Wow. Some great stories and some great replys. Though, I'm not as eloquent as the majority of you, I only took up fly fishing this year. I used to spin cast when I was kid with the old man. Used to go to Cross Lake every May long weekend, until it was fished out and turned into a slough. Fish were diseased and not worth catching anymore. When I was a kid, you could walk along the dock, and see the fish swimming around the piers. By the time I was a teenager, it was a mess. Sad really, some of my best vacations were at that lake.
When I moved to Calgary, one of the first things I wanted to do was learn how to fly fish. Even before I moved here I had heard of how legendary the Bow was for fly fishing. I never knew where to go to learn. Didn't know where the fly shops were. Thankfully, my wife did do the research and signed me up for casting lessons through Country Pleasures. Great couple of guys. Learned LOTS, casted a few rods and litterally fell in love with it that day. I think my wife regrets it. lol
Now, I look forward to every moment I can get on the water. Weather it be a crisp fall morning, or a beautiful summer evening. The sound of the water, the smell of the air and the anticipation of that next big one. Watching the fish rise to your flly, taking it and then the fight. I love everything about fly fishing so far and can't wait to enjoy my first FULL season in the spring.