First Trout

I grew up in Iowa fishing for catfish, bass, crappie and bullheads using some of worst smelling baits you could imagine. But my father loved to hunt and fish so I went along. On one summer vacation to Oklahoma, Dad stopped at fish hatchery in Bennett Springs, MO.

I can still remember standing on bridge watching a fly fisherman gracefully cast a dry fly upstream to base of little dam feeding a pool by hatchery. On third cast, he hooked up with a nice fat 12 to 14 inch rainbow that leapt out water 3 or 4 times trying to throw hook.

The fisherman prevailed and slipped rainbow into his classic wicker creel with slot in lid. (Back in those days we ate a fish once in a while) Turning to my father, I asked what fisherman was using for bait. Dad said, "He is using an artificial fly and not bait." "Does it stink?", I asked. Dad laughed and said "No." Right then I knew one day I would become a fly fisherman. I was about 14 at time. I never touched stinky bait after that.

I would not take up fly fishing until 1969 some 15 years after first seeing it in Ozarks of Missouri. I had moved to Colorado to learn to ski and fly fish. Never did learn to ski but I did learn to fly fish.

When I was starting out, there weren't a lot of classes, guides or instructors to teach fly fishing. I purchased a cheap rod, reel, line and some flies from a local sporting goods store. Then I read a lot of books and practiced casting until I could do a reasonable overhand cast.

My first fish was a 2 lb. brookie caught on a brassie out of famed South Platte river. That was my only fish on a fly rod for that whole season. For next two seasons, I caught exactly one fish a season on a fly rod. I had upgraded my equipment so casting was a lot more enjoyable.

In 1972, I was back to drifting salmon eggs on bottom with light spinning gear and was catching fish. But releasing them was killing a lot of them I knew. As destiny would have it. A friend and I ended up on Bear Creek at O'Fallon Park one Saturday. Jerry parked car and said, "Hey, there's Frank Aubon. Frank is one of best fly fishermen I know. He can teach you how to catch fish on a fly rod." (Frank was from Maine and had been fly fishing some 40 years when I first met him.)

Golf Swing Mechanics Can Be Improved Very Quickly

If you’re like most golfers, you’re always trying to duplicate that “perfect” golf swing. I know I am. Doesn’t it feel great to hit that effortless shot? Don’t you wish you could do it every time? That would be a similar feeling of what pro’s have most of time. It would be such a high!

So what’s keeping you from this goal? Do you think you just need to hit more balls? Or, are you already hitting hundreds every week? If that’s not working, do you need more golf lessons? Or, have you taken lessons but not seen improvement?

If it’s none of above, then what?

I can tell you almost 100% for sure…it’s your BODY!

Your body dictates your golf swing. How many times have you felt like you can’t make a FULL turn or backswing? Do you think solution is hitting more balls or taking more golf lessons?

It’s not! It’s improving your golf-specific flexibility and even strength.