Paul Arden | Tuesday, 23 April 2024
It was 28 years ago to the month that I took my first fly fishing (not just fly casting) instructor exam. It was the Salmon and Trout Association National Instructor Certificate (Trout). There I met Ally Gowans who was doing his at the same time too. I seem to remember us being the only two that passed that weekend, but I might be wrong in that.
Now I know a lot of people teach part time and it’s certainly difficult to make a full time job out of coaching. But finally, 28 years later, this strange thing is supporting me. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m any good at it :))) Well I must be ok because my longer term students get very much better and keep rebooking. Mind you, they wouldn’t have rebooked me 28 years ago, that’s for sure!!!
It also doesn’t mean I’m living in a Sexyloops mansion with a butler. I am living in a boat in a jungle, fishing every day. So there is that. But that’s a better life anyway. Not sure what I expected back then. I think my sights were set lower. I had this idea that it would be nice to have a small stocked stillwater and a camping place, of all things. But stocked stillwaters are long past giving me any excitement. Floating around in the jungle (and I’m sure sailing the world next), really wasn’t at the forefront of my mind back then!
I did want to get fly fishing on TV though, you know; real fly fishing, done well. I’ve wanted to do that, ever since a teenager. Always believed I would too.
No idea where this is going. I’ve just been very lucky I think. Lucky not to have got anyone pregnant! Lucky to have dropped out of University. Lucky to have got kicked out of the United States. Lucky to have started Sexyloops “by mistake”. Lucky that Google and Facebook took all the Internet advertising ten years later.
While some people plan to be where they are, I think mostly it’s about good luck and bouncing off the road blocks that inevitably appear. As long as we stay fly fishing then what does it all matter anyway? The rest is window dressing.
But today I have the rest of the day off. So I’m going fishing!
Cheers, Paul