Friday, January 6, 2012

Not today. Maybe tomorrow..........

Well, at least the young lads came away with something shiny to hold up yesterday, even if it was bronze ( Well done Team Canada!).  Unless you count the beer caps I tucked into my wading jacket pocket, today was a day to enjoy all that part of winter steelheading without having to get my hands all fishy smelling.
We took a chance. We were lazy to drive any farther than we had to. I think we are growing old and getting soft. The last time we hit this particular stretch, we came home humbled. If I had to place this on my list of ten, it would be dead last. The weather conditions were very much in our favor. It wasn’t winter at all. The flow data was the part we gambled on. I think we were a day early, perhaps even two. However, it was all we could afford and the day did not fall on a weekend so there was good assurance we would not see another.
It was not forgiving. It will need a big spring blow out to clear the timber that seemed to be sprinkled like extra toppings at the ice cream store. I think we left over 20 hooks in the fall down but somehow managed not to lose one float. We gave them everything. Organics, feathers and fur, the rubber molded stuff and even “skittles” of the hottest new bait on the water these days. Enough was enough.  I sat on a big old log and enjoyed a beer with a good buddy. All we could do is laugh at each other and attempted to award the other, the Grandmaster of Retye.
A fishless day heightens the senses and respect for what we have before us. The freedom to go walk and fish a river in solitude is priceless. Sharing time with great company cushions the disappointment of coming home with dry gloves. Nothing is ever a loss when we go out. We now know of a cool little local establishment that has great baked goods and the most incredible dried cured Hungarian sausages I have tasted in a long while.

7 comments:

  1. Nice write up Gil. Gotta take advantage of this weather. You'll have to send me the directions to said establishment. Cheers!

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  2. Excellent...you got out...that's the main thing and these temps at this stage of the game are truly a gift. I fear it will all turn so violently on us and we will be left with that glazed over "what happened" look in our eyes. Until it does I plan on floating that little orange speck down the big river...
    Good luck tomorrow!

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  3. nice read bud, lets do it again soon but somewhere a little higher on the top ten list lol! cheers

    RC

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  4. Cheers guys!Yes, Tony, GPS coordinates on its way. (LOL)....Brian, I agree. This weather is unreal. I did not go today. Only had half a day. I would be late and in big shit if I came home past "curfew".......Rob, we will do the the top ten again soon. Will need to find some new sausage makers on the way. Lord knows you love a big hot sausage. :0

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  5. Great read Gil!
    You are now in the blog list to watch.
    Spring will be here soon.

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  6. Thanks Bill. Feels like spring is already here.

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  7. Dry cured Hungarian sausage?...
    I imagine my restraint!
    LOL

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