Becoming a fly fisher almost always means becoming a nature worshiper, no matter what spiritual bent we 've assumed. Even if we choose not to engage with anything beyond a fly rod and fish, we become bound to the cycles of nature. So fly fishers -- especially in the northern hemisphere -- have something more to celebrate this time of year: an about-face of the sun. The light's shift to the south is over and now migrations reverse. Along the ridges of Central and North America, birds begin their 12-mile-a-day progress north. Tarpon note the subtle lengthening of days and start sniffing out inshore basins. In streambeds and river bottoms around the world, insects start listening for different sets of clues. Errant steelhead think twice about home. If we lived every day out-of-doors, we'd be clued in to it all. Our holidays, instead, are as close to a reminder as many of us get.
Once again we have a very short list of wishes in mind for MidCurrent readers as this year rolls to an end and a new one begins.
The first is that you enjoy the celebration of new beginnings that binds us all together.
The second is that you'll begin making room for more fly fishing in your schedule this year. Despite -- or maybe even because of -- the difficult economy, there's no better time to be fly fishing than right now.
At MidCurrent, we believe that the preservation of things that make fly fishing possible depends on folks going out and fishing. Respect begins with awareness, and awareness comes with practice. We appreciate your reading MidCurrent while you wait for your waders to dry or for the sun to rise, but most of all we want you to go out and fly fish.
There's nothing quite like being out there.
Happy holidays and Merry Christmas from MidCurrent.
And when you come in from a good day's fly fishing, take time to get in the game to protect those resources for your grandchildren.
Every hour spent fishing is Happy Hour.