In the lap of recent generations lies the predisposition to have things in our own time, in our own space, and at our own pace. It is unfortunate because it points to our lack of attention to detail, patience, and understanding. Nature has little tolerance for these cumulative traits. The nature of fishing in general is really an ongoing exercise in looking from the outside in and finding a sense of pause within ourselves. If we go to a river with little or no expectations, and we merely accept her for the moment we find that the focus is taken off of the results and placed on process, introspection, and sense of wonder. We can then in many ways relive our childhood joy and innocence time and time again.
As we grow older we put pressure on ourselves to be in places on time, be productive, up on current weather and forecasts, and generally trying to predetermine our experience before it has even started.
If we experience these destinations in this manner, we are really setting ourselves up for disappointment rather than a basic sense of happiness and wonder that fishing brings to us all. Sometimes I like to approach a piece of water with no rod, no pack, nothing, and just sit. It’s hard at first especially if you happen upon a hatch or even a nice fish. I always leave with a smile because it’s a healthy form of restraint that allows us to better understand why we enjoy being on rivers in the first place. I love looking at a beautiful painting of a little rural stream it sparks the inner child in me on many levels. You cannot step into this water, you can only look at it with a sense of elation and pause. A stream of consciousness that takes our imaginations to a place with no expectations or sense of time, here in our own unforecasted moment there remains only endearment and wonder.
~Clint Bova