My Journey as 3 Paw

March 18 - April 30, 2016

   On March 18, 2016, I trekked down to a favorite fishing hole in search of beauty and browns. I soon held a Brush Creek brown in my left hand and took a picture, already hoping to return again the following afternoon. However, by mid-morning on March 19, I'd suffered an injury to the proximal phalanx (about 1.5 inches of bone) of my left index finger & would not be holding brown trout again anytime soon. On April 4th, I was able to take pictures of my hand and the 7 K-wires holding the 15-20 fragments of bone together. The surgery had occurred on March 29, but since March 21st I had been (& still am) immobilized from my mid-forearm down to my 2nd & 3rd fingertips.  

   Yesterday (4/28), I was told that the doctor wanted the wires to remain in the finger for 2 more weeks. Seven total weeks of immobilization.  It's official; my index finger is going to have all of the flexibility of a carrot. Occupational Therapy began yesterday to my wrist, hand, & other 4 fingers. My middle finger is very rigid & everything else is tight. My goal is to regain 50% of my range of motion (ROM) by my next OT appointment on May 2nd and to have enough movement to tie flies at our club meeting on May 1st..

   Life deals us problems or challenges, & most of the time we get to pick our hand.  Our hand is also known as "attitude."  So far, I have decided that I have a challenge, and I decided to figure out how to fly fish (nearly) 1-handed.

to be continued...

   During April 13-17th, 5 of us gals made a roadtrip, spending much of our time at Mountain Home, Arkansas' Sowbug Roundup. I observed a double haul casting class & took notes by using voice-to-text to send myself emails.The fly tiers & other people in the region were friendly, & the bbq was great. We got to meet Tom Schmuecker, owner of Wapsi Fly, Inc., and tour the business. Tom is also one of the founders of Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association, the club that 4/5 of us belong to. My friends spent some time fishing the White River, & I spent a morning with the hook cut of of a Guelk Nymph, honing my new 1-handed casting technique. I could cast & shoot line out fairly well.  But despite coming up with a 1-handed system to strip line under tension, I still resorted to stripping in line between my left thumb and the part of the hand below the index finger.  Located above this area were two wires helping to hold the bones of my index finger together.  A friend and I returned to the cabin to fashion a baggie over the stripping area to prevent my splint from getting wetter.  It was then that I decided to stop casting for the day, knowing both that I should not be using the left hand and that I currently did not have the discipline to only use my right hand.  I yet thought that I would fish another day, but another good opportunity didn't arise.

   The day prior to the trip I used a piece of cane to mimic a fly rod and discovered that placing the butt end in a waist pack with my left arm wrapped around the upper portion of the "rod" gave it enough support to allow line stripping with the right hand.  After Googling 1-armed casting, I noted the assistive devices often incorporated a strap around a thigh to aid line management.  I used a long and a short carrying strap, & the sheath for my long-nosed pliers to make my own line-management system. The longer carrying strap connected the shorter strap buckled around my lower thigh to my wading belt or waist pack, keeping the shorter strap from falling.  My woman's shape would prevent the thigh strap, which the sheath was attached to, from riding up too much.  I mimicked stripping in line, wrapping it below the sheath to get tension & then releasing that same section of line just as I grabbed more line to allow me to strip again.  Due to my nature to overthink things, I hoped that one evening in our Arkansas cabin we could come up with ways to simplify the 1-handed casting system.

   The first night at the cabin, Scott, a MN friend and invited tier to the Roundup, paid us a visit.  Scott has made his own dubbing tool, among other things, and was the perfect person to simplify the casting system.  After his suggestion, the leg strap was removed, and the sheath was attached to the right side of my waist pack. The line was stripped, and then wrapped only below (not around) the sheath to provide line tension but still allow an aggressive fish to take line out.  Scott also suggested using a cord to attach the rod to something on my body. Due to the inability of my left hand to grip the rod, there was a chance the rod could dislodge from the pouch of my fanny pack.  Taking the small coiled cord from the unused pliers, the cord was looped around my rod and reel and the opposite end could be clipped to my clothing.  Near the end of the evening, Scott mimicked a hooked fish flopping around on the floor, to test how I would contain him and remove the hook. During this visit, Scott also dubbed me with the moniker "3 Paw."  I liked it.  

to be continued...

   I keep my hand out of the splint as much as possible, and I stretch and exercise my fingers and wrist... at home, while working out on a recumbent bike, while visiting a friend, when at the library, etc.  I try not to attempt too much movement of the index finger, but it can't move much anyway (carrot-like, remember?). I also have mixed feelings about the very skilled doctor, who was on vacation when my injury occurred but gave me surgery right after he returned & also changed surgical sites to ensure my insurance covered the surgery.  Yet, after a surgery and 2 visits to the clinic, I don't think I've seen him a total of 10 minutes.  To him, I am the severely comminuted finger fracture and feel I received the human patient assembly line instructions.  When you don't see a doctor enough to communicate with him, you don't know why you can't move a joint, and it becomes challenging to follow doctor's orders.  The OT will be my bridge to the doctor, since the OT will also treat my muscles and tendons, and consider how well my personality, my discipline, and patient goals will figure in to my treatment.  I wish I'd insisted on having OT ordered 2-3 weeks after my surgery, but if wishes were fishes...

   My next OT appt is tomorrow and I will see the doctor or his PA again on May 12th, when the wires will likely be removed.  On May 20 I leave to meet up with a friend in Michigan where we embark on a long-planned group trip to Canada to fly fish for trophy pike, and walleye.  I accept that I will have plenty of challenges, and I hope for no problems. 

First Real Fishing Expedition

   Yesterday (4/30), I went smallie fishing on a creek close to home.  Shortly after hitting the water, I hooked one but quickly lost it.  I hadn't honed my 1-handed technique yet and was unable to keep enough tension on the line.  I spent hours on a cool day walking and fishing.  I had more chases but no further hook ups, yet still had a great day.  I believe I thought every day last winter about springtime smallmouth fishing and summer float trips for smallies, and I am one day closer to my first smallie of the year.

