UK - Mistresses - Bjorn again.

There was a time on UK-M when new members introduced themselves here and said a little about who they were and what they were seeking. Existing members could then say “Hello” and everything got off on a friendly footing.

This hasn’t happened for a while and new folk just seem to weigh in a bit heavy and hard without first introducing themselves. Maybe it is symptomatic of how good manners are just ignored or not taught anymore, which leads to a more antagonistic and ill-tempered environment*. I don’t know. It is sad how social media seems to be making us rough in both thought and approach.

Is it not a good idea, to aid a more peaceful and amicable board, for new members to be encouraged to say a polite hello ?

Hello.

Kind Regards,
Page 130.

* I have just finished reading an old classic text on fly fishing ‘A Guide to Fly Fishing’ by H Chomondeley-Pennell. Written in about 1889. It is a collection of essays on the subject by the Rt Rev This and Col Major That and Dr The-Other. In reading the essays it struck me how polite and good natured the writing was back then. There is no braggy bombastic or self-promoting attitudes, just sweet gentlemanly words of advice and due acknowledgement that others may have different experiences and advice which stands equally alongside their own. This is so different to how ‘experts’ nowadays want to always appear unassailable and present themselves with an air of smug boasting infallibility. What happened to honest politeness and humility ?

People can have differences of opinion and still both be right.

And ‘Yes’ you are correct in thinking it is the Cholmondeley-Pennell of ‘The Black Pennell’ fly fame. A wet fly dressed in black cats hair and with an orangey-brown partridge feathered tail. I bought one recently because it is supposed to be a good Loch fly.

I’m a born again fisherman.

Fly fishing is good for the soul. It provides hours of peaceful meditation and solitary tranquility surrounded by the natural world. It is also an art and a science and a lifelong obsession. It puts you right in touch with the cycles of life and I highly recommend it to all. On a pleasing Spring day there is nothing more exhilarating than quietly stalking a rising trout and to finally see it come to your perfectly placed fly just before you strike. The throb of exhilaration is then followed by the thrill of successfully playing and landing him.

Exquisite fun.

The book ends with the advice ‘Keep your temper and be patient if you would succeed, not only in May-fly fishing, but in any other fishing, any other sport, or, in fact, in any walk of life or occupation you may pursue’.