ADHD, Fly Fishing, Native Brookies and Peace

Why do I fish so many different ways with so many different types of gear?!?

I have too much stuff and I don’t fish enough. I am not sure everyone would agree with the latter part of the first sentence and I am positive anyone that really knows me would 100 % agree with the first part.

I had a great day yesterday fishing with my good friend Jim Newman, the college professor cleverly disguised as a fly fisherman (or is it the reverse?), on my favorite creek. No, I won’t tell you what it was. However, I will take you fishing there if I get to know you.

This section Jim was fishing was near the end of ‘The line’ on this creek. After this point, a confluence with another smaller creek, it gets pretty nasty to wade/climb. If I was 20 years younger I might find the end of it…but, not now.

I did pretty well on this trip, 10 in the net and all beautiful trout that I am pretty sure were wild. My favorite was the brook trout.

What a great combination of beauty and savagery. That dude smoked a dry fly and put a bend in my Tenkara rod (Dragontail Mizuchi triple zoom). I think that one was on the middle setting as it can get pretty tight in most places on that stream.

Fly fishing just works for me and I suspect it could really work for you. ADHD is a blessing and scourge for me. Diagnosed, literally this year, after 54 years of life has been helpful. I have always struggled to be consistent with most things, unless I become obsessed and then I can really excel.

Fly fishing is that for me, an obsession and a tremendous emotional and spiritual healing force in my life. It gives my manic brain an endless source of stimulation and meditation. There are two major areas I wanted to share with you that this plays out in my life and I thought it might interest and/or help some of you. If it does, let me know.

Here is a picture of Jim with a nice, wild rainbow:

Jim is a veteran like me and also seeks refuge on the water in the woods. We met through Trout Unlimited and he has gotten me involved in a great non-profit, Project Healing Waters, where we help other veterans get involved in fly fishing.

Back to the two areas: (1) different ways to fly fish and (2) different gear to do it with

I used to lie to myself saying I bought so much gear because I want to be versatile. While this isn’t completely false, the reality is that my skill level has advanced to where I can be pretty successful with a lot of different setups and styles (except saltwater…no experience yet).

I have Tenkara rods, small fly rods, big fly rods and specialty euro nymphing rods…and all the reels to go with them. Don’t mention the lines and leaders…

I have chest packs, backpacks, waist packs and sling packs and three different sets of waders (even though I only use the zippered ones because I am old). I have all kinds of nets from small wooden hand nets to massive long boat nets.

I fish Tenkara, tight line/euro nymphing, dry fly, streamers, bass bugs and dry droppers…and love them all.

What can you and I get from all this madness? It soothes my soul. I am getting ready today to change my gear set up for a trip with my friend Tom Sadler this coming week and will spend an hour or so switching my stuff from my ‘small stream’ set up to my go anywhere set up (even though Tom and I will almost certainly be on a small stream).

Why? It breaks up the anxiety and stress of a life of complexity and chaos. My ongoing burdens and obligations and pain slips away and I am at peace. Questions swirl in my head as I deliciously savor the anticipated challenges and camaraderie of the upcoming trip.

One thing that is becoming clear, to go off on a tangent, is that I am going to need to stay consistent with using a hydration bladder system when I fish. I love the concept of bringing a filter to drink straight from the stream as I fish, but I always forget to do so and get really dehydrated and suffer later in exhaustion and other complications. I will bring the filter, just in case, on longer day trips but will be using my Fishpond backpack with its built in hydration pouch from this point forward.

Did I mention I caught some nice wild fish?

With that backpack I will be using a chest pack as I like stuff up and away from my waist…and I like having most of what I will need right in front of me and easy to get at. I would love to use a vest, but don’t see one with a hydration bladder from a reputable manufacturer. My Fishpond is the Ridgeview Tech Pack (vest and backpack combo) but the vest sucks and the pack is just a little too small for a serious day trip.

I probably bring too much stuff, but I never have only one option when I devote a precious day to fishing…I believe in redundancy and this was a hammered into me repeatedly as a soldier and especially in Airborne (reserve parachutes for the win).

I love all kinds of fly fishing as well, from warm water panfish poppers to bitter cold winter technical nymphing.

How does this all fit into ADHD and me? The constant change and options quiets my demons and engages my brain. The problem solving and exquisite frustration of a potential day without a catch (the infamous skunk) and the exhilarating emotion of a day when you can’t do wrong and effortlessly catch beautiful trout and/or bass.

This is why I think, professionally, I love coaching so much. There are constant challenges, of similar contexts but endless differences that get me amped up to meet with my clients (some of then over ten years) each and every day. I am going to getting rid of some gear soon (if you are in the market for a pack and/or rod let me know) and will be relying on fishing different types of water and types of fish to provide that stimulation I crave.

How do you heal your soul? How do you disconnect from the fake lives we lead with technology and climate control? I am going to leave you with a rare sighting of the Appalachian Yeti:

All the best and tight lines.

Mike