  

   I keep my promises, even ones made to myself, and a few weeks ago I promised myself I wouldn't use my left hand in a manner to risk injuring it.  My left arm can stabilize the rod when the rod butt is in my waist pack, and I use the tip of my splint to slowly wind line on the reel when I'm moving to the next hole.  But when I'm actually fishing, the left hand and fingers are currently out of a job.  The right hand initially wrapped the line around the lower part of the sheath with each strip & captured more line.  It was slow and awkward.  Now, I strip line, let go, and immediately catch more line with the hand.  I occasionally reach line back to the sheath so I am still in practice for when I need to manage and strip in a tauter line, i.e. line with a fish on it.  Still not ideal but fly fishing 1-handed isn't ideal.  I haven't waded, and I don't know that I will, since wires entering the skin are also the same areas where bacteria could enter.  However, I haven't made myself any promises.

   I kept the rod, rigged up, in the car along with my other gear.  It's a chore to get ready to fish, so I wanted to take that out of the equation.  Besides, I might not be able to break the rod down without assistance. ;)  However, now it's been raining and the creek will be running too high for a couple days, so it is time to find more morels. ~April 30.

to be continued...


May 1

   Part of the reason I am writing this is because I work in the healthcare profession.  I want to share that sometimes our bodies change and we can't do things in the manner we previously had.  But, our greatest tool is the brain.  If one is willing to be creative and flexible, we can often come up with a way to still do the things we love and do them safely, too.  

to be continued...


May 6

   Went fishing yesterday at the same area. One can usually sight fish and find smallies here, but I only saw suckers. No luck at all except that I met "Ken," who gave me a good tip on where to find sizable smallies. I guess it is a little treacherous in a rocky way to get to the hole, so I will either go with a friend or wait until my wires are removed...unless I get a wild hair.

   Tomorrow is the annual local fly casting clinic, held in Bettendorf. Dan Johnston, St. Croix rep, is the main instructor, and others give him a hand.  I'm looking forward to providing instruction, and this can be done 1-handed.  It will be a pleasure to help others again, especially since so many folks have offered to help me since I became a "3 Paw."  

   I watched the latest episode of "The Voice" tonight while using lotion and a wash cloth to scrub off what seems to be the tenth layer of dead skin from my hand. There is definitely muscle atrophy up to the forearm and some swelling remains to the fingers and hand, but at least it now the appendage looks alive.  I think "the Voice's" season finale is on May 24, and I will be well into a big pike fly fishing vacation in Canada by then.  My buddy John called tonight to discuss food ideas for the trip.  My hope remains that the wires will be gone, and that I will have a splint that will allow me to manage line with my left hand.  I can manage a rod fine with either hand, but double hauling with a 10 wt has mostly always been a L-handed affair.   


   I wonder if I will wake up tonight doing range of motion to my hand with it out of the splint-- as I had managed to do in my sleep a few nights ago.


May 9

   Our casting clinic went well. I want to be a better instructor. Still learning too much there! LOL! ...The OT is happy with my progress. I am hoping wires are removed on Thursday, otherwise 2por1 margarita celebration will be 2por1 margarita bit%# and moan session... I layout the newsletter for our fly fishing club, and it will be finished tomorrow. Time to set sites on Canada trip for big pike!!! (still need to post hilarious pics from Sowbug)

to be continued...

May 12

My finger has turned into a carrot, but the final 6 wires have been removed (the last 2 required a little twisting and harder pulling)! More protective splinting and OT to come. Weird sensations in the broken area at times that make me jump like I just  realized something was crawling around in my shirt with me, but overall not too bad. Celebrated with margs & Mex then went to the monthly "Music Night" in my friends' basement.

Trying desperately to find intermediate line prior to Canada. Time to start packing and will likely have to skip an invitation of trouting and camping for this weekend so I know I can be ready for the big trip.

More gross pictures to come...

5-12-16: Wires are removed!!

Finally landed smb 5-13-16. OT made splint
after wires removed 5-12-16.

Friend John met me at the stream.

May 18

I've been able to fish a little locally and finally landed some small smallies. I'm wearing a less restrictive splint on my hand to protect the finger that is always rudely pointing. It is challenging managing the fish since I can't sufficiently pinch, grip or lip yet, with the fingers on the left hand. But, casting is improving and all is slowly progressing. 

5-17-16, took pic to show OT the movement
 I can force at the joints of my finger.

Sinking (type 6) and intermediate lines have arrived.

Tied 4 Clousers, so far, for the trip. After 3, the middle finger and wrist are sore.

After small modifications to my 2 splints, one feels worse and the other rubs in new places. Must return to clinic again tomorrow. Going out to practice cast again tonight to make sure no other concerns with splint I'll wear when fishing in Canada. I leave on Friday for Michigan and a friend's house. We leave for International Falls and Canada on Saturday.

to be continued....

May 20-29

Driving to SW MI solo and then MI to/from Sioux Outlook, north of International Falls, with friends, and from Superior, WI, to home solo I spent most of my time exercising my finger by forcing it to bend at a single joint or at multiple joints, or by moving it the little it would go under its own power.  Listening to audio books makes all my travel time for fishing trips go much smoother.  I stopped wearing a bag over my finger when showering at our cabin, located along Lake St. Joe, Eagle Island, in Ontario, Canada.  I also got my personal-best Esox, had another +40 follow the final morning, and did get one walleye on the fly, too.  

See my post titled "42" about this great trip with 4 other fly anglers.  My splint worked great, allowing me to double haul, pull up the anchor, and eventually remove flies from my own pike, safely.

Safest way to then pose with my personal-best Esox

Another friend John who consistently casts beautifully.
In winter, he invited me on the trip & kept faith that I would still go
following my injury. This and timeliness of my recovery was something
I had  to choose not to worry about.

June 1

The day of another doctor's appt.  The surgeon, my OT, and I all agree that my goal to return to work by June 6 will not be met.  Progress is good considering the trauma and length of immobilization, but the finger is still too stiff and Dr. V wants to see more radiographic healing. Doctor actually giggled when viewing current Xrays. "Remember," he said, "that bone was smashed to smithereens."  He went on to detail the current, generally good shape of the bone and the good alignment between joints.

June 13

Doctor doesn't giggle when looking at this date's Xrays, he laughs.  He is very happy.  More healing present, but still a couple wider, darker (less healed) areas on Xrays that will keep me guarded and wearing my splints more often than not. My range of motion continues to improve and I have about 47* of flexion at PIP (middle knuckle). Moving 2-3 joints simultaneously is expectedly more difficult with less movement present. We still know a tenolysis (surgery to remove tendon from bone) is still a possibility, but we both agree that continuing therapy with OT and on my own is still the best option to see what other gains I can make. Doctor agrees that it is time for me to return to work. He didn't mention a splint, but my OT and I have one in progress that I've dubbed my "mini splint." I'm hoping to wear it without Velcro or other material needed to keep it fixed to my hand. Small enough to pull a glove over it, and hygenic and eassy to clean without any fabric-type of material attachments.

