As the wind whipped through the valley a slight shiver crept up my spine. The sun was out, but the high wind created a chill in the air and an adversary that an east coast fisherman is not used to. The smart, strategic decision in this particular situation was to fish below water with a sturdy rod and heavier fly. However, I have never been accused of being smart. My attention was not focused on the wind, but on the tiny little bugs floating on top of the water and the little dimples that soon followed. I'm easily distracted by bugs. And so with my fiberglass rod in hand, I tied on a small, yellow back fly.
I think it's fair to assume that most people have some sort of superstition, ritual, or lucky charm whether they realize it or not. Silly little things that may be totally subconscious. For instance, Jacob wears the same shirt on most fishing expeditions. Mind you, he's got plenty of other fishing shirts; I know, I wash them. I don't want to label it as his "lucky fishing shirt," because I'm not convinced it's a conscious effort. Nevertheless, it does happen and is noticeable.
For four hours I fought the elements and stubbornly fished that little yellow fly. It wasn't all in vain, more than a few fish made it to the net, though they were obviously just stockers. Maybe that matters, maybe it doesn't. I'm not ready to commit to calling this fly my "lucky charm," but I would call it a confidence booster. If I'm having a crappy day on the water I just tie on this little dry fly and feel better, and always end up catching a fish.
If you've ever fished with us you know what fly this is, in fact, we've probably got a running joke about it. So, here's to everyone's lucky charms, superstitions, or river ritual. May they bring you good luck this weekend!