I’d just finished another hallway conversation wherein I defended myself, the rest of you louts, and our beloved pastime. I was fumbling for the file to notch my “gunbutt” with another eco-radical kill, when I was brought up short…
It was innocent piece, really – but it cited a statistic that fascinated me:
Each year, more than 12,000 tons of rubbery “soft baits” land at the bottom of lakes, streams and rivers, says Hobbins, who is president and CEO of Waunakee-based Lake Resources Group.
An enterprising lad has devised a new “plastic worm” that resists tearing, doesn’t come off the hook, and lays claim to the ecological “high ground” for low impact artificial baits.
My snappy comeback failed, I’m thinking it has to have TransFat in there somewhere. The old adage of “..if it feels good or tastes good it’s bad for you” leaps to mind, especially for a tactile yummy like a gelatinous worm.
Thankfully we don’t have a similar statistic for lost flies, but it has to be right up there in gross tonnage. I’m discounting the lead split shot, as we’re already drinking a couple hundred years worth compliments of duck hunters.
I’m guessing our lost tackle is nearly two-thirds the worm total, a lot of our flies are smaller and weigh less, many weigh more, but they wouldn’t be representative of the “average” fly. Tyer’s like me and Daytripper tip the balance, as we’re more comfortable throwing leaden death than the gossamer stuff, even so – 8000 tons of flies wedged in rocks and tree limbs is a economy stimulating total.
As this is a “per season” weight can we turn this into a lucrative profession? Scuba gear is expensive, but there’s a thriving industry recovering sunken golf balls – why not flies?
I’m leaning toward one of those Montana trophy streams – I can lay in wait behind the big rock and pluck stoneflies nymphs off your leader like dollar bills – so long as I give you a couple tugs you’re happy, you’re just going to lie about it anyway’s…
Technorati Tags: plastic worms, tackle loss, sunken limb
That’s fine with me. I’d be happy to repeatedly be fooled into thinking I hooked up with something too big to handle. What’s even better is I wouldn’t have to feel guilty about overplaying the monster to bring her to hand. Of course, in my dreams I would be tormented by a brutish mouth ringed with piercings…well, I guess that would be nothing new really.
Might need to invest in a rebreather to maintain the illusion. Between this and the rod time-share, you might actually come out ahead.
The rebreather angle is a nice touch – I could use the bubbles as a ruse … the amount of surface disturbance assisting the angler in “size-guesstimation” – then again, I could release tin foil chaff like a NATO fighter.
Once back at the bar – and listening to the story retold, I could figure what works best for the anglers imagination.
“Jesus, it had to be twentypoundsminimum – I saw the sumbitch roll afterwards…”
For maximum illusory effect, you’ve got to include audio-animatronics (like Disney).
Just stake out your favorite hole, and plant out an underwater, robotic fish decoy that’s programmed to break water just as you snatch the prize. The residual ring is all you’ll need to make a clean getaway.
Truly you are fast becoming one of fly fishing’s premier entrepreneurs. When’s the IPO?
Sorry Tom, the IPO is for the “little guy” – not for you well heeled Dunsmuir slum lords.
I like the animatronics angle, I bet I could score the shark from Jaws on eBay – it’s gathering dust on someone’s back lot .. Spray paint some black dots on the fin – and a dab of yellow on the underbelly, call it good.