June 15

I return to work with all 3 splints available to me, but am blessed to be allowed to get all of my learning assignments on the computer completed first.  It takes all day. Tomorrow I begin patient care on my favorite floor, but it is also the floor where therapists see the greatest number of patients in a day.  I'm a bit nervous about that, but throughout this experience I've made decisions at particular times to decide not to worry about things and those things worked themselves out very well. A fortune cookie fortune I got during my recovery reads, "Fear is interest paid on a debt one may not owe."

It will be harder to make time now to continue to give my finger the intense amount of therapy it needs, but I must make time to do it, or suffer the regret later.

***** I sense this post is winding down, as I am more of a 3 2/3 or 3 3/4 paw now!  However, basic life challenges still exist, such as writing, cutting food, pulling my rod sections apart, etc. Work will also be challenging and my risk for re-injury is still very much present. There is still much modified fishing to do, but I CAN fish! ( I also rowed my little pontoon and caught LMBass at a local lake on my 50th birthday - June 10th. It was my best day on this lake. My friend kate paddled her kayak and hunted agates, also finding success.)

So, I will continue with this post until some of the fog of the unknown clears, such as will I heal without incident and how much range of motion can I get back (without tenolysis) after a crush injury and 7 weeks + 5 days of immobilization?

Remember you can often decide if you have a problem or a challenge!!!***** 

July 19

I went on a float trip for smallmouth bass yesterday.  It was my first one of the year and the first time I fished with Doug. We had a good time and my finger held up quite well.  I am still wearing a splint but can hold the rod in my left hand again.  That is very, very nice except that using a larger weight rod (and rowing!) in that hand with a splint on taxes my wrist and the 3 non-splinted fingers. Those fingers have to grip harder and move at an odd angle. So, I fished one day, not two, knowing it would be too hard to resist also casting with my left hand. I did lip a smallie for the first time with my left hand!  It took a bit to get my hand in position, but it was done. Near the end of the float a large smb catapulted up from the water to attack my chartreuse popper! It was hooked after the aggressive attack but I was managing line then with my left hand and I fumbled the line between the splint and my free fingers, failing to set the hook like I normally would. The biggest, most aggressive fish of the float was gone. I yelled something like, "Son of a fish!" and my tantrum was done.

I wear a different splint at work. I will be happy when I no longer have to wear this one but with the different splint needs at work, it does the job. Work can be challenging but it is getting easier each week. My co-workers still have difficulty reading my handwriting (with either hand), but some days that is better too.

July 23, 2017. Passive ROM

July 23, 2017. Active ROM

The range of motion of my finger continues to improve, especially the passive range of motion (PROM). By force, the pad of my finger can occasionally be made to touch the palm of my hand. Should I need the tenolysis surgery, it is very important to have the best PROM possible. Active range of motion (AROM) is improving but at a slower pace now, and one of the 2 muscles that bend my finger joints is being especially stubborn. This is attributed to the usual culprits, tendon adhesions.  I continue strengthening, stretching, and doing vinegar soaks. I also continue with Mark, a Certified Hand Therapist and Occupational Therapist, who has been fantastic. He also gives me iontophoresis, again using vinegar, AKA acetic acid, along with exercise/ROM. 

Unless Mark or I am forcing my finger to move, I have very little pain.  I did mow the grass without wearing a splint for the first time a few days ago. The vibration from the lawn mower started to cause me discomfort, so I will return to the splint for mowing.  It was a gentle warning telling me that that bone is still not healed enough to perform moderate to heavy tasks without added protection/support. As of today, it has been 4 months and 1 day since my injury.

I return to the doctor on July 21.  I will start to make plans for and learn about the tenolysis surgery while still working very, very, very hard to avoid needing it. I am guessing the doctor will want me to continue to wear a splint when I'm doing more aggressive tasks and that he will say I don't need it at night.  We'll see.  I will be curious to learn what else he has to say and wonder if he will giggle or laugh again out of happiness due to how my bone has healed.  I only hope I can do the same someday due to my tendons freeing themselves up from the bone and letting me move my finger more actively again.

Examples of things that remain awkward and/or hard to do: knocking on a door, using round door handles, brushing my teeth, using a zipper, lipping a bass or managing any fish. Anything that requires a grip is now challenging.  I believe I read that when one loses an index finger, around 50% of grip strength is lost.  So, I will continue to do all I can to get that finger moving better again.

November 12, 2017.... yes, 2017!

My final doctor visit was May 30th of 2017, over 1 year since the accident. My grip strength and pinch strength, but especially my range of motion at the 3 joints of that finger had improved sufficiently for the doctor to discharge me from his care and to happily report I would not need a second surgery.  

The 2nd joint (PIP) still feels tight, and I continue to stretch and do range of motion at the three joints but not as frequently. I can extend my finger until the PIP joint is fully straight (0*), but I cannot hyperextend it actively like I can with my other fingers.  The finger gets stiff in the cold, but remains usable with some TLC.  About 3 times this year my toothbrush has flown from my hand while brushing my teeth!  Thank goodness, no toilet landings. (:  I do have to be aware of my finger (pinch) position when stripping fly line. 

A much better "hook!"

I've recovered, to date, about 93% of my movement and even more of my strength in that finger and the hand, after being told I would likely need another surgery to free tendons from bone.  No 2nd surgery and a very good and continuing (as far as I'm concerned) recovery because of my very hard work, frequently and consistently throughout the day, every day, as the months went by after the surgery.  Of course my doctor and my OT played an important role in my recovery!!  But, as I tell my own patients, when it comes to recovery, others can guide, but the individual has to put in the work.  I never want to look back and think of what could have been if only I'd given my maximal effort. I gave all my effort to recovery and am happy with the results -- very functional movement and strength!  If I gain more ROM, time will play a role in thinning tissues that thickened due to the K wires being in place for so long. I may never hyperextend, but will continue to try. It won't really affect me unless I decide to play the piano... and that isn't going to happen! I do hope to gain more flexion if scar(?) tissue thins out which will gain me more control when brushing teeth and fly fishing.

