LOCALadk Magazine

but he will always be remembered for his hand-tied flies, his passion for the Ausable, and for teaching so many grateful people how to fly fish in the Adirondacks. We stepped into the water and immediately felt at one with the river and that much closer to landing a nice trout. Evan taught me how to read the water and to know what to look for when choosing where to cast. Casting is an art that takes patience, finesse, and a bit of practice in order to land your fly in exactly the correct spot; but once you do and you feel your first strike, not only is the fish hooked, but so are you. Caitlin was the first to catch a fish; knowing this was not her first catch, I was impressed with how excited she was. Her passion for fishing was clearly evident. With the net and Evan's help, we took a photo of this gorgeous fish then quickly released it. I continued up-stream casting and watching the water for any signs, hoping I would get the chance to feel the pull on my line, but also very content to just be there. Evan found a hole and instructed me to cast just below a rock where the water was funneling through. With more luck than I knew I had, the fly landed perfectly, and in the next instant I felt the tug, kept the line taut, and excitedly began to reel in my first trout caught on a fly rod. The small size of the trout did not matter because the goal of the day was to learn the sport and catch a fish, any fish. The rivers are easy to access, and the gear can be as simple as a fly rod, line, and some flies. If you have not yet tried fly fishing, I would recommend stopping by your local shop for some tips; then get out there, get your feet wet, and enjoy the simple pleasure of reeling in a gorgeous Adirondack trout. Many thanks to Evan and Caitlin at the Hungry Tout for their great instruction and for sharing their passion and respect for fly fishing., LOCALadk | Outdoors Caitlin and Evan

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