The Sportsman's Corner

The term "sartorial splendor" means "magnificent in the manner of dress."

In relation to fishing, sartorial splendor could mean that an angler dresses himself so that he looks magnificent to other anglers. When I am out fishing, especially when I visit the BFO (big, famous, overfished) River, I often encounter other fly-fishermen who look like they are models for fly-fishing catalogues.

These guys wear the latest in brand-name breathable waders, even on smaller creeks. Underneath their waders I sometimes notice a brand-name wading jacket. Draped over their waders is a fancy chest pack where, I assume, they stash their flies and their fly-fishing accessories. Their appearance is completed with a baseball-type cap that advertises the name of their favorite fly-fishing shop. When these stylishly clad fly-fishermen walk past me, they generally give me an askance glance and usually fail to greet me (which doesn't bother me when I'm fishing).

I do not dress as they do. Instead, the clothes I wear fishing are for comfort and to avoid frightening trout. I have found that a pair of inexpensive lightweight green waders is appropriate for fishing larger waters, such as the BFO. On smaller creeks I wear a lightweight pair of hip boots. These generally sport spots of Aquaseal, which I use to patch the leaks that spring up from my encounters with multiflora rose bushes. In warm weather I prefer to wear an old green work shirt to try to blend in with streamside surroundings. In cooler weather I don a green windbreaker that I bought just this year to replace an old one that had more holes in it than there was material left holding it together. Over my shirt or windbreaker, I drape my tattered, stained olive fishing vest that also blends in with streamside surroundings. I cover my noggin with a camouflage or dull-colored fishing cap. When I was young, one of the "old timers" told me that I would catch more trout if I dressed in my hunting camouflage. The clothing I now wear fishing is pretty close to that.

Until recently, one other piece of my fishing clothing was an ancient pair of blue jeans that had as many holes as the jeans teenage girls now buy. Donna flatly stated, "Your fishing clothes are disgraceful, especially the jeans. The holes in those jeans are in inappropriate places. I'm embarrassed to be seen with you. You are not to wear those clothes when you go downtown to a store or the bank."

I replied, "The trout have never criticized my 'sartorial splendor.'"