It's A Great Day To Be Alive!

If the DRC said it was a nice day to be on the river today - they lied. Woke this morning to a sparkling white lawn covered with a heavy frost (temp 28). Thankfully the sun came out and tried its best to warm things up. Air temp got to the mid fifties, water temps got close to 48. It would have gotten up over 50 except for the clouds and rain that showed up about an hour before Hendrickson time. 

Bundled up, put on my new Gortex rain coat and went fishing. Saw cars at every pull off and fishermen everywhere. Went to a place where I've encountered another fisherman just once in the over thirty years that I've fished it -and - there was a guy there who had fished it for thirty-five years. He knew me (by my married name) and we had a pleasant chat about what fishermen talk about. He graciously offered to share the water but I don't do that, first come, first served, went downstream to the next pool and ended up glad I did..

The fishing - There were caddis and paraleps hatching and fish rising while we talked and I had risers before I was fifty yards below where he was fishing, but the fish are no longer anyone's fool. They look at every Hendrickson carefully before eating. Many casts were ignored, several were refused, and then the clouds blocked out the sun, the rain came over the hill and it was not a nice day to be on the river. Except for the fact that the Hendricksons started to hatch and not a single one of them was able to get airborne. Every trout in the river turned on, there were trout feeding between me and shore (and I wasn't out very far). One cast intended for a rising fish landed among four tightly bunched Hendricksons, not a word of a lie, the fish ate mine. My CDC flies got soaked and wouldn't float. The fish continued to feed and I continued to fish, enough fish let their appetite get in the way of their eye sight that it turned out to be, a great day to be alive and to be on the river after all.

Note - To those who questioned the "Bank Sipper " photo. I understand, there was a time long ago when I took quite a few pictures. For over ten years I have taken but one picture a year. I carry my camera until I catch a fish that will be the year's background picture for my PC. I think most will agree that the fish in the picture is worthy of that honor. As to laying the fish on the grass, I had no choice. He was a bank sipper and the bank water was at least two feet deep where I caught him. He cooperated fully, never moved a muscle and was back in the water within 20 seconds max.

Note - Note - I lied, last year I took two pictures. Both on the same night. One was of the second biggest brown I've taken in the river and the other was the biggest 'bow I've  taken in the river. If I ever finish editing "Upping Your Game" you can see the photos of the two fish (July and August). You should note that both fish are in the water when photographed.     A