Please look back at the first pictures.  Even after that final May doctor's appointment 14 months later, I still gained in strength and range of motion.  The greatest degree of recovery available was literally in my own hands.  I write this to encourage and inspire others.  IF you give it all you've got, you will get the best you can and won't have to think, "If only....."

I would never wish for this to happen, but the journey was rewarding.  Thanks for letting me share my journey with you.  I am happy to be back fishing and catching again and am happy to say that my casting is better than before the injury!  I've been working on that, too.

Comparing fingers, especially index. Left proximal phalanx and knuckle (PIP) are slightly larger. 

Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association Fly Fishing Show: Feb 19-21, 2016, near Des Moines, IA

I'm looking forward to attending our annual fly fishing show, and I hope to see lots of anglers there and enjoying themselves!!!!   It's a friendly group of people and the members who organized this year's show have really put a lot of hard work into it. 

Reflecting on this Fly Angler's Life

With three napkins from Subway and a load of hand-picked wood, my thoughts were on coaxing up a nice campfire and setting to work on blackening some hot dogs.  The day's fish were also on my mind but not on the menu.

With late-evening sights of an Iowa summer as a backdrop, I looked past my fire to the Turkey River.  Just as I wished for fish-sign to ring the watery surface, it appeared in silence, and I watched the rings merge and fade with the ripples of a slow current.  Locusts buzzed and the fire popped.

The waters of small rivers and streams enrich my soul and return to me the peace that so frequently slips away during the work hours, days, and weeks.  No matter the rewards; the beeps, alarms, & people-sounds of my work in healthcare still extract a toll on me.

Three weeks ago, nearing the latter half of August, I sat in the same place, same chair, overlooking a campfire along this river for the first time.  I never thought I'd light a campfire when tenting solo, but acting on a whim may have started a comforting new habit.

That weekend threatened wind and rain.  Twenty to thirty-mph wind reigned supreme while clouds and sun battled for second place.  The rain never came despite the forecast, but oddly enough, planning smallie Iowa float trips nearly always seem to elicit bad-weather forecasts.

I'd needed to escape the day-to-day world and rediscover my peace.  Sharing this with like-minded friends would have been welcome, but I ultimately explored new water alone & had been grateful to do it.

And now, 3 weeks later, I sit here again in my Farm & Fleet clearance patio chair.  My pen, paper, headlamp & Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale keep me company by the fire.  Darkness is nearly here, & swallows, silhouetted by calm river water reflecting rays from a setting sun, will shape my memory of this extended weekend.

This time, yes, work was still stressful - very stressful - but this time I really wanted to enjoy the company of friends on what might be the final smallie float of the year.  But, it just didn't work out that way.  All were too busy doing other things.

So, once again, I'd made plans for a solo-camping & smallmouth float trip.

Strange, but it seems like I've returned to where I started.  But there aren't many fly anglers, especially in the Midwest.  Back in 2008, when my only fly fishing friend lived 8 hours away, I mostly fished, traveled, made lots of mistakes, and got lost -- alone.

Then I learned to network - at the local fly fishing club, fly fishing shows, on-line, with conventional anglers, and then slowly the world opened up.  I've been able to travel to go fishing with others in NC, MI, MT, and AK.  I can text, call, or email fly fishing friends anytime.  I lay out our club's newsletter, and there are so many known friendly faces at the shows.

Yet, it still frequently remains hard to find someone who has the time to go fishing for a few days, especially on smallmouth float trips, which I love nearly as much as fishing for musky.

I'm pretty happy by myself, which is probably a great reason why I shouldn't be alone too much.   When does finding a little peace transition into becoming a recluse?

But, I personally know people who won't go somewhere unless they have company.  Some of my best discoveries & most memorable times have been shared with others.  But my memories & my life would be far less rich if I'd waited for company to happen prior to venturing off on many things fly fishing.  The ironic thing is that I've met many of my fishing friends because I was willing to go someplace on my own & was willing to meet others.

I wonder if coming full circle also means that I will get to meet more wonderful people.

I live my life, and life has been great.  If I'd waited for life to happen to me, I think I'd still be waiting, or I'd have given up on this fly-fishing thing.   Don't wait!  And then someday, maybe we'll meet on the water & share some stories beside an evening campfire.
 (Written fireside 9-13-15 & finished while lounging in bed 12-13-15, because 100% heavy rain forecast would make for poor fishing and unsafe driving on gravel roads...& it's deer shotgun season. But, I did fish yesterday & it was good... but it wasn't enough. I think you know the feeling.) 

Detours

On a slow fishing day, if I can't take any pictures of fish, or friends with fish, there is always something else to do and to to take pictures of:

But... when the fish are biting, these are the people and things I like to have pictures of:

Happy fishing and I hope you enjoy the outdoors as much as I do!!

Musky Tackle, Prep, Fishing

Excellent article on how-to and prep when fly fishing for musky!  The guys pictured (Brad Bohen and Lucky Porter) are also exceptional anglers and guides.

http://www.flyfisherman.com/uncategorized/fly-fishing-for-muskie/ 

the Silent-Water Day

The "silent-water day" is a day bereft of much of any life aside from myself & my fishing partner.  One is lucky to hear woodland sounds or birds, & at and below the water's surface is utter desolation.  I struggle to stay on my A- or even my B-game on these days.  But, I know that to land a musky on one of these days would be the epitome of success and simply finding one and enticing it to follow would be cause to get jazzed up.  My gut says a musky would not mess with a follow on a silent-water day.  They are either going to strike or not.  Do or don't do, but likely the human version of sleep in all day.  That is the kind of day that brings to life the much-used saying, "A fish of 1,000 casts."

May God bless you with plenty of fish landed at your boat, successful catch and release, and just enough silent-water days to reflect upon and appreciate your memories and the path you have chosen to create a well-lived life.
 ~Twitch, May, 31, 2015

Niklaus Bauer Displays Keen Pike Perspective

   A very cool & fishy FaceBook friend & musky brother posted a link to a YouTube video on FB tonight.  I figure if Corey posts something, it's worth a look-see.  Almost thirty minutes later, I'm posting his link & another link to my blog.  Why?  The Swedish host of these episodes of Fly TV, Niklaus Bauer, is excellent.  It seems strange that I've only found Niklaus and Fly TV on YouTube  & not on a major outdoor television network.  The man is an excellent angler, personable, & shares what he knows about tackle, flies, and pike while obviously having fun.  I'd hire him for a pike (or musky!) trip in a heartbeat!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh3VYrUBlqM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqOKoveDm04

Striking the Balance Between Fly Fishing and Casting

  Last fall a friend of mine laid it on the line about my day's less-than-stellar fly casting while we hunted for musky.  The up-side to that brutal but needed conversation was the man would not have said the things he'd said if he didn't feel I should have been & was capable of becoming a better caster.

