Hello families, this is our final correspondence from Puerto Rico. What an awesome trip we have had! Today is a bittersweet day for all as we bid farewell to this incredible fishery but get to return home and see our families. Between the incredible area, the amazing fishing, and the time spent with the boys off the water, this is not a trip I will soon forget. I had so much fun and I know they all did as well.
Our final two days followed the same schedule as our first three — early wakeups, full days of fishing, and some card games and movie nights to wind down. After having the first three days to explore the fishery, everyone was able to home in on the specific type of fishing they wanted to do for the final days. Some of the boys opted to head out in search of a big tarpon and others grinded for a permit. No matter what they chose, the last couple of days were some of the best of the trip. We had numerous shots at big tarpon and permit and lots of great fish were caught. In the evenings we played Monopoly, enjoyed some great dinners, and watched a couple movies. The time we spent together, playing games and sharing stories from our days, were some of my favorite moments from the trip.
On the final night we headed into town for our banquet dinner. During this we got a chance to reflect on the trip as a whole. Saltwater fly fishing is an incredibly challenging pursuit. It forces you to get better at your technical fly fishing skills — your casting, line management, retrieve, and fish fighting skills have to be sharp in order to land one of these fish. But it doesn't just make you a better fly fisher; saltwater fishing teaches you skills in patience, in resilience, and in finding enjoyment in the process, not just the result.
Everyone grew on this trip, not just as fly fishers but as young men who came together as one cohesive group and overcame the challenges of saltwater fly fishing to find success. I am incredibly proud of what everyone accomplished on this trip and I hope to see everyone next summer.
Thank you for trusting us with your boys and allowing them a chance to travel to and experience this incredible place. This has been an amazing trip and not one I will soon forget.
Until next summer,
Evan
