Learning about fly fishing rods and reels would have never made it onto your honeymoon wish list a year ago, but as you and your new husband have navigated a rescheduled wedding and many other challenges, you are learning to deal with many kinds of unexpected events and changes. Initially scheduled on a two week trip to Greece last April, it became quickly apparent that traveling outside of the country was not going to be an option. Fortunately, your husband was willing to explore different kinds of honeymoon travel options while you worked out the details of a change in date for the wedding. It was not that he was not willing to work with rebooking the rehearsal dinner catering folks and the wedding venue alterations. It is simply that the two of you decided that this was the perfect time to divide and conquer. Almost like planning two different events, when the original April date was moved to late October you were hoping for the best. As it turned out, the rescheduled date in October was perfect weather as you remember just how cold and rainy it was on the original date. Being able to have an outdoor ceremony was always the goal, and with the latest health and safety guidelines you were more than thankful that the wedding went off without a hitch. Adding a little mystery to the honeymoon, the two of you had discussed places in the U.S. that neither of you had traveled to, but your husband really wanted to surprise you with the location.
Only knowing that it would not be Greece and that you should pack for a wide range of weather, when you found out at the airport that you were traveling to the Tetons you were intrigued. A day trip to see Yellowstone was an added bonus, but you simply never would have guessed that the day you spent waist deep in a cold river learning about waders and fly rod reels would be the favorite for both of you.
Fly Fishing Rod Reels Require Careful Attention to Many Kinds of Details
On your honeymoon you take many long hikes and saw some of those most spectacular scenery, but that day in the river was one of the most peaceful times you have ever experienced. The grandeur of the surrounding mountains and the constant serenade of the running water provided time for reflection, as well as an opportunity to reevaluate the path that these changes have forced you to make. Only the couples who have navigated these most unusual seven months can understand the process that has been involved and the weight of every decision that has had to be made. Keeping the safety and health of your friends and relatives has come first, and while you were still able to pull off a great wedding, you realized during the transitional months the things that were the most important. As it turned out, small decisions like the colors and types of flowers in your bouquet were not determined by your preferences, but by what was available. And transitioning from the idea of a once in a lifetime trip to Greece to a rugged outdoor vacation within the U.S. allowed you and your husband to problem solve and to realize that you both are willing to make concessions when needed. Probably good things to practice in the first few weeks of being married.
Tourist and travel statistics indicate that in the year 2017 more than 49 million Americans participated in freshwater, saltwater, and fly fishing. And while spending tie with fly fishing rod reels may not be at the top of everyone’s list, it is likely that these outdoor, closer to home, vacation options will continue to grow in popularity while the nation deals with the pandemic. In that same year of 2017, more than 60% of recreational fishing participants were under 45, and it will be interesting to note how Covid 19 influences this travel of Americans this year. Limited in where they can escape to, bride and grooms, as well as entire families, are working on plans to still get much needed time away from work and the hectic daily schedules so many people have. Fishing rod reels may be the new honeymoon!