small thing called discipline needed to realize the benefits of a relationship with God.
In turn this will introduce the young person to the discipline required to make progress in their own life, whether we acknowledge a greater being or not. Too often we don’t have this discipline and we do what we want to do, not what we are supposed to do or what we have been taught to do, or what we have learned to do. On board ship this would be a recipe for disaster. How far are we going to progress in a career or life without the will to get things done and the discipline to do them? By encouraging our children to think about God, might give them a head start. We must ask ourselves why we would not give the child the knowledge of God, when we are only too willing to give the child everything else?
Is it because we are set in our own ways and ideology in general and find it hard to be liberal towards our children in the area of religious or spiritual beliefs? Why can’t we give them this small confidence of belief? It doesn’t matter how dogmatic we are, a child will ultimately go his or her own way and believe in what he or she wants.

To conclude on an interesting and positive note, according to new research at the University of British Columbia, if people are made aware of words like God, spirit, divine or prophet, these people are inclined to be nicer and more generous.

What more could we ask for our children?

© Susan Lancaster 2008
All rights reserved