It seems in years past, earlier years, as a slightly younger man, my trips would loom like mountains in front of me casting long shadows and dominating the landscape. I’d feel their pull like black holes, like the clink, clink, clink of the roller-coaster as you approach the top and are about to dive off the other side.
Now, a bit later in life, with one and sometimes two kids and a physician wife and my own pretty interesting job, my trips are almost like a surprise party, or a mugging, but a good mugging, one where your assailant gives you a hug and a crisp five dollar bill and then moves along. I don’t see them coming until they are right there, right next to me. I’m almost shocked to see them, a little confused, happy, for sure, but wondering if I have enough clean underwear for the trip.
So it is with Abaco. I leave in TWO DAYS. I have no idea what my leader situation is. I haven’t unpacked my rod from the last trip, so I’ll just leave it like it is. And flies… I have almost no idea what I need, except I’m sure I need something and I had better get to work.
That means I busted out the vice and finally unpacked my fly tying supplies and had to sit down and get after it a bit.
I like tying. It is just about the only creative thing I do, beyond maybe cooking dinner every night. I like it, but when I need to tie a bunch of flies, I still find myself procrastinating a bit.
I’m out of diamond braid… so, that’s not ideal, as just about every fly I tie uses some. I got around that by just using crystal flash, which looks good, but isn’t as durable. Still… when in a pinch, it works. I never have the exact size of bead eye I want. They are either a bit too big or a bit too small. What works on a #6 is a little dinky for the #4, but what works on the #2 is a little too big for the #4. Doesn’t help that I’ve found a wide variation in what some suppliers call a small, medium or large. I can’t seem to get it right, but I’ll make due.
So, I have been tying. It does come back, but I find I have to relearn a couple of mistakes at the beginning before I settle into a groove.
Abaco is coming. I’m not sure if I’ll be totally ready, but I’ll be mostly ready and I’ll enjoy the bejezus out of the trip because I’ll be in the Bahamas and bonefish will be nearby, even if I don’t get to fish every day.
Can’t wait.
That should work.
And one more.
Yup. That’ll do.
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Tags: Abaco, Spring Break 2015
