All week long I've been fighting with nausea and soreness, missing a few days of work because of it. Dad called mid week and said he was heading south to a lake where the fishing is usually good in the early spring, and asked if I wanted to come down Saturday. I wanted to, but an early morning, a long drive and more time on my feet than I'd had all week just didn't seem to fit with how I was feeling. The fishing was epic by all reports.
Instead, I stayed home and watched the weather improve throughout the morning until it was just too nice to stay home. A local stream would make for a quick trip and the boys decided to come with! When we got to the stream I was a little surprised to see someone else fishing, but there was still plenty of stream for everyone. Unfortunately, the rod that we'd grabbed to share between us was the one that Atley had broken on our last trip....
Ran back home to switch out the rod and stopped to get Deli a drink on the way. As we came out of the little restaurant the guy that had been fishing the stream passed us. With the drink delivered and a new rod in hand, we headed back to the stream to see if any fish wanted to play. Atley was up first and did a great job nabbing the first fish on a prince nymph.
We tried to get Caden a fish, but they were being just difficult enough that he couldn't make it happen. We moved upstream, working the spots we could reach from the shore since none of us had waders on (in fact, I need to buy some new ones...) The last spot that we fished before we all agreed on heading home was a deep pool where we usually can trick a trout or two. Luck was with us as I hooked and landed a beautiful brown. Any day I can get out and fish with my boys is a good one!
Hope you're as lucky,
Kidder
You know how it is, right? When your job is looking to take over the weekends and the weather forecast says you should stay home on the only days still free. So what do you do? You call around to see who is willing to brave the weather and go on a marathon drive in hopes of finding some open water. Sane people turn you down and try to talk you out of it. Dad and Atley agreed to go, and the plan comes together to make a day trip where travel time will most likely equal fishing time. You run to the vice to make sure that you have the flies that would've worked last time, even though you know you can't fill the boxes in a short session.
"At least it will be fly-fishing," you tell yourself in an attempt to justify the money spent and the time behind the wheel. The first leg of the trip is a drive to Dad's house where we'll spend the night, until about 2:30 in the morning when you'll start the real drive. Dad will talk to you the whole way to make sure you're awake, and the topics will vary widely. From politics he knows you won't agree with, to family members who are trying to complicate lives. Things that will keep you engaged, fishing and hunting trips might also be discussed, but no concrete plans will come of these.
Arriving on the scene, it's exactly how you knew it would be. Cold, wind, snow and coyotes in evidence with the promise of more throughout the day. Some of the dogs you see, like the one that runs the shore opposite of you until it's sure that it doesn't want to get any closer, others you'll only hear. The cold, wind and snow all team up to make you question your motives but when Dad hooks into the first fish of the day the doubts go away. You're here to fish, because you're a fisherman. Everything else are just details that need to be managed.
Atley was trying to manage the cold that was making his hands hurt when he retreated to the truck to warm up. The wind decided to push his fly rod into the path of his closing door right before it came closed with a snap. His anger isn't lost on you, but you assure him that we can build a new one and we can share a rod for the rest of the trip. No big deal, although you feel bad that he's so upset. The tiger trout that you open your day with doesn't make his mood improve, but staying in the truck for a little while warms him up enough to try fishing again.
A new spot, not too far away, seemed to bring the cold wind into greater focus, even if the fishing did pick up. The mistake of not bringing a net is one that you had hoped to get past by this point in your fishing career, but sure enough it wasn't with the equipment you packed. Tailing fish is tough, but it's even harder when you can barely feel your fingers. Some fish are worth it, and the ones that seem to like the Green Hare's Ear that you're fishing for the first time are well worth the effort. A new personal best rainbow is celebrated with a short stint in the truck to warm back up, even the adrenaline can't keep you out there for too long. Losing an even bigger fish doesn't even piss you off, though it may haunt you in the days to come.
Dad and Atley are struggling to find fish. Atley just can't seem to be in the right place at the right time, Dad is refusing to change to a nymph and indicator insisting on staying with the bugger that got him that first fish. A new spot brings some fish to Atley, but Dad just can't seem to make it come together.
Even with a very long, tired, drive looming we still hit up the first spot to see if fishing has improved before calling it a day. Lots of fun looking for fin in the cold, but Spring will be welcomed if it ever shows.
Hope you're as lucky,
Kidder
