The Knowledge

This past week I was in Wales, visiting family and generally trying to do as much fishing as I could whilst staying under the radar. It's always a delicate balance between fishing and home life (I won't even mention 'worklife'). I like to think I get it right by prioritising fishing, unless my other priorities get in the way. Maybe that's just a psychologically more appealing way of saying, "I fish whenever I can" - where my 'can' may be different to your 'can.'

I had bought a day on the river Monnow on the Welsh borders and had also arranged to meet a friend on a new section of the Taff. I had fished both rivers before and I had called ahead to ask about what state they were in. Consequently, I knew what to expect in terms of river conditions, hatches and what flies would probably work at this time of the year. In my opinion, this basic knowledge probably covers 75% of 'the game.' If you know these things, and the conditions are right, and you can fish a half-decent drift, then you're probably gonna hook up with a few fish.

That said, the difference between an average day and a good or really great day can sometimes come down to the knowledge - the extra 25% added by knowing a particular stream or stretch intimately. I'm not just talking about having fished a particular stretch or run before. I'm talking about getting to the point where you can recognise how the physical and biological character of the river changes with the seasons (of which there are more than four on most rivers) and how those changes affect where the fish are at and what they are doing. Unfortunately, there are very few spots I know like this. Maybe that's not such a bad thing. I could say that I've cultivated a deeper relationship with a couple of rivers, rather than having a series of meaningless flings.

Having the knowledge (or not) affects the overall quality of the fishing experience in ways that go beyond catching fish (or not). Try as I might, I don't seem to be able to stick to one spot on new water for very long, no matter how good it is. I'm always concerned that I'm missing something really good just round the next bend. 'The grass is greener' and all that. One of these days, I'll learn to be satisfied with what I've got right in front of me - at least to the point that I have worked the water thoroughly. But I've found that's a lot easier to do when you actually do know what's around the next bend. On rivers where I have the knowledge, I can take my time and really work a section without feeling like I'm cheating myself.

Coming back to the art of catching fish, my experience is that sometimes the extra 25% from the knowledge pays dividends and sometimes it doesn't. More often than not, it does. As it turned out, the knowledge didn't really factor on the Monnow. The fish were hungry and willing to eat just about anything I threw at them. But on the Taff, it was only due to the knowledge (and generosity) of a friend, that I didn't blank. I owe you one G.

TL