Trial Run

Four buddies and I are on the verge of a week-long fishing excursion to western New York. Every fall, large trout descend from the Great Lakes into small tributaries to gorge on freshly laid salmon eggs. Naturally, thousands of anglers are also drawn to these waterways to capitalize on the rich fishing opportunities. For the last several weeks, we have been prepping for this trip by tying flies and procuring supplies. Andy, a friend who is not making the trek this year, graciously loaned me one vital piece of gear, a brand-spanking-new switch rod, which is a fly rod that can be used with one or two hands and makes long casts seem effortless. Since I had never used one before, I thought it wise to give it a trial run on a familiar piece of water before the big show in New York. I may have looked a little out of place on the Farmington River with a large two-handed fly rod, but it was a productive session even without landing a single fish. Tommy, one of the trip veterans who has mastered switch and spey rod casting techniques, gave me some valuable pointers that I will soon put into practice. Our crew shoves off Tuesday evening after work and will spend five full days plying some of the most renowned trout waters in the Northeast--good times!

Photo credit: Tommy Baranowski

Note the yellow (appears green) elastomer tag behind the trout's right eye.