   My goal since that day was to finally step up my game, throw out the bad habits, & start casting some serious line.  But the same problem continued to stonewall me.
  

   Hello. My name is Lisa.  Some know me as "Twitch", & I am 
addicted to fly fishing...

   Following the fall musky frenzy, it was time to go trouting.  Next, I learned I could actually fish for the musky cousins, Mr. & Ms. Pike, intermittently during the winter & early spring!  Oh my!  Then, as those early spring days this year grew longer and warmer, I simply could not get smallmouth bass out of my mind.  I even fished a local creek for smallies well before my rational mind knew they would have moved there from the Mississippi River.  Every cast equals hope, right?  Of course, now it's time to fish for musky again. 

   My problem is that I'm fishing and I'm fishing as much as a person who has to work full-time can fish.  My house is a mess, I substitute take-out for the grocery store & cooking, & I should be visiting family more often.  Yet, I choose to chase fin, again and again.  

   One might think fishing is the perfect opportunity to improve the casting game.  However, if the bulk of the waters one fishes are skinny waters,  it's easy to roll cast, get away with lobbing, & hone all sorts of bad habits that make for a poor caster of a 10 wt rod being loaded by 10 wt sinking line and a large, wet musky fly.

   Today, I and other Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association (HFFA) members had the opportunity to share our skills with others at the annual K&K Casting Clinic, sponsored by K&K Hardware, Bettendorf, IA.  Dan Johnston, a St Croix Rod rep from Cedar Rapids, IA, was the primary instructor & he also enticed another instructor, Jen Ripple, editor and founder of Dun Magazine, to the clinic.  Dan's casting skill and teaching ability are well-known & respected in the region.  Dan reported we had a record turnout for the event held at Bettendorf's Middle Park Lagoon.  At the start of the clinic I counted 43 attendees and believe we met or beat the 50 people attendance mark. 

   As is the case when teaching others anything, the instructor can learn a lot.  In my case, I learned I was a better & more confident instructor than last year.  I also learned that there are a few skills that I can get away with performing but am not yet skillful enough to teach.  At those times, I asked other HFFA members or Dan for assistance with the particular caster & then I, too, paid close attention to the instruction.

   At the end of the day, Dan kindly gave me a bit of one-on-one time.  I learned to initiate my haul just as the fly line left the water and I also polished-up my roll casting technique.  Dan then gave me a couple of casting exercises to practice.

   I neglected to share with you that this lagoon (pond) is located right next to a small creek inhabited by smalllies.  My intention was to fish the creek after the casting clinic had ended.  I'd loaded my car with rod, reel, and fanny pack of everything I needed to fish for smallies early this morning.

   But, I didn't fish.  I stayed at the lagoon and practice-casted.  I honed my newly-refined roll casting technique.  I also practiced one of Dan's casting exercises & realized how many levels that exercise could improve my casting abilities!

   Feeling the tiredness that likely comes from being dehydrated & exposure to a day of sun,  I gave another longing glance at the small creek and its finned inhabitants, but headed for home.  

   Almost 2 hours later, I pause to look out the living room window while finishing this blog post.  My ginger ale is nearly gone and I see that it's now cloudy outside.  In so many ways, I reflect that now is a perfect time to go fishing.  With a clear conscience, I go.  ~May 9, 2015  

 

A Good, Long Weekend in NE Iowa & the Twin Cities (3/20-22/15)

I drove to the NE Iowa Driftless region Friday night & car camped along Canoe Creek.  It is one of my favorite streams - not because it is a great trout stream.  It isn't.  We have caught trout from this stream, I've also caught suckers, a pumpkinseed, & smallies... but all in very, very small numbers.  The stream bed has changed so much every year & especially on this stretch.  It isn't changing for the better with regard to maintaining healthy fish populations.  Nature doesn't always treat its resources very well, either!  However, this little stream still continues to tug at my heart.  I did fish Coldwater Creek for a very short time prior to heading to the TC.  I was gifted with one par brown on what I was told was a slow fishing day.

I believe the highlight of my trip to the Great Waters Fly Fishing Expo was seeing John and Stacie of Duluth, MN.  I was introduced to John, owner of Great Lakes Fly Shop in Duluth, on day 2 of my foray into fly fishing in 2008.  I tied my first fly - a clouser minnow- that day.  I think I met Stacie during an epic group float trip on the St. Louis River.  Wonderful person!  Later that year, we happened upon one another while searching solo for steel on the Brule River in Wisco.  Steelhead continue to elude me.  A few years ago I missed out on what ended up being a great opportunity to go fishing in Alaska with them.  It's been a long time since we all have met and the hugs were big and warm.  John has really developed an interest in spey casting and kayak fishing & still loves his steelhead & smallies.  If you are in town, I recommend stopping into the shop for all things fly fishing (yes, musky too!).   Other highlights of attending the expo including finally meeting (in person) & supping with Bob Bickford, owner/guide for St. Croix Adventures.  Bob is a smallie aficionado who also hunts for musky & trout who shares with me a mutual love of King's "The Dark Tower Series".  I didn't get to attend the musky fly tying contest - much to my great disappointment, or see many presentations but it was great to see Brian Porter again & I enjoyed his talk about regional species & musky fishing along with his great pictures.  Dan Frasier gave the best presentation I've heard about fishing for carp.

My friend & fellow trouter, Jeff Moore, was asked to tie at the expo.  His table display was excellent & he also set up a 2nd vise so others could tie a fly pattern with him.  I did get to watch Jeff and another man tie Jeff's "Moose Mane Midge", a fly that has also landed me a trout or two!

