Time to re-order a few fishing priorities for the New Year

HERE we are again; Christmas is just around the corner. I trust that everyone is decking their halls around with holly and preparing for the festive season in their own way. For me, December is a time to take stock of the waning year, to relive bits of it, to file some memories away and to discard others.

In retrospect 2010 was a strange year for me, shorter than all the rest but my young friends tell me it is the way that perceptions of time change with age.

I learned some interesting things in this last twelve months; some of them as a result of experiments that I conducted.

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I needed to find out what would happen if I changed around a few priorities. Instead of concentrating on other people's fishing enjoyment, what would transpire if I focused on my own?

The past decade was spent in teaching fly fishing and guiding anglers on Yorkshire waters.

Now, don't misunderstand me, I thoroughly enjoy those days, but I began to feel that I was missing out on something. First and foremost, I am a fisherman; I just love going fishing. It really does not matter how or where I fish, I relish every moment of it. That is one of the things that I was missing.

Another issue that bothered me was the very few occasions upon which I went fishing with friends. I fished with lots of strangers, but not with friends. Luckily, some of the strangers became friends, but I digress.

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So, as an experiment, when I compiled my diary for 2010, I left plenty of days free for me to choose how to spend them. On some of those days, I fished alone; on others I fished with friends. On just a couple of days, I didn't fish at all.

The result of my experiment was that I realised how much more I enjoy a day by the water when I am free to do as I please. I also rediscovered the pleasure of spending time with friends who share my enthusiasm for fishing. Then, there were the days when I sniffed the morning air and decided, on a whim, to go fishing. After all this time, I just know when the fish will feed. Consequently, I have enjoyed some memorable days. I shall not go into detail; all fishermen tell lies anyway.

I discovered that by taking some time away from teaching and guiding, I returned to it refreshed and perhaps a little more patient. You are not going to believe this, but even fly fishing instructors sometimes become frustrated in their work!

I found the time to introduce Mark to fishing too. He risked making the same mistake as me; he was far too busy running the family farm to cast a fly over the river Rye that runs through his own land. Ludicrous? I thought so. In the end, I insisted that I accompany him to the bank side whilst he learned the gentle art. It did my heart good to see my friend rapidly absorbed into the ways of an angler. The only loser is his dad, Andrew; his fly box is constantly raided because Mark assures me that he has not the time to go and buy them for himself. Yorkshiremen!

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All this has led me to formulate a plan for next year. I shall do even less teaching and guiding and more fishing, alone and with friends.

I shall not give up completely, but I shall do the things that I most enjoy. I'm afraid that I don't believe the old adage about every day spent fishing not being counted against one's allocation. On that basis, I'm putting the fish of Yorkshire on a warning. I'll be back.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers

Roger Beck 01439 788483 www.beckfisher.co.uk

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