Where does Presentation Start?

Where Does Presentation Start?

I am very guilty of preaching. Maybe it has something to do with being married to a pastor? In any event, a common sermon topic on my lips is “presentation.” There was a time not too long ago when I was sure I knew what I meant by the term “presentation.” After all, I have been fishing my entire life and fly-fishing for better than 80% of that time. At 35-years old that equates to a good many of years. For sure I know all about presentation. Likewise, I can speak about it and teach it. It is a concrete action. Correct?

Well, a few months back it happened. The phone rang and I picked it up to hear the familiar, yet always surprising Danish accent belonging to Hans Weilenmann. Hans is a great chap to speak with, full of wit and wisdom. I am becoming acutely aware that speaking with such individuals will put manners on the most pompous of fly casters, anglers, and tiers. This day our conversations turned from flies, to rods, to casting…to “presentation.” Eventually, my almighty attitude that “presentation matters above all else” was tossed over the phone line with every bit of confidence. The response to that statement, by a luminary (in my eyes at least) from across the ocean, will forever keep me awake at night: “Where does presentation start?”

Huh? What? Where does it start?

Exactly!

Now, before I press on please take some time to think that one over. Really think it over…

OK, think you have it all figured out? I did too. But here are some ideas that will get you thinking. Does it start with the cast? With the rod? With the fly line? How about with your leader?” Well then, consider you attire. How about the section of water you chose? The fly? Let’s go deeper; did your drive to the river make you angry? Are you tired? Did you sleep well? Crazy dreams? How much coffee did you have? I bet you can see where I am going with this; down exactly the same road that Hans led me. It never ends, the more you ponder it the more frustrating, yet real, it becomes. Surely all those items above are factors at play with your day’s fishing. Of course they will add to, or detract from, your success. They all are portions of your presentation. Like it or not, when you get serious about fishing everything you do will show on the water to some degree. This is especially true with fly-fishing, but this phenomenon plays out in all arenas.

I offer that this is the backbone to the theorem: “Ninety-percent of the fish are caught by ten-percent of the anglers.” That 10% of the anglers eat, sleep and drink fishing. Most of these folks can readily pick up new tactics for new species because their mental state is so acute. But where they excel is with their favored techniques, on their favored waters, for their favored species. Much of what they do relates somehow to their angling and they know it. To as much of a degree as possible, luck is removed from the equation. In addition, their measuring sticks for success are different that the majority of anglers. Pure numbers, or production, is of little interest to them. Times of plenty find them experimenting. Tough fishing finds them with a full arsenal of tactics on which to rely. One hand plays into the other. Difficult fish are targets of choice, and to add salt to the wound they target these fish with specialized techniques. Easy fishing does not interest them because they cannot learn.

The one constant is their “attention to detail.” Perhaps that phrase best defines presentation. When I was Operations Supervisor for a very large water utility (in my other life) I was constantly impressed by employees who paid attention to detail. Rarely did they make mistakes or miss deadlines. The equipment, or paperwork, or regulations that they were responsible for were nearly always in perfect order. If something did happen I could automatically dispel negligence. These same folks were reliable and hardly ever missed a day. On the other hand, I also had employees who were full of excuses, opted to always take the easy road and only did the bare minimum. Their behavior rarely changed, regardless of the situation. Who do you think got hefty raises and frequent promotions, or the bulk of the overtime calls? Some call it “work ethic”, but like “presentation” the results are indicators of attention to detail.

In previous articles I have touched on some of the details I feel are critical to angling success. I fully intend to write more as time permits. Perhaps I could pen an article every day and still not cover all of the bases. But I hope that by at least bringing some of these to light I can impress how critical it is to consider every facet of your presentation. Only through introspection, trial-and-error, and time spent on the water will you elevate your skills.

To conclude, “presentation” obviously has a far wider-reaching scope than most folks realize. By broadening your view of presentation, taking it off the water and realizing that it is more of a behavior trait than a single activity, you’ll see growth in your skill base never before fathomed. “Attention to detail” sums up the definition of presentation very well. Proactive where possible, reactive where necessary, presentation must remain fluid and expanding.