You’ve all seen those hero moments. Especially in today’s social media world… The grip, the grin, the catch, and the release. But what about the other 95% of the time? The moments we all experience of heartbreak and defeat. 

Among fly anglers, the Lowcountry is well known as a challenging fishery. Between giant tidal swings, boat pressure, complex marsh systems, fluctuating temps, and the dolphins "crashing your party", there are never any guarantees to land a fish. But that is part of the allure of fly fishing. The unexpected, the anticipation, and the uncertainty. It’s a thrill that keeps us going back everyday for more. 

For the final part of our “Comfort On, Adventure Out” Series, we invited our ambassador Jenny Tates down to Charleston for a day of fly fishing. Jenny is an amazing angler, far better than most of us, and rarely gets skunked. Through the course of the day, Jenny hit all of her shots, but the day was finicky. The temperate was oddly hot for a fall day, which made the fall bite very challenging. Not to mention, the winds made casting extremely tough, and dolphins showed us that they remain naturally more skillful anglers than us.

 

Jenny_1

 

While it was one of those days where it didn’t all come together on a red fish, it’s  a feeling that we can all understand and relate to. Days like these motivate us to get back out there and inspire us to reflect back and be thankful for the “successful” days.

But what truly is a successful day? Experiences like these remind us that there are no bad days when a day is spent on the water with good company. Simply for us, the opportunity to be on the water, explore a fishery, and meet new people is what it’s all about. It’s what gives us comfort and freedom. And of course, when you do hook up, then that’s just icing on the cake. 

 

Jenny_2

 

We can confidently say that the future looks bright for Jenny, as she is on the way to launching her business FlyandFlow (check out our blog feature on that) and will be back to Charleston to show us up and land a red bigger than we ever could.