Fly fishing is a sport that the participant can literally turn into an art form, and nothing quite takes your breath away like standing in the middle of a mist-covered, forest-lined river just as dawn breaks or dusk falls, and watching your line sail smoothly through the air to gently uncurl on the water. By its very nature, fly fishing takes you to some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and at the same time removes you from the daily stresses that we all must live with. For that blissful period of time, you can leave the mobile phones, emails, and job responsibilities far behind and remind yourself what life is all about -- Mother Nature and this incredible planet we live on.
For whatever reason, fishing in general has been viewed as a "man's sport." However, fly fishing is the perfect sport for women because we seem to be the more artistic and detail-oriented of the species -- perfect qualities for a fly fisher! Perfecting your cast, studying the local surroundings to determine where your target might be hiding, and learning what hatches happen at what times of year are but a few of the many intricacies that make up fly fishing. Fly fishing is a mixture of the delicate, artistic, sporting, and intellectual -- what a fabulous combination!
Although the above discussion brings to mind a "singular" picture, I would be remiss if I didn't comment on the incredible comradery that I have discovered through fly fishing. I have met people of all nationalities, from all walks of life, who all share a common love for this wonderful sport. I have learned more from these people than I can every repay, and my sincerest hope is that I can pass along that information to someone else in the future. Fly fishing crosses all gender, ethnic, racial, and socio-economic barriers and brings together the most fascinating people who might otherwise never know the joy of each other's company. I for one have certainly benefited from these associations.
