Save to del.icio.us

The Maine Experience Video Hi Speed Only

In case you don't know, I love Maine. I will never leave. With that being said, I love to share Maine with my closest fly fishing buddies. Maine is much more than a fly fishing destination. It is a total experience. Especially for the fly fisherman. My friend, Dave (Headrush999) decided to come up to Maine and fly fish. So, I decided to do it right. We spent the first day on the salt flats and then ventured all over the state of Maine in search of Trout/Salmon. We fly fished some of the worlds most magnificent waters. Dave enjoyed every minute and I know for certain that it will be an experience that he will remember for the rest of his life. I know this because, it was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. We caught countless fish, had phenomenal weather and found ourselves in picture perfect locations. On top of all that, I caught the best fish of my life. When you look back on all of the fish you have tricked with a fly, try to think of the best experience. You will surely piece together many variables that seemed to come together. All of those variables, when condensed into a total experience are usually the factors that determine a fish of a lifetime. So, I will try to explain why this fish was my "best fish ever."

We arrived at the river. Blue skies, warm air and cool water. The crystal

clear water was filled with trout of all different sizes and types. There were a few fly fisherman standing in the obvious pool and casting repeatedly to the same fish. I joined them for a few minutes, but then decided to move and forgoe the smaller trout. See, I had a score to settle with a fish from last season and I knew exactly where he would be. So, I ventured downstream. Waded through the water and scaled the boulder. I positioned myself perfectly and checked all of my knots. I stripped line off my reel and there was no need for a useless graceful cast. I simply roll casted my fly line into the throat of the run. I mended my line as the cone head wooly bugger and wet fly tumbled through the current. I slowly raised my rod tip at the end of the drift and tried to immitate an emerger. It worked. The big brown fell for it. Just as the wooly bugger was coming out of the water, he ate the trailing wet fly. He was not too happy about falling for my trickeries. In fact he was pissed. He put his nose down and swam cross river. My reel screeemed and I was into my backing in no time. I yelled, "Hey Dave, I got him! I got the big dog!" Dave immediately starts sprinting down river, because he knew what I was talking about. I had told him about the monster Brown Trout that wrapped me around a log last season. I stood on the boulder with my rod double over and then the fish hit the fast water and he was gone! I don't mean off the hook I mean swimming fast. Real fast. I was nearing the end of my backing and I had two options. Snap this fish off or chase him. In an instant I decided to chase him. God only knows how I got down that rock, crossed the river and then ran downstream over boulders and trees and through shallow and deep trenches. My shoe laces became untied and I was dripping with sweat. I was busting through pine trees and shrubbery. This fish was still on. Dave was up on the trail looking down and following me all the way. We finally got the fish in another pool way downstream and he was tired. Dave tailed the fish. We took a few photos and released him. I stood there with sweat pooring down my face and panting from the epic battle. This Brown Trout was, to date, the best fish that I have ever caught. I will always remember everything about that fish. Of course, I will be trying to top that fish for the remainder of my days and it may happen tomorrow or never. Regardless that Brown Trout is, for me, the essence of fly fishing.