Treatyse on Fysshynge

The Flyfisherman on said unnamed river

It is said that first-class fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly fishermen and that John, the favorite, was a dry-fly fisherman. My photo shows the tools of the trade required for practicing dry-fly fishing on this river and other pristine waters located along the Eastern Slopes of the Western Canadian Rockies. The tools required in this case would be the fly rod with a single action reel and a traditional wooden landing net as shown in my photo. There are other requirements needed to practice this trade,
however nothing beats fly fishing in its simplest form, that is wading wet with fly rod in hand and being one with the river. Amongst some fly fishermen there is no clear line between religion and fly fishing. Of course it goes without saying that this beautiful jewel like creature in my landing net was released unharmed. I had left Calgary very early on what would prove to be a gorgeous day, although somewhat on the hazy side with smoke filled skies very prominent over the Rockies to the west. I haven't spent near enough time on some of my favorite creeks that lie along the eastern slopes, some in Kananaskis Country and others like the Livingstone River a tributary to the Oldman, considered one of Alberta’s best catch and release cutthroat trout streams with typical trout 10 to 17 inches. It’s close proximity to Calgary brings fishing pressure but mid week still offers solitude. This photogenic freestone river is set in a shallow box canyon with stunning views of endless pools, riffles, and pocketwater. Today however I would be casting my line over another of my favorite rivers and what I am about to tell you stays here and to make sure of that, I cannot give you the name of the river that I was fishing on. I had been fishing a run beneath a cliff that bordered the south side of this river when my line became entangled in what I assumed was a submerged tree as I had this same issue earlier. I could only get so close as I was in danger of going for a swim if I was not careful. I had decided to break off when the surface of the water broke and unbelievably - dare I say it - a mermaid surfaced who just as the legend suggests, had a human form above the waist but I swear she was all fish below the water. I was fortunate to get this one shot before she begged me to not shoot any further photos. I asked her how she became a mermaid and she told me that she had been a goddess who loved a mortal fly fisherman and in the process killed him. Ashamed, she jumped into the river to take the form of a fish, but the waters would not conceal her divine beauty. Thereafter, she took the form of a mermaid and continues to swim in this unnamed river to this day.

The beauty that surrounds us

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