The Video That Started It All!

Six years ago I came across a video that completely changed my life.

I was looking to branch out, learn a new skill, and find an activity that would provide some quality bonding time with my brother, J. Little did I know that this would start me down the most rewarding path in my life.

At 23 years old I was consumed with work, my then girlfriend, and future life plans, which resulted in me not putting much effort into developing new skills or putting my own happiness first. This meant that I was also out of shape and the strong relationship that my brother and I once had was slipping away.

Then I learned a joke.

The discipline, serenity, and views shown in that video made us want to experience it for ourselves!

Armed with nothing but an idea J and I went off to equip ourselves… and if you know nothing about an activity one should likely head into a fishing shop, ask some experts for advice, and get some legit equipment, right?

Ha, that would only make sense. We chose Canadian Tire and as luck would have it they only carried one fly rod and reel combo, perfect! Mixed bag of assorted flies, no net, no fly box, a couple leaders, and some floats (what fisherman doesn’t use floats?) and we were blindly on our way.

It took us quite a few trips until it happened… we caught our first fish on a fly rod!

A Cutthroat Trout at Upper Kananaskis Lake in Alberta, Canada.

                                                         Upper Kananaskis Lake

For the next two years we dove into the sport of fly fishing full bore. We learned to tie our own flys and obsessively fished lakes, rivers, and mountain streams.

We never attended a course or used a guide, nor did we have the top of the line equipment but we taught ourselves and that was something to be proud of. And let me tell you, the feeling of that first fish was worth all the frustration and mistakes.

I am really looking forward to sharing more adventures and beginnings with you. Stay tuned.

-R