Cassadaga on the Fly, Chapter 1

[John Jarosz]

First the good news: I went with Rick Kustich for an all-day fishing lesson on muskies on the fly. There were five solid follows & one "maybe." Also had one levitate up from the bottom toward my fly near the boat, took a long look & went back down; all 40 inches of it

Now the bad news: I'm keeping track of my casts. I've got 5,500 down & only 4,500 to go. Past the 1/2 way mark. WHEW!! Maybe that really is good news & not that bad, but it really does feel bad.

I fished all three lakes, had multiple follows in some of the same spots & was generally "in the zone." Fly fishing with Rick is like an apocalyptic fly fishing event. I went in there thinking I knew about 1/2 of what I really needed to know and came out realizing I really know only about a quarter of it.

Miraculously, it didn't rain down there but I heard it poured most of the day here.

I'm beat, I'm tired, I'm sore and it's 8:00 p.m. I've already had my Grey Goose vodka martini (on the rocks, 2 olives, stirred not shaken; don't want to bruise anything) and I'm ready for bed.

I'm going out with Rick again next week to live it & write Chapter 2.

[Stephen Glassic]

I wonder which is more fatiguing. Casting flies or working jerk baits and glide baits all day.

[John Jarosz]

Steve...I've asked that question myself a few times, having done both, and the answer is "yes." Throw in a double-bladed bucktail & the answer is "definitely yes."

I think there are different skill sets involved & the fly casting involves more timing than the others. No matter what though, slinging large lures or flies is fatiguing, but taking occasional breaks made it work. After 5-1/2 hrs this engine ran out of gas & there was no refilling!!

Going at it again next Tues!