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The reason being is the belief that your ‘physical limitations’ are keeping you from optimal swing mechanics, power, distance and accuracy.

For the aging golfer this is most prevalent.

Without a golf-specific exercise program, it is virtually impossible to maintain and/or improve swing mechanics. The human body declines rapidly without stress being put on it.

What I mean…is muscles and bones need stress and pressure on them to remain strong, stable and injury-free. Without this stress…the body weakens and breaks down quickly…resulting in a rapid decline in strength and flexibility.

This is death to your golf swing!

The old adage – “use it or lose it” is very true. Haven’t you experienced a time when you were too busy with family obligations, work commitments and other stress-related issues and you felt you didn’t have the time to devote to your health and fitness?

What happened shortly after that?

Did you energy level go down? Did you start getting aches and pains and even newfound stiffnesses? How about your golf game? Did you feel like you didn’t have the same amount of umph on the ball?

This is that declining strength and flexibility I’m talking about. And the ONLY way to stop this from happening is maintaining some sort for fitness for golf program if it pertains to your golf game.

There are also two forms of fitness. “General fitness” and “sport-specific” or fitness for golf in regards to you as a golfer.

There is a major difference between these two forms of fitness.

One that is very common is going into a gym, plopping down on the machines and isolating one muscle group at a time in a controlled environment. Picture for instance an abdominal machine. You lie down in it, grap fixed handles that guide you through a set range of motion.

That would be considered “general fitness”.

On the other hand, picture standing (just like you do in golf) holding a single hand weight (dumbbell) straight out in front of you, and rotating (turning) back and through just like your golf swing. That is an exercise that would be consider fitness for golf. It directly benefits your rotational strength AND flexibility…enabling you to make a bigger turn with more power.

This area rapidly declines with the older golfer. Abdominal strength and flexibility if not tested often, will decrease, and the ability to make a full backswing with stored energy will be less and less…resulting in a massive reduction in power output, therefore distance.

So the next time you’re on the course and you get frustrated about you lack of distance off the tee…ask yourself “what was the last time you worked on your BODY?” Your answer will dictate your performance on a daily basis.

I have just barely scratched the surface of the importance of fitness for golf…but I hope I’ve got you thinking about how important fitness for golf is if you want to play your best golf.]]>

When fly fishing, many anglers prefer to catch and release their fly fishing prizes. Still, what should you do when you’re the prize?

That’s Gotta Hurt

If you become a fly fishing fanatic, you will inevitably hook yourself one day. Of course, this has never happened to me, but my “friends” have done it repeatedly. Being a thoughtful and observant person, I’ve seen how they go about unhooking themselves from a fly. Again, this is never happened to me. Ever. No, I won’t take a lie detector test.

The Barb

The best hook removal method depends on the location of the hook barb. The barb is the part of the hook that keeps the hook from simply sliding back out of the fish or, in this case, you. The essential question is which direction will result in the least damage from the barb.

A “friend” of mine once managed to hook himself through the flap of skin between the thumb and forefinger. The hook penetrated from the top of this hand through to the palm. The barb had gone all the way through the skin. In such a situation, the best method is simply to cut the line at the base of the hook and push it the rest of the way through the skin. This technique will result in a minimum of damage.

Another “friend” of mine once slipped on a rock and hooked himself something fierce in the meat section of the palm about an inch below the pinkie. There wasn’t anyway to push the hook through, so it had to be pulled back out the way it went in. The problem, of course, is the barb could have caused a lot of damage on the way back out. So, what’s the solution?

There are two solutions [excluding the hospital] to avoiding barb damage. The first requires two people. The hooked individual should press the hook slowly toward the curve of the hook. Put another way, you want to compress this curve of the hook. This sounds brutal, but actually should cause the barb to retract from the meat of your hand. The second person then applies pressure to both sides of the entry point to pull it open. The hooked individual should then GENTLY slide the hook out trying to follow the curve of the entry path. Sounds painful, but it works.

If you’re alone, follow the same instructions but you’ll have to do without the pressure. Just go slow and easy. If the hook doesn’t slide, don’t force it. Just head off to the local emergency room.

Catch and release is a good way to fish. Even if you catch yourself.
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When it comes to fly fishing, tying a knot is not the most glamorous of subjects. Without a knot, however, you’ll not be snatching the Muskie of your dreams.

Fly Fishing Knots

First thing first, we need to get the lingo down since we won’t be using illustrations in this article. Three basic terms will cover practically any aspect of the knot tying process. “Tag end” refers to the last ten inches of so of line you are holding in your hand, to wit, the pointy part you will be pushing through and wrapping around things. “Standing end” refers to the rest of the line. Yes, very complicated and difficult to understand. “Wrap” refers to the action wherein you move the tag end of the line one full revolution around the standing end. The wrap can also be called a turn, but you have the general idea.

As with practically anything in fly fishing, there are an infinite number of variations to knots. Mysterious variations include the Steroidius Double Flip [good for catching professional athlete fish], the Marigold Hammer [good for catching the neighbor’s plants while practicing in your back yard] and the Wifeous Annoyous [a complex knot that gets you in trouble with the wife since you’re supposed to be painting the garage], but you probably start with the “Aarrgg, Dammit…” knot common to beginners.

Fisherman’s Knot

Other than tying your shoes, the easiest knot to learn is the fisherman’s knot. Get your hook in one hand and tag end in the other. And a one and a two…

1. As you proceed, keep everything slack. We will be passing the tag end through loops we create. DO NOT tighten anything until told to!

2. Pull the tag end through the eye of the hook.

3. Bend the tag end back to the standing end and wrap four or five times. Make sure you do not tighten the wrap. [You should now have a closed loop through the hook.]

4. Take your tag end and push it through the loop formed by the wrap. Do not push it through the hook eye, just the bigger loop of line.

5. You will have just created another loop and should pass the tag end through again.

6. Slowly pull on the hook and stag end until the knot is tight. Watch those fingers.

Congratulations! If you’ve tied the perfect knot, it is time to hit local fishing spot. If you’ve made a mess of it, try again. Either way, you get to avoid painting the garage.
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The Siberian Surprise

Mention the word “Siberia” and most people think of bleak, frozen tundra stretching for hundreds of miles. Well, this is more or less true in the winter. In the summer, however, much of Siberia is a burst of green with temperatures in the eighties and nineties. As I had failed to bring shorts, this was a bit of a surprise to me.

Living in the city of Chita, I had an opportunity to visit the forest town of Tinda. Tinda is located about a day east of Lake Baikal and was built in the 1950s to act as a lumber town. The communist government haphazardly relocated a hundred thousand people and there they remain today. The area around Tinda is very mountainous and very beautiful. As the winter snows melt, rivers, lakes and creeks spring to life.

While in Tinda, I was invited to go fly fishing with the sons of the people I was staying with. Hilarity was sure to follow since they spoke no English and I was fluent in Russian at about a kindergarten level. Off we went strolling to the apparent local hot spot.

After a 45 minute walk, we came upon a slow moving creek that looked like something you would find in Wyoming. Trees towered over us and cast shadows across the water. Shallow pools of water formed along the bank and I could’ve sworn I saw more than a few of our slippery friends.

As every person knows, a first timer at anything will always have success. The boys had fished this spot hundreds of times, but I hadn’t. By all that is good in the universe, I should’ve caught 20 while they caught nothing. Alas, evil had the day. I caught nothing, nada, zippo. Nikoli and Oleg, on the other hand, were getting fisher elbow.

Although they caught a lot of fish, I can’t tell you what they were. The language barrier was just too much. The fisher were six to 10 inches long and appeared to be related to Mackinaws, but the vodka celebration made this pure speculation.]]>

Colorado Fly Fishing

We put the raft in on a warm morning in Sept. without a cloud in sight. My expectations were not high, since a warm sunny day tends to put the fish down, at least on this stretch of the Colorado. When the fish aren’t rising, I go straight for tandem streamers; there is nothing more exciting than a big pissed off brown chasing your streamer off the bank in shallow fast moving water. Dredging the bottom with a nymph just doesn’t do it for me. If I break out a nymph’n rig, I must have exhausted all other options.

The first quarter mile of water put a bleak outlook on the remaining 9 house of river ahead of us, not a single chase through some of the higher quality water on this stretch!! My invited guest on board had no experience throwing a heavy awkward tandem streamer rig, and was fairly discouraged after nearly throwing his shoulder out with only a handful of well-placed casts. I always talk of the exciting chases, but now; he must think I am full of it. I now know the frustration that guides must endure while watching miles of quality water go by without a singe well placed or completely untouched. “There was probably a nice fish it that pocket we just passed”, came out of my mouth far too many times than I care to recall.

