Seattlest Pix: 08Sep28

I don't know of anywhere to rent but a local shop might let you borrow especially if you wrote about the experience and mentioned their store prominently .

Let's go fishing. Drop me a, har har, line -- jseattle at gmail

Thanks for all the tips, J! I do enjoy a good class, which I think is why I held off for the summer. The fishing shop in Eastlake that I was pointed to by more than one person does their classes in the winter and spring. Also, while I do love solitude in nature, I feel like, considering my fear of hooking myself in the aorta with a faulty cast, I'd like to experience the first few times with a companion or group.

Do you know if there's somewhere to rent equipment? I'd happily pick up a regular fishing pole, should fly fishing equate snowboarding to me and I prefer to just go back to doing it the normal way. Not being able to rent is definitely not a deal-breaker. I'm determined to learn.

And Katelyn, thanks for the book recommendation! Any activity that can be accompanied by a good post-activity read is okay by me.

Anyone want to take me fly fishing? I have seriously been asking people that all year. I figure if I keep asking, someone will volunteer.

After you get home from the Middle Fork, Kim, you should read The River Why by David James Duncan. Such a beautiful book, and it always makes me wish I liked fishing.

Hmmm. Don't want to fill you with regret but there are plenty of good fly opportunities in the summer. And there are also lots of fly opportunities right now and the rest of the year. So the good news is you are starting at perfect time.

Are you a class kind of person? I'm not so I am a very bad fly caster. But I never had to sit through a casting class either!

Before it starts raining again and the rivers rise, here's a good way to get started. Buy a regular old, non-fancy 5-weight at Outdoor Emporium and get them to set it up for you. Buy 6 flies -- something big and fuzzy like a Woolly Bugger. Find some open space with about 20 feet behind you and 20 feet in front of you. Tie a piece of felt on your line and try flipping it out in front of you. Don't worry about casting. Just flip it out. As soon as you can flip it a dozen feet or so, you are ready for a small river.

Head out to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie which has a lot of easy access, is protected by special regulations and catch and release rules, and, best of all, is so small that your new flipping/casting will be all you need to start whipping the water. Flip out a fly and let it drift/float/sink through the current. You won't be able to drift long because you can't cast long yet. No worries. Repeat. Eventually, you will catch a small trout. You will then continue to flip and optimize to catch more small trout. You will catch so many small trout you will get bored. You are now a fly fisherperson. Once you lose all your flies on trees and stick and etc., go home. (oh, don't forget to squeeze your barbs so your hooks don't hurt too badly if you accidentally catch yourself. also, wear sunglasses to look cool and protect your eyes). Don't buy anything else until you decide you like it.

(also, an easier way is to just drag your fly behind a boat but that's not really fishing, it's trolling and i didn't want to rile up any more knowitalls than i'll already rile up with my simplification of flyfishing above)