“Little Summer Storm”
14x18 oil on canvas
Clint Bova 2026 Kings Creek
I often get asked why I do not keep a social media page other than Blogger. There is a very direct answer; I don't want to. Fly fishing is about storytelling, and the written word is extremely important to me personally. I do, however, occasionally post oil paintings of trout streams on Instagram, but not very often. The old-school narrative component of fly fishing has faded significantly. It's kind of sad, really. I cringe every time I see YouTube videos or retailers spewing the latest and greatest crap, primarily because it really has nothing to do with the creative spirit of fly fishing. If fly fishing products enhance our creative reach, I definitely embrace such products or real informative content and make a wholehearted exception. In all honesty, fly fishing has become so retail-focused that it kind of makes my skin crawl. Fly fishing creates a symbiotic relationship between a river and the expression of my daily rituals. Inevitably, painting, fishing, making bamboo rods, or tying flies is my fuel for passion. It's an inspiring and wonderful process that just keeps feeding itself. Small fly shops do a great job of being genuine ambassadors for the sport. Local fly shops provide great information and are often very generous with their knowledge. Larger retailers really do not add much to the sport from a community standpoint. Local fly shops are really good “friends in the know,” and it's unfortunate that there are so few of them now. Most importantly, many of these fly shops genuinely want you to experience the sport in a very accessible, meaningful, and enjoyable way. We have such a fly shop here in Columbus, Mad River Outfitters, that I frequented back in 1994. A wonderful oasis of giving knowledge here in central Ohio.
Above painting detail: Our little confluence, Kings Creek, is down the street from my house. It is one of the many little confluences that feed into the Mad River and inspire me every day I drive down the street.
Most videos on social media aren't about storytelling, meaningful, or useful content, or crafting an artifact; they're about moving snake oil, monetizing, or plain old self-glorification. Truly creative and informative content, meaning content that takes us closer to ourselves, and the experience is different than a person holding yet another Jurassic fish or a review of the most ridiculously expensive reel, or promoting an elitist 30k fly-in vacation destination. It is really not part of the experience at all. I honestly hope that creativity, storytelling, and craft can move to the forefront in fly fishing. The written word is so critical to our society, and it is being smothered by algorithms and data used for god knows what. In the end, the story holds a special place in my heart and is a catalyst for a more creative experience. Thank you for letting me share ~Clint Bova 
www.cjbovarods.com
www.clintbova.com
