Preparation

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 21, 2020

I have been wanting to get up to the rivers in Northcentral Arkansas since I moved here three years ago.  It is not that I was unable to do it, it was just a little too far.  It takes three hours each way from our house.  I was talking to a guide last week and he confirmed what I assumed.  During the summer, the fishing drops way off after noon as the waters warm up.  That meant I would have to get up in the wee hours or spend the night to catch any significant fish.  I have mentioned I am not much of a morning person.  Melissa and I have finally decided to bite the bullet, take the trip, and stay in a rental.

I rearranged my fishing gear several weeks ago, but this week I got around to working on my fly rods.  I had learned from a local guide’s web page that the fish are hovering on the bottom at this time of year.  That meant I needed to use sinking line to present my flies.  I went to a local fly shop to learn how to proceed.  Of course, all the experts were on a “product testing” trip to Montana, but the woman called them for help.  I was soon purchasing sinking tip line and 15# tippet (I am hoping).  It was not until the next day I realized my leaders are all 6# test.  I guess it is back to the store to get the proper weight, or the heavier tippet will not do any good.

Returning from the store I spent the rest of the afternoon rebuilding my rods.  I found 12# sinking leader and got some 12# tippet.  I realized the extra spool I intended to use went to the reel I had left on the lake bank this spring.  Still, I had enough reels to put together two sinking setups and my regular two floating line setups.  I am thinking the sinking line will also be good for fishing lakes like my son and I did in January.  I do not think the Bluegill I have been catching around here need the 12# test line. 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  I really enjoy preparing for trips.  I like the planning and taking care of the details.  I have gone on spontaneous trips and always seem to forget something (once it was the bed rolls and tent pegs, another Blog?).  Scrambling to improvise is part of what makes spontaneous trips fun, and it makes for great stories later.  During the event, the fun can sometimes be hard to see.  When we look back on 2020, we will have stories to tell.  Some hard, some funny, and some so sad.  Just do not forget the lessons learned.  Change is coming and it starts with you.