Back to My Fly Fishing Roots

Recently I have been thinking about how this whole idea started. As I continue working through the process of creating and improving what we are trying to do, I figured it was about time that I return to where my whole fly-fishing life started. So, last week as I returned to Ogden to take care of some essential office work I decided to take a morning and go where it all began for me: the Weber River near Morgan, Utah.



As I waded upstream to the place where I caught my first fish I thought back to the first time I stepped into the river with a fly rod in hand. I was with a group of friends and one friend had convinced me that fly fishing was a great way to catch fish. The spot he took me on the Weber still holds the memories in that hole. Of course now it holds only my memories, not a fish to be seen. At least my memories like that section. I continued up stream a while and found someone fishing in the "money hole" as we used to call it. Somewhat disappointed, I continued upstream to where there has been some restoration in recent years.
It was there in the section above the hole where I caught my first fish on a fly-rod that I decided to sit and reflect on what I had learned over the years fly fishing. That list of concepts and life lessons is long. The one concept that kept returning to mind was that of patience and enjoying the moments that I have to think while standing in a river with rod in hand. I then looked up and saw this sight:

Although the times have changed and there are now houses on the hill on the other side of the river, the thoughts and peacefulness of the experience remain the same. I guess going back to our roots, no matter where, can help us remember times when life seemed somewhat less hectic and demanding. Perhaps this is the reason I do what I do now, to help people reflect on thier roots while, hopefully, creating roots for them to return to later in life.