Gone fishin’

Ever-busy physicians find time to cast their rods and enjoy good old-fashioned fun

Fishing is one of those activities that pulls you out of the everyday world of work, routine, and pressure. When fishing, there is time to reflect, time to enjoy fellowship with family or friends or time for solitude, and time to enjoy the sea, lake, or stream.
It’s no surprise then that many ASCRS members take much-needed time to escape the pressure-cooker environment of their practices and relax with their rods, the water, and the sky. Of those ASCRS members who fish, many seem to enjoy fly-fishing. Until a short time ago, very little was known about how or where fly-fishing developed. Researchers have found references to the fishing for trout and graylings using a feathered hook in German texts dating to the 13th century.
The first reference is found in a romance novel written around 1210 by Wolfram von Eschenbach, whose hero, Schionatulander, waded through a river barefoot to fish trout and graylings with a fly. Yet it was relatively rare to find someone fly-fishing in the United States until the 1950s.
Today, the sport has exploded in popularity and has a growing proportion of female adherents. Much is made of the romance of fly-fishing. Aficionados speak of their sport with an almost religious enthusiasm. And the sport has spawned a plethora of cottage industries.
A scan of the Internet reveals specialized reel and rod makers (high-tech composites to traditional bamboo), suppliers of feathers and tools for making your own flies, libraries of fishing stories in exotic locations, fly-fishing schools, professional guide services, fishing tournaments, and wines made by fly-fishermen—not to mention the latest in fashions, boots, and accessories for the well turned out enthusiast.
What follows is a collection of snapshots of some of ASCRS’ fishermen—and women. If you should happen to call one of them and he’s not in, maybe we can guess where he is.

I'm holding a 31-inch rainbow trout caught in Alaska on a seven-weight fly rod. Fly-fishing is a wonderful sport, even if you don't catch fish you are in a beautiful, pristine spot. Trout won't live anywhere else. Humans take note. —Steve Slade, M.D., Houston My young friend Bridget and me with a “prize” fish! This was taken at a tiny lake behind her family's cottage in Western Michigan. I went fishing with Bridget and her younger brother Henry off a small pontoon boat. It was my first time. I have no idea what kind of fish it is! We threw it back. Fortunately, Henry didn't mind putting worms on the hooks! —Judith Schartenberg, M.D., Fraser, Mich. I caught this lake trout-a 42-inch, 35-pound “trophy” at Nueltin Lodge on Mueltin Lake in Canada's Northern Territory, about 1,000 miles north of Winnepeg. I find fishing has been a great sport to share with my son and has strengthened our relationship. —Richard Lindstrom, M.D., Minneapolis My 13-year-old son, Bradley, holding his first King Salmon with his brother, Michael, and proud father acting as a counterbalance! —David Leach, M.D. Moscow, Idaho Why do I like fishing? It's simple: no cell phones; escape fishing is a simple, pure thing; and the outside. Fishing is like gambling-random cast 10 times and catch nothing, cast another 10 times and catch 10 fish. First fish I ever caught was a sea trout about five years ago. I take my kids-they all hate it. I couldn't fish when I took them, so they got bored. —Mark Johnson M.D., F.A.C.S., Venice, Fla.

I like the peace and tranquility out on the marshes at sunrise. I enjoy the sudden thrill when a fish hits your line and takes off with it, then pitting your finesse against it to keep from breaking the line or letting it get off the hook. But mostly I appreciate the relaxing downtime. Now, you want to see a redfish, take a look at this one-a nice bull red. I wish I had more time to catch more of these. —Keith Kellum, M.D., Houma, La. Here I am with a 37-inch, 12-pound Northern Pike in Quetico Provincial Park, Ontario, July, 2005. —Ron Miller, M.D., Mattoon, Ill. There's a real underground of fishermen if you know where to look. This is a winter B-run Steelhead caught on a fly (orange egg pattern), 38 inches and approaching 20 pounds. This is the South Fork Clearwater River near Kooskia, Idaho, in late February 2004 about 7 a.m. in the "car-body" hole. There's a nice rock that creates holding water, and if you can be the first one there at the crack of dawn, it can really light up with six to 10 fish in a morning. —Roger Furlong, M.D., Missoula, Mont. A fly-caught steelhead taken last year on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia. You can see the flat tundra behind me, but we are in a heavily volcanic area. Travel here was by decommissioned Russian military helicopter about 300 miles from the city of Petroplavisc, the site of a Russian nuclear subbase. —Robert Nasser, M.D., Napa, Calif. A 29-inch rainbow trout we caught while fly-fishing in Alaska. —Mickey and James Wheatley, M.D., Concord, N.C.