Sometimes there's a price to pay for solitude. I paid walking 4 miles through slushy snow and mud. Really not a bad asking price. I found myself heading up above the "lake". Hadn't been there since last May with the Mule. What a gorgeous day, sunny 70 deg. As I crested the dam, I was shocked to see the lake still mostly frozen over. Then it dawned on me, "I live in Utah". Don't know what I was expecting or thinking.
As I walked in past the gate, I could tell not another soul had ventured forth down this long and lonely road. Good sign. The water was a bit high and off-color, not the best sign, but not one that would deter a die hard piscator such as myself. I ended up fishing all the way up to the confluence with the right branch, and then just a bit up the left branch. Nothing happening up that branch. The last 3 trout I hooked, I did not land. Much to my chagrin. They were all nice fish. The lackadaisical way they rose to the fly and just barely inhaled it, left me hooking them only momentarily. I hate that. So the day ended on a sour note, but as I sat under a cottonwood, sipping my fresh stream cooled DMD, thinking of how I had caught a triple play, I knew that this was fishing in all its glory, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 'Cept for the 2 mile hike out.
2 comments:
Duuuuude. That's pretty dedicated, slogging through the snow, only people I know that do that loco stuff are either guides or homeless people. I wager youd've caught twice as many fish if you'd tied on a little brassy or pheasant tail dropper, but I know, I know, you da dry fly purist! Good show! I can tell already I'm going to have to quit my job to keep up with you this year, since my kids like to eat, maybe I'll set my sights on second-couldn't be too hard to outfish a computer hacking mule eh.
Hey, this ain't no race... that'd take all the fun outta it. You know, while I was whipping around the Christmas ornament I called a fly, the thought crossed my mind several times, "the Gov would tie on a dropper, fur sure" and I almost did.. almost.
Your Homeless Piscator.. Pab.
Post a Comment