My trip to the Twin Cities would have been a huge disappointment if I had not visited Pho Tau Bay in St. Paul!  I had longed for 3 years to return & try their vegetarian pho.  However, after skipping lunch I was too hungry & went with #10 - pho thai vo bien, which included beef and beef meatballs, and then a fruity coconut concoction, che thai, a drink recommended by my petite, soft-spoken server.  She appreciated when I was able to pronounce the menu items correctly, after a few tries!  I also visited an outdoor store in Minneapolis & have happily found a moderate capacity backpack to fit me.  My lady salesperson was highly knowledgeable & fit me well.  Sadly, the owner of the store does not stock this backpack or many others in women's versions.  I could not leave with a backpack & will likely buy elsewhere due to this.  I made certain my salesperson does not work on commission.

Friends with whom I stayed at the motel texted/called me when I was at the restaurant to tell me about road conditions as they headed south of the TC, back to Iowa.  I think they had about a 20 mile band of bad driving.  When I left Pho Tau Bay, it was spitting snow.  As I drove, the band of snow had gotten much thicker.  I was about 20 miles from Decorah, IA, prior to being able to drive the speed limit.  But, it is not surprising to drive through this weather in March in Minnesota!!  I elected not to car camp and fish again in Decorah region.  I had hoped & failed to go piking back home in lieu of this.  I learned that Decorah got another 3" of snow that night.

HFFA 2015 FLY FISHING SHOW ~ Dubuque, IA, Feb 20-22

Please copy and paste the link below to learn about this year's Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association show that is a celebration of the heart of the Driftless!

file:///C:/Users/Davis/Downloads/HFFA%202015%20Show%20handout%204%20pdf%20(2).pdf

NO MORE WORDS - MUSKY DON'T CARE ~ The WI-MN Diaries (Part 8, Oct. 20-24, 2014)

   “Stop going through the motions.  I know it’s a hard day but you gotta put some life into that fly …and you’ve got an excuse for everything I say.”


                                                ouch.


   Those recent comments from a friend reminded me of a short conversation from years ago.  Back in the college days –my early 20s- I asked my fiancé one of the silly questions that men dread to answer.  “Does my butt look big?”  His reply that I will never forget:  “Lisa, I love you just the way you are, but you are a little out of proportion.”  I still consider that response to be one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.  I got back into shape.

Mentor
   Whether it’s about physique, fishing, or something else…  To take the risk in a relationship, to trust that the questioning person really wants the truth, and to be the one to provide that eye-opening answer takes guts.  It’s a likely oddity, but sometimes I’m so surprised by what I learn that I forget to remember it and apply it.  Years ago, I told the same fishing friend that I wanted him to smack me upside the head to get me to listen- if that was what needed to be done.  Either it took a while for him to believe I meant it or maybe I just fished that poorly during this recent trip, but after the initial shock and mortification evoked by his words wore off, I actually felt a stronger appreciation for our friendship.  When it mattered, he simply gave to me what I had asked of him in a way that really made me listen. 

The Path Less Traveled
   “You should fire that fly”, I was told.  Maybe that particular fly, but I stubbornly fished it a little longer.  That white fly, despite being a fly that moved with a little wiggle but mostly like a stick with a marabou tail, had had a couple follows and a strike when I fished alone the previous day.  These flies, originally tied by Rich McElligott, are great bass flies, but I threw some estrogen into the recipe, added 5/0 hooks and they became musky flies.  I think if they could, the popular fur, feather, big profile, articulated, testosterone flies would bully these inexpensive, quick-to-tie, yarn and marabou flies.  I think other anglers might similarly snub them, requiring that the nerd flies hook up twice as many musky prior to proving their worth.  I tied up a couple for my Wisconsin, 5-day musky fishing trip.

   Funny thing, though, I think that some of the time (spring, early summer) these hopped-up versions of a Shannon’s Fly could out-perform traditional, artistically-rendered musky flies.  When the tail is wrapped with just the right amount of tension –the tricky part- the action of the nerd fly is amazing.  It zigs, it zags.  It looks like an injured baitfish struggling on & just below the water’s surface.  

   On day 4 of my trip, I fished my variegated version of this fly on new water.  I did have a couple follows when initially fishing a more traditional fur/feather pattern of mine called BB’s Forage, but the follows, no matter how exciting, weren’t strikes.  I switched to the variegated fly and cast to a steep drop-off near the bank.  After a few strips, fish on!  Following a decent fight, I landed my only musky during a trip that had been graced with musky follows and strikes to both traditional and non-traditional flies.  Despite some laughable esox-angler antics at the watery landing zone, the 36-inch long musky with a surprisingly narrow head was safely released.  I yelled and whooped it up under the drizzling, clouded sky of a beautiful October day.

   To grow and be the best fly fisher one can be, it is necessary to be open-minded and willing to learn from others.  However, it’s also important to balance this with acting on one’s own thoughts even if they don’t follow the norm.  Under particular circumstances –often pertaining to big fish opportunities- I ask myself, “Will I regret this if I don’t do it?”  When the answer has been “Yes”, I’ve done it & now have a surprising number of memorable smallie, trout, and musky stories.

   My fly fishing recipe to success includes learning from others, learning from myself, exploring the path less traveled, and practice.  Ironic, but when I strike out on my own and am finding success by my own hand, what others have taught me becomes vitally active in my mind.  While I might find success on the path less traveled to be more satisfying, I can’t honestly say that I’ve ever landed a fish in solitude without the help of my angling friends.  And, by the way, when I haven’t technically found success, I’ve still learned something and generally enjoyed the journey.  I’m betting that anyone who is passionate about fly fishing & the outdoors understands this.

If You Keep Doing What You’ve Always Done…
   …you’re going to get what you’ve always gotten.  When fishing, I often mumble this to myself.  Usually, it comes after a couple of mild cuss words or a “Dangnabbit!”  I really try not to cuss but those “duh” moments that occur when fishing tend to set me off for a few seconds.  I have mini fisher-tantrums.  

   I can only imagine how a guide or helpful friend feels after coaching the angler, again and again, how to do something differently & more effectively, only to have the angler continue to do what he/she has always done, despite that angler’s best or nonexistent efforts to change.

   And so that was the way it was during my 2nd full day of the October musky fishing trip.  I’d spent that day with a friend, who is sort of a “Professor Musky”. Ironic, but I think this was the first time I came relaxed, well-rested and prepared, compared to other whirlwind fishing outings with this man.  And it was possibly my worst day of fly casting for musky.

