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THE BEST FISHING SONG EVER

 

The Land of Hopes and Dreams

 

 

Southbound on the interstate, 4:15 am, only slightly above the speed limit. Five fly rods extend from the back of the vehicle up past my head. They are rigged with heavy tippets and big 4” and 5” streamer flies. They bounce lightly, almost in time to the music.

 

Primed on 3 cups of coffee, I am belting out “Land of Hopes and Dreams” with Bruce on the stereo. It’s a perfect song for the fisherman. “This train carries winners and losers…” The rearview mirror reveals the caboose of my little train, outlined against the night sky, the big jet outboard jacked up high to clear the river rocks and showing above the center console.

 

Two days before I was a loser. I had hooked into a big striped bass. It was probably my 40th cast to the same spot and I had all but given up. Suddenly the line stopped as though the hook had snagged a big log – Thud! Then the powerful surge as the fish headed full-speed-ahead upstream into the strong current. I was a winner.

 

The extra fly line lying on the deck flew into the air as it ripped through the rod guides. I managed to clear the excess line and got the fish on the reel just as he reversed and headed downstream. I countered by flipping the rod upstream and he turned again.

 

With the long, flexible fly rod you feel every move the fish makes. This fish was hot, boring upstream again as if the ripping 10,000 cfs current was nonexistent. I felt every flip on his giant tail and the shakes of his head. I also felt the leader dragging across the rocks. The next run popped it with a twang audible over the roar of the river. “Meet me in the land of broken dreams…”

 

But this thing called fishing always offers us another chance. The angler may be the eternal optimist. It is almost certainly what keeps us going, the chance that tomorrow we will hook the big fish. “This trains carries fools and gamblers…”

 

The leaders on the fly rods are carefully knotted, this time with 20 lb. tippet instead of 15 lb. I replayed and rehearsed the fight over and over in my mind – it’s gonna' be different this time. “Dreams will not be thwarted, faith will be rewarded”.

 

 

 

* Originally published in The LaGrange Daily News column, "Fly Fishing West Georgia & Beyond" - April 20, 2003.

 

C o n t a c t    K e n t     at     kent@flyfishga.com     or    7 0 6 - 8 8 1 - 3 2 4 9.