The Tail Gunner

The Tail Gunner

Fishing from a drift boat is one of the most enjoyable experiences in fly fishing. You see the sights, you cover water and you can catch many fish. But there’s nothing more frustrating for an oarsman than having two people regularly tangling their lines (and this inevitably happens right when you approach the honey hole, as instinct and anticipation hijack your common sense).

Here’s a simple rule that solves that problem: If lines get tangled, it’s the person in the back of the boat who’s at fault.

Period. No arguments or excuses allowed.

The “tail gunner” has the ability to watch everything unfolding in front of him. It’s his or her responsibility to watch the angler in the bow, and time fly casts accordingly.

In time, you’ll grow to enjoy the tail gunner’s seat. You’re the quarterback of the three-person team. You’re batting cleanup. And every now and again you’ll make that hero hookup where the front person missed.

Excerpted from The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing.