The Fly Fishing Life: For the Love of Watches and Fly Reels.

For the fly fisherman, standing in a river is a salvation. It disconnects us from the artificial worlds we create, and gets us plugged back into the real world on nature's terms. If I have a smartwatch on my arm constantly vibrating and reminding me of what I'm trying to distance myself from, it makes disconnecting an exercise in futility.

Watches and Fly Reels- The Good Ones can Last a Life Time

An old school analog watch fits in seamlessly with your fly fishing gear. Watches, reels, fly rods, pocket knives, it's all of the same family. The good ones have a depth and character to them. Some of you who are reading this are thinking "This guy is nuts", and others are smiling "I know exactly what he's talking about."

Let me Take a Moment to Rant

The mechanical watch is to smartwatches what- Miles Davis is to Smooth Jazz, - Old-School R&B is to Hip Hop Auto-Tune singers, - Merle Haggard is to Country music that was popular on the radio 4 years ago (that was a truly painful time).

But an Old School Watch isn't Practical Anymore 

Nothing about Fly Fishing is practical. If we wanted practical to catch fish, we would throw a net. Do you think a Bamboo Rod and a click-pawl fly reel is practical? But they are a pleasure to fish, and the beauty is inherent in the build. This is also true with a well-made watch.

Speaking of Click-Pawl Fly Reels

Perhaps that's my attraction to watches. I love fly reels, and I find similarities in the two. When a reel is made well, you can feel it in your hand. The precision of the gears, the beautiful sound it makes when the handle is turned. In the making of a quality fly reel, attention to detail and exactness of tolerance is followed by the maker. It's the same in fine watch making. 

It's a Small Tribe

Mechanical watches aren't for everybody. You know if you are a "watch person" when you see a good looking watch and it tugs at you, watch pictures in magazines deserve a second look, an "expensive" watch isn't a stupid investment. Not everyone is like that. "Watch people" are. 

Go Ahead, Make the Jump to the Dark Side. 

Get that watch you've been eyeing. Classics are classic for a reason. The smartwatch is going to be replaced by the smart ring anyways, and when they are, you will have real estate on your wrist for an iconic watch. One warning though, watches can be addicting, and the next thing you know you will have as many watches as you do fly reels. 

“The gods do not deduct from man’s allotted span the hours spent in fishing.” - Herbert Hoover