   It struck me that all of the tight quarters, small water casting I’d been doing for smallies, salmon, and even musky during the previous 4 months had unknowingly bred some bad casting habits in me.  I was still having trouble mastering a couple basic skills when using a musky rod versus a trout rod.  At times, I was embarrassed.  He coached.  He repeated himself.  I questioned and casted.  He repeated himself.  I debated things.  I tried to understand and change my bad habits.  He coached, and I took deep breaths & practiced new techniques.  I had a beer.  He did not.  He’s never taken a beer with me until a musky has been boated.  We grew more silent.          

   Other than a few crows, all of land, sky, and water appeared barren of life.  The absolute best I can say for myself is that I strip-set the heck out of the snags I got.  If one had been a strike, the fish would have been mine.  But there weren’t any strikes.  It was just one of those days; hope for a miracle.  At one point, I realized that the fun was feeling more like work, & likely for both of us.  Whether true or not, I sensed that my friend was becoming bored & my spirits waned.  I didn’t give up.  I never give up, but…

   But that is when he said what he said, “Stop going through the motions.  I know it’s a tough day but you’ve got to put some life into that fly…”

Enough!  The Musky Don’t Care
   “…and you’ve got an excuse for everything I say.”  So, I livened up the fly and I think the shock of his words shut down my mouth.  I was glum and irritated, but after a few minutes that changed.  He was right about my fishing, but was he right about everything?  Had I been offering excuses or reasons to my failings following his instruction?  Both?

   Then, I realized that it didn’t matter.  The musky don’t care.  They don’t care why the angler chokes on a back cast or why a fly is presented in a particular manner.  They don’t care!  What the musky cares about is if the object in front of it either looks like a suitable meal or looks like a threat. It doesn’t care how or why the object appears, it just has be there and look the part to elicit an attack.  

   My friend, he thinks like em.  Reasons & excuses are the same to him and he doesn’t care. He cares about the outcome of the cast & if the fly presents like a meal or a threat.  He cares that I catch fish and he cares that I want to become a better angler.  So, he did everything he could do for me on an exceptionally challenging day of fishing.  That’s a friend I’ll fight to keep.  Strip-set!!

No More Words
   When I started fly fishing, throughout all of the snags, knots, failed attempts to hook a fish, & despite the embarrassment of believing a shiner was a different strain of trout simply because it came from a “trout stream”… I could still sense how good it would feel to have just enough skill to cast to and land a couple fish.  Funny, but I truly knew what the pleasure would feel like before I felt it.  That’s what kept me going.  Then, the instruction, intermittent practice, and a fair amount of fishing time improved my skills to where they are today.  

   To be completely honest, I’d place myself at the lower half of average when it comes to overall fly fishing ability.  But now there are the occasional glorious days when I sense how good it would feel to consistently fish as a better-than-average angler.  

   At this time, guides and friends can’t do much more to push me off my angling plateau & up to that next level of fly fishing.  Instruction alone won’t take me farther.  Excuses certainly won’t do it.  Thanks in part to friends, I now know what needs to be done yet I’m the only one who can finish the job.  Only work –consistent practice- will take me to the next level & to yet another path less traveled.  I'd like to go there.  I think that's where one finds the big musky.  ~Twitch (11/24/2014)

7:06 PM. A Rainy Evening at the Home of a Fly Angler

   A gentle rain, an infrequent smattering of light wind, and it's warm enough for one to wear shorts but cool enough to comfortably wear rain gear; I'm yearning for another day like this & the opportunity to spend it on the water with a fly rod in hand.  Sitting here on my patio chair, tucked in between the bumper of the CR-V and the interior garage wall - toes resting on the driveway- I can almost completely sense the feelings to be born from such a day.  Calm and delightful, accented by moments of fishy excitement, with peace gently raining down on all.

When Your Fly Fishing Gear Stinks, Life is Good

   If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I wouldn't be upset if my house was a mess.  I am not neat. I'm only going to live once and my priorities are in order!  That being said, I still remember opening up a buddy's wader tote years ago & getting a whiff of the nasty, bacterial chemical cocktail that was brewing,  I was pretty grossed out.

   It's amazing how things (the same things you'd think would likely remain repulsive) change.

   Work, weather, timing... all sorts of things created a logjam to this year's warm water fishing opportunities.  Feeling that warm water time was swiftly winding down, I simply decided it was time to do some small river fishing, come low or high water.

   As it turned out I did have both water situations.  The Upper Iowa River was running a bit high to easily find the holding areas of smallmouth bass.  The Volga River was running too low to float any kind of watercraft.  A cold front had also come through.

 
   On Saturday, I floated the first 2/3 of the Upper Iowa River solo.  Much of this stretch flows right through Decorah, IA.  Other than one little smallie striking a topwater pattern at the first bend of the river, there were no fishy tugs on my line and the water remained undisturbed by fish.  After working through color, pattern, size, & retrieve changes, I switched to a couple "desperation flies" but continued fishless.  Around 4 pm I hooked up with a few friends, "T" and her son Ben, & T's DNR co-worker Chris.  The rest of the float included DNR smallie sampling to check for mercury so I'm happy to write we found a few smallies willing to make tissue donations!  I ended up with 2 in the net and lost 2 more.  Chris landed another 2-3 fish.  We also spotted a mink swimming in the water.  It was a beautiful day, we had fun, and I knew that during a particular stretch of my solo float, had the water been lower, I likely would have had to drag my pontoon a long way.  It was dusk when we left the river.

   I camped that night along a creek & on Sunday, I slept in.  Then, with a wet tent drying in the back of my CR-V,  I headed to the Volga River, near Fayette, IA.  I had debated visiting a trout stream, but I heard the tick, tick, ticking away of the warm water fishing season. After carefully bumping down a woodsy dirt road, I fished an unfamiliar stretch of the Volga and ended up with 6-7 smallies and likely lost the same amount.   Generally, I waded  from one hole to another, enjoying the weather, the scenery, wet wading, feisty fish, and simply being alive!  I still love the juxtaposition of feeling like I'm on a trout stream yet lifting smallmouth bass from my net.  While fishing, I was also treated to the sight of another beautiful mink meandering around the rocky bluffs tracing the river's edge.

   My longest fish of the day measured about 13 inches.  While tearing down my rod, the 3 guys who had been spin fishing for about an hour returned with 3 smallies that ran from 16-18" long.  Whoa!  I have my ideas on how they accomplished this, and am looking forward to returning to this stretch of river.

