Ancient Greek philosophers strived to establish what they called summum bonum, “the greatest good to which all human effort in life should be directed.” I learned this from a 78-year-old angler who described himself as an Epicurean.
My wife, Leigh, and I had arrived in the Florida Keys in February, having made the tedious drive from Colorado for a two-month stay in Marathon. While fly-fishing from foot along a narrow causeway on Middle Torch Key, I saw a guy poling another angler in what appeared to be a small skiff. The seated angler was tangling with a large fish. I had waded out onto a flat on the incoming tide, trying not to stumble on small coral heads or step on sea urchins. The water was clear and knee-deep. I had a shrimp pattern tied to the tippet of my 8-weight fly rod. I wasn’t seeing fish. Meanwhile, over by the mangroves, those anglers were into another tussle.
Several hours (and no bites) later, I began the long trudge back to my truck, where I spotted the other anglers dragging a canoe out of the water. I wandered over and introduced myself. I asked how they fared, remarking that I’d seen them hook a good fish. “Oh, the first one was a lemon shark. We caught a nice barracuda, too, but the flat…
