Sitting here going through thousands of unedited photos from all over the world I was struck by the number of times I have kept an image simply because the subject in it had a bent fly rod.
While you can't always see the fish, which would be the next best thing, for fly anglers or anglers period for that matter, to see a bent rod...we know what it means and we get excited about.
From 14 wts on tuna and sailfish to spey rods on steelhead and even those wispy little glass or ultralight negative 0wt rods on 6 inch fish, a bent rod in a still image conjures up emotions and makes all of us wish we were there, anywhere.
So here is brief homage to our favorite pastime, or profession depending on who you are, and the tool of our trade.
Upper Yakima River, Theo, fish on! Good way to start!
Karn putting a laser out there on the Grande Ronde.
Yeah, I even fish sometimes too. Hey you Pacu, come over here! Dave in Bolivia and I almost got that B2mx turned 180 degrees.
Dad into one on an unamed stream in Chile.
Andrew Bennett into one on the Cowlitz River, momentarily anyway.
Nancy Kim finds a last minute fish on the Skagit River.
John Baugn stressing out the 000wt on the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie.
Yeah Laker!! John Lake puts some schtick to a tuna off the Washington coast. Be careful though...
Rods are only supposed to bend so far. Donte going between admiring his fish and his new 11 piece 12wt. Oopsie Daisey!
Fish everyone, and hopefully fish on!