Following a morning casting lesson, I headed once again to the river Goyt for the afternoon.
Things started slowly but after a couple of fly changes, I found myself connected with that big early season Goyt Grayling I’d been hoping for.
My euphoria was short lived as after a few twists and turns, the hook pinged out of the fish and up into the branches of the tree above me.
Whilst reaching up to retrieve my fly from the canopy, my nymph box must have fallen from my still unzipped fly vest pocket. I think I even recall hearing the splash but assumed it was a fish. Anyway, when I next reached for my treasured fly box, it was gone!
Over 200 flies all of course killers, will now probably end up in the hands of some quizzical dog owner who’ll be wondering how that stick he threw for his dog turned into a plastic box of flies. To say I’m gutted would be an understatement! I searched for a while but looking for a clear plastic and black box floating down a shaded, tree-lined stream was like looking for a needle in a haystack! Resigned to the loss, I resumed fishing.
Finally, and as if to add insult to injury, I took one of my remaining 4 nymphs that was drying in my fly patch and hooked a Brownie of around 2.5 pounds. After a short battle, it promptly absconded with that fly too leaving me now with only 3 flies for the rest of the day!
I did manage to land a few fish and it was still a great (but very expensive) day.
Driving home through tear filled eyes was difficult but I tried to remain positive. I concluded that as I only really fished a handful of those lost patterns regularly, I’ve been presented an opportunity to streamline my fly boxes even further. This is a good thing, right?
Also, with several guiding days in the diary, I’m now staring at some serious time at the fly tying vice…but, perhaps now I’ll be forced to start using all of those fly tying materials that I’ve been collecting for years!
Loss, the gift that keeps on giving!!!