What does a fly fisherman catching a bluegill and a Daimyo (Warlord) ordering a Samurai to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) have in common? They are both affected by perception.
During the extremely hot summer months in the Valley of the Sun (Arizona) fly fishing can be summed up in one word – tough. “Low” temperatures often hover in the mid-ninety degree range and high temperatures, more often than not, exceed one hundred and five degrees. To make matters worse, my favorite river, the Lower Salt River, is held captive by numerous two legged water users that float the river on every floatation device known to man, ranging from elaborate kayaks to simple rubber tubes.
It is during the extreme summer months that the Arizona Urban Lake System provides a daily respite from the scorching sun and beer-filled river users. I fish one of several of the lakes daily in the pre-dawn hours before the sun scorches the surface of the Earth. Though an occasional largemouth bass can be found in these extreme conditions, the most plentiful species that can be lured to a fly is the omnipresent bluegill. When fishing for bluegill, I adjust my fly tackle accordingly. I fish an ultra-light fly rod (my favorite being a six foot Fenwick Ferrulite that weighs only 2 5/8 ounces) and a light leader, usually with a 7x or 8x tippet. Catching bluegill in this manner is productive and fun; with each bluegill released, my smile broadens and my mood relaxes more and more.
My suffering through the summer pays dividends in the late fall when temperatures finally return to a level that is humanly tolerable. It is at this time that Arizona Game and Fish embarks upon an aggressive rainbow trout stocking program. While I continue to fish the Urban Lakes daily during the week, the water users (and abusers) are gone from my treasured Lower Salt River which means I can regularly fish this flowing gem each weekend. My quest is for the lucent shimmering magnificence that is the rainbow trout. During my quest, it is inevitable that a bluegill will also be caught. It is somewhat disingenuous to the bluegill species that so delighted me during the summer that hooking one now brings a thought of, “Ah, only a bluegill.”
What is different? It is still the same bluegill species that had me smiling all summer. It is still just as much fun to catch. But, it is not a rainbow trout. It is only a matter of perception. My perception of catching and releasing a bluegill has been altered.
As I pound the keys of my laptop forming these words, I am exiled to the cold, snowy state of New Jersey. The thought of perhaps getting out on the water on any given Sunday sparks a ray of light in the deep primordial recesses of my mind. The dimness of my mood is enlightened by thoughts of fishing the waters of my youth. Maybe this Sunday, I can fish the Big Flatbrook, or the “Musky” (the Musconetcong), or even one of several lakes. As I daydream about these waters, a thought springs forth that bursts a brilliance into my mind. Maybe I can once again simply feel a bluegill tug at the end of my leader. Ah, perception once again exalts the status of the bluegill.
Perception affects not only how we technically fly fish but also how we absorb the overall fly fishing experience. The ancient sages and shaman knew the power of perception. In fact, oral traditions and myths told of the ramifications of how perception shapes our world.
Here is but one mythical tale from the oral traditions of Shihan DeFelice’s Goshin-Do Karate Do Dojo that illustrates how perception can alter the manner in which you perceive a current event. The next time you fish, think of the tale and the manner in which perception affects your fishing reality. It is called the Daimyo and the Samurai.
In feudal Japan there was a powerful daimyo, a warlord. Amongst his many retainers, the daimyo had an extremely loyal Samurai whom he favored. The samurai had accompanied the Daimyo to the Shogun’s Court in far off Edo, many days journey from their home. One day the samurai received an urgent message advising that his father, also a very distinguished samurai loyal to the daimyo’s family, had fallen gravely ill. Being in a hurry to attend to his dying father, the samurai desired to mount his horse and rush home. The samurai found that his horse had become lame and could not make the long journey home. Worried about seeing his ill father, the samurai made use of the daimyo’s favorite horse. This was a serious crime punishable by beheading.
When the daimyo heard of the samurai’s use of his horse, he declared, “The samurai and his father are loyal retainers of my family, what a devout samurai to be so concerned with the welfare of his father that he risked his own life so as to attend to his ill father.”
Business at the Shogun’s Court had concluded and the daimyo returned home to his castle. The samurai went to see his master and they walked in the daimyo’s gardens. The samurai saw the most lovely cherry blossom. He picked it and offered it to his master as a token of his appreciation, saying, “Amongst flowers, the cherry blossom; amongst men, you, my Lord and master.” The other samurai that were in attendance were shocked that he dared to pick a cherry blossom from the daimyo’s favorite tree. The daimyo took the proffered cherry blossom and praised the samurai for his generosity.
As happens in all human relationships, the daimyo and the samurai eventually had a falling out. The daimyo angrily and publicly chastised the samurai, “You impudent servant, you disgraced me by making use of my horse.” “You insulted me by picking my own cherry blossom and giving it to me as a present.” In the presence of the daimyo’s court, the samurai was ordered to commit seppuku (ritual suicide). (See Endnote #1).
Samurai seppuku
I hope you enjoyed the tale and the within exploration as to how perception is a key ingredient in your fly fishing repertoire.
In closing I remain, open to my perception of my world and wishing I could cast a fly into clear water and find a bluegill at the end of my leader.
Sensei John
ENDNOTES:
1. I had heard this fable several times in the Dojo. I was able to locate a similar tale, which you may also enjoy reading. It is called “The Thief Of The Peach” and may be found in: Furuya, Kensho, Kodo: Ancient Ways (Lessons In The Spiritual Life Of The Warrior/Martial Artist (O’Hara Publications, Inc., 1996) p. 48.
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