About 3 miles into our float, which is exactly what it had become, a sightseeing float, the weather began to change. Here came the clouds, an encouraging sign, of course unless the wind comes with it. Here came the wind, and next thing you know, our beautiful sightseeing float turned into a back rowing battle to keep the boat heading downstream. Luckily, this did not last long, but the rain did begin to fall.

Within a few minuets after the rain subsided, the mayflies were swarming and the fish were rising. Were eddied out in several prime spots and began to catch fish in the swirling foam. Just about any well-placed cast was rewarded. Time went by unnoticed, until suddenly I realize that we had only traveled half way to our take out and more than half of the day was gone. Pushing through the slack water and hammering the moving water with the streamers was now becoming very productive. Finally, I could prove to my guest how exciting the chase could be. It seems that every other cast produced an aggressive brown, either territorial or just plain hungry.

We landed several nice fish while powering through the final stretch, arriving at last light. A turn in the weather sure can turn on the fish and bring on the chase.]]>

Fly Fishing Journals

Fly fishing is more than just fishing, it’s a peaceful, surreal activity. For many, there is almost a meditative quality to casting. For avid fly fisherman, fly fishing trips to locations such as the Battenkill River in Vermont, Green River in Utah and Letort in Pennsylvania are a must. Of course, the possibility of trips to Argentina, Alaska and other exotic locations can make ones eyes glassy. For many, however, past fly fishing experiences fade from the memory with time. If you had keep a fly fishing journal, this doesn’t have to be the case.

There are famous instances of people keeping journals throughout time. Of course, Anne Frank’s Diary is the best example. In her diary, Anne kept a running commentary of the two years her family spent hiding from the Nazis. While your fly fishing sessions will hopefully be more lighthearted, keeping a journal will let you remember them as the years pass.

A good fly fishing journal combines a number of characteristics. First, it should be compact. Second, it should have a water-resistant pages and a case to protect it from the elements. Third, the journal should contain blank areas to write your notes. Fourth, the journal should contain cue spaces to remind you to keep notes on specific things. Cues should include:

1. Who you went fishing with,

2. The weather conditions,

3. The fishing conditions,

4. The flies you used, what worked and what didn’t,

5. What you caught, and

6. Lodging and places to eat,

As time passes, your fly fishing journal can be used as:

1. A guide for you or friends that return the same location,

2. Information on gear and flies to take,

3. Memories to reflect upon years later, and

4. Something to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Keeping a fly fishing journal only requires a few minutes of writing. You can fill it out on the ride home or during a break. As time passes, your journal will become a collection of incredibly valuable fly fishing information. Imagine the look on a friend’s face after they mention going on a trip and you whip out your journal for the spot!]]>

The Secret Is Out

No less than five years ago, it seemed like you head to the Green River and see few others along your little stretch of paradise. These days, it seems like a freeway.

The Green River starts at Flaming Gorge in the far Northeast of Utah. It then winds down through the Dinosaur National Monument area before passing through the deserts of central Utah and eventually flows into the Colorado River. The best fishing is around Flaming Gorge where the scenery and water make for a great trip.

Perhaps it is just me, but this area of the river must have been highlighted in more than a few magazines. There are all manner of people on the river and jet skis aren’t unheard of. Admittedly, there has always been white water rafting groups in sections, but nothing like this. Kayakers and so on seem to be flourishing like mad. If there had been a few more boats on the river, you would’ve needed a traffic cop!

Now don’t get me wrong. The river is for everyone. It is just a bummer when a little known spot becomes a hot spot. Sort of a case of paradise lost.

While the river is certainly busier, the fish still seem to be biting. Browns and Rainbows are the catch of the day.

Perhaps I was just there on a bad day. The Green River is so nice that even a bad day is still a good day. What the heck, I could’ve been working!]]>

Picking a fly fishing rod is a tricky endeavor. Do you go with your ego, expected fishing environment or something else? While length is a factor, the bend or action of the rod is a key factor.

Flexibility

Fly fishing rods are often defined by their flexibility. In laymen’s terms, flexibility means how far the rods will bend when the same casting effort is used.

Minimal Bend

A fly fishing rod that has minimum bend is often called a “fast” rod. The lack of bend lets the angler get lots of speed on the cast. This speed allows you to cast very accurately and farther away than rods with more bends. While these benefits may sound great at first glance, a fast rod can be frustrating. There is no room for error when using the rod. If you are going to use one of these rods, you need excellent motion and timing. Generally, only anglers with a lot of experience should have a go at using fast rods.