   After the nearly 3 hour drive home, I began unloading the CR-V of its contents.  While I got a stray whiff of something during the drive, it wasn't until I got the suv into the garage that I truly smelled the nasty, bacterial chemical cocktail brewing inside my vehicle!   I might have squinched up my nose, but I was smiling, too.  Heck, I'm smiling now!  That swampy odor was simply the left-over remains of a great weekend of fly fishing!

   While I promptly removed the smelly culprits, my net and fishing sandals, from the vehicle, I thought of my buddy's wader tote.  I hope his tote smells just as badly today as it did years ago.  After all, it's important to keep the priorities straight!

   

'06 Honda CR-V: Is It Possible to Make a Better Fly Fishing and Car Camping Mobile?

   Why does your fishing mobile work for you?  How does it meet your outdoorsy needs?  What is so special about the interior?  Have you altered your mobile?  Did you discover something positively fishy about it after you had it for a while?  What is your ultimate, dream-fishing, 4-wheeled go-getter??

   I bought my ‘06 Honda CR-V in 2008 with 21,000 miles on it.  I wasn’t keen on the black interior and always thought this model of suv was a tad homely.  However, it was practical, had proven reliability, and the mpg wasn’t too bad.  At the time, the big plus was that I could flip the rear seat forward and roll my touring bike right in the back without even removing the bike’s front tire.  It was also suitable for my newly-growing habit: fly fishing.  I wasn’t thrilled with my purchase so I didn’t rust-proof it.  The Honda was simply the most practical purchase I could make.  (Tip: If you are going to keep any Honda for a while, rust-proof it!)

   Soon, fishing, fishing road trips and fishing friends eclipsed the time I spent on my bike saddle.  I learned that I had accidentally purchased the best available fly fisher’s road machine –despite that you just might disagree!

   I’ve heard some people refer to compact suvs as a girl’s vehicle (Smirk!).  This girl values 25 mpg vs. big suv 17 mpg on 6-hour road trips.  A shorter wheel base coupled with my moderate 8.1” of ground clearance has given me access to most gravel-rutted paths that lead to remote fishing holes.  Narrow, wooded DNR roads are best traversed by vehicles not as wide as my little house.  While my Honda’s AWD is best-suited for softroading, when I ditched the OEM tires for Cooper CS4s the Honda performed adequately on gravel and snow.  While I might want it to go offroad like a Jeep, it’s never been necessary. 

Reliable and Practical

   Other than normal wear & tear, a bout with a suicidal Wisco deer, and a couple of pesky recalls, after 133,000 miles my Honda has had no garage repair time.  I expect 300,000 out of this baby.  Maybe it will finally need some exhaust work by then…  I can’t say enough about the CR-Vs reliability.

   My machine has:  Decent mpg – although the newer, small suvs are better;  good ground clearance, esp compared to the newer, small suvs (what are car companies thinking?!;  excellent head room for my male fishing pals – weird, but all of them are tall.  If there is good head room, there is also better fly rod room!  Also, I can store my deflated pontoon, camping gear, fishing gear, & a medium cooler and still have room for 2 passengers.  There is also a hidden storage area for rods and other valuables (because the spare tire is not stored inside the suv).  It has good safety ratings.

Interior

  I now prefer the black cloth seats.  They don’t get very hot in the summer.  I don’t have to worry about dirt and water marks created by dirty, wet hands or wader butts.  I can’t grasp why anyone would want an AWD suv with a sand-colored interior – other than that it would be easier to see ticks crawling about.

   The seats are also great for car camping.  Some people prefer to sleep in the back of their trucks or suvs.  I’ve come to appreciate another set-up.  I slide my passenger seat completely forward and remove the headrest.  I recline the seat back flush with the rear seat and throw down my camping pad, etc.  With the ability to recline the rear seat backs, I can kick back and write, read, or plan for the next day’s fishing adventure with choices of light from a lamp set on my cooler, a light hanging from my roof hand grip, or from a headlamp.  Of course, the rear armrest has a cup holder to allow for choice of beverage.  When it’s time for fishing dreams, my 5’7” frame can almost completely stretch out for a pretty good night’s sleep.  The advantage to not sleeping in the rear of the vehicle is that when I wake on a cold winter’s morning, I can simply lean forward, turn the keys, and heat up the CR-V before worming out of my sleeping bag.  In case of emergency I can get quick access to the driver’s seat.

   My center console is actually a flip-down table that includes cupholders.  Space exists under the table and between the table and the seats.  My fly fishing travel binder always sits in one of those spaces.  There is an adequate amount of cubbies for storage.  Nothing beats a van for cool cubbie spaces but there is only 1 AWD van and it has a long wheel base and lower ground clearance.

   The interior roof is great!  I have 4 roof lights.  There are 3 nicely-sized, metal latches on the very rear, interior roof.   These were originally designed for use with child car seats but used by me as part of my interior rod holder system.  Rear above-door grab handles coupled with bungies also contribute to the rod holder system.  And, the roof liner is a felt-like material.  I discovered its benefits a few years ago.  I have a variety of flies poked in the liner.  Gifted flies, retired flies from memorable fishing days, and flies that needed to dry before being returned to the fly box hang from the liner.  Velcro fly patches adhere to the liner.  I use Velcro straps to secure my 7.5’-9’ rod bodies to the liner.  The rods then curve down and along the front windshield.  In case of hard braking, rod tips will not slam into the windshield.

      

   I’d day-dreamed of keeping my baby until it had 300,000 miles on it.  I know a guy who has 800,000 miles on an Accord & the only major work was done on the tranny.  However, my CR-V has hints of rust starting in the couple areas known for rust.  Once a vehicle starts to rust, something inside of me clicks:  Sell!

  I had a deal on a new ’14 Subie and private buyers for the CR-V.  The deal fell through so I put in an order on the next best thing, a ’15 Subaru Outback.  I am certain it won’t be the perfect fly fishing and camping machine the CR-V has been, but I’m going to rust-proof the Subie just in case.  Heck, I might even wash it once in a while, too!  And, do you know what the best thing is?  The folks who wanted to buy my CR-V are going to wait the 12 weeks until my Subie arrives to take possession of the Honda!  Oh, wait, do you know what is equal to this best thing?  The buyers are John and Cheryl, fellow fly fishing friends, and when we car pool to fly fishing events I will still get to enjoy the best fly fishing mobile around.