Looking back to the days where I simply tied on a worm or salmon egg seems like an eternity ago. I then transitioned to casting a fly behind a bubble and slowly reeling it in. When things really heated up, I was casting two flies behind the bubble.
Then, it happened. My dad and I hired a guide in Taos, NM to bring us up to the Valle Vidal one day. Being in 6th grade, I am sure I was a tough student to teach but I was in love. I spent the whole day casting a single grasshopper to eager trout in the high alpine meadow. From that time on, I spent countless hours trying to fine tune my skills as a fly fisherman. Even when my family and friends were catching more than I was using spinners and bait, I stuck with it. I even started practicing Catch and Release, something all anglers should support.
The last few days I had the pleasure to host my Dad and our great friend Gabe over a couple of days here in the Vail Valley. I was totally excited to now have the chance to show them things and secret places that they had never been to, just as they did for me around Northern NM growing up. I was able to bring them to a private stretch of water our shop has access to as well as on a float trip along the Colorado. I also showed them around the area to other water where I now guide.
It was great having them around and I am very happy to have had the opportunity to show them how much I have learned since the early fishing days. I am thankful for everything they showed me while growing up and love to see them now casting a fly rod and releasing their fish too!
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