Moderate Bend

The next step down from a fast rod is one with medium flexibility. These rods tend to have good flexibility, but the bend is restricted to the top half of the rod. The rod requires less perfection of motion and timing, but is fairly accurate. If you’ve been angling for a while and have the basic techniques down, a moderately flexible rod is worth a try.

Slinky Bend

If you are just taking up fly fishing, you should use a rod with maximum flexibility. While others suggest a moderate bend is better for beginners, a “slinky bend” rod gives you a lot of leeway when it comes to learning to cast.

Fly fishing is relaxing and enjoyable. Pick the wrong rod, however, and it can quickly become frustrating and stressful. If you use your brain, not your ego, when picking a rod, you will have a blast.
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The tools are simple. You could make most of them yourself, however it would be best for beginners to buy at least a fly tying vice. There have been over the years quite a number of different vice types manufacturered. In my opinion, the cam type of vice is the easiest to use. This is a vice that has a cam lever to open and close the jaws. It’s adjustable to various angles and hook sizes. Quick and easy to open and close.

The next thing to get your hands on are some hackle pliers. These are also a cheap spend, but really worthwhile. They are a little difficult to make a pair yourself.

Apart from these items, you’ll need a pair of curved scissors with sharp points and another set with small straight blades. You probably could also do with a needle that is pushed into a stick. This is for fixing hakkles that have been inadvertantly wound under. You can also use it for putting laquer onto the finished head.

What sort of hooks should you use? My advice is to not fall for the trap of using any old hook. Buy proper fly hooks. These have a tapered shank and are usually hollow ground. These are lighter than normal hooks, a real advantage in dry flies.

The tapered shank lets the head, especially the eye of the fly be tied tighter and smaller. When you consider the work involved in tying a fly, why waste effort on the wrong hook. If you make a mistake, all you need to do is cut the fly off the hook and start again.

Something you could consider these days is the opportunity of actually buying a complete fly tying set. These sets cost only around $50 or so. They have vices, scissors, pliers, hooks and all the feathers and fur you need to get started. Some even come with videos or DVD’s.

Whichever way you go, it is a cheap way to spend many an hour, in preparation of catching your next bag of fish. The satisfaction of catching your next trout on a fly you tied yourself is imeasureable.
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Whether flying, stamp collecting, chat rooms, trains, softball,scrapbooking, golf, reading, painting, tap dancing, yard work, crafts, auto mechanics, music, hunting down garage sales, sewing, fishing, cooking, boating, furniture refinishing, javelin tossing or a plethora of other activities or interests the key element is balance. You must find balance between your family life and your extracurricular activities.

Too much of a good thing turns bad. Everyone should havean outlet and a special interest that they enjoy doing for themselves. Self indulgence, to a point, is quite healthy. Escaping from day to day grinds to take some time to devoteto your flying hobby or concentration is therapeutic. You’ve all heard, “if Mamma ain’t happy, no one’s happy.” It doesn’t matter if your role is father, mother, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, son, daughter, brother or sister, if you’re just going to work or school and have noreal outside activities, you’re probably not always the most friendly person to be around.

Conversely, if you bury yourself and it seems to others that all you care about or all you ever want to do is fly all day (or hang around the airport), you’re setting yourself up or prolonging discontent. People deal with depression in many ways. Some sleep all the time. Others want to do nothing but read,read, read. Still others will spend hours upon hours downstairs building a bigger, faster widget, just to avoid the real cause of their frustrations. Hobbies are supposed to be a healthy outlet, not a catalyst to ignore issues that need addressing.

Likewise, hobbies can get very expensive. Sure, flying, snow mobiles, motorcycles and ski equipment are obviously expensive. But sometimes those seemingly low cost activities can add up. You start out with trying to budget for the weekly flying lessons. Then you need (or want) the unnecessary (but fun) goodies that we all “need” to pursue our passion. “Let’s see, do we pay the mortgage this month, or get that (fill in the blank) that you just have to have?”

If your flying hobby is doing more harm than good, if it’s dipping into the family budget and time allocation, more than you can or should be spending, it’s time to reevaluate. Not stop the flying, mind you, just make sure it’s appropriate for you and your family and its lifestyle.]]>