Sunday, March 30, 2014

A stream, a soft rain, and a shadow.

I walked this woodland stream the other day in search of a few of the wild trout it holds. This day featured a soft rain and some what mild temps. A fine day for late March. I was armed with ample flies but knew only one today. Tied onto the three weight was a Royal Coachman bucktail, a fly as good as any for this time of year. The fly was tossed into the steely gray waters and worked as the tyer had intended. The fly was taken under, pulled to the surface by currents not visible to the angler. It worked along the banks and near the sunken trees fallen by storm and beaver.




As I approached this piece of slack water, the rain was starting to fall. A feeling of peaceful quiet solitude came to be, and I paused for a spell just to take it in. I walked to the bank edge near a beaver cutting and stared into the water that was moving so slowly and noticed a dark shadow near some sunken branches. Looking closely I made it out to be a trout. He seemed to be content to remain even after he picked up on my movement. I cast the bucktail upstream from the trout and worked it to within inches of him. No response. A cast or two more and the result was the same. Trying to position myself to bring the fly to the fish in a different way, I noticed the fish moving off. Moments later the shadow was gone. That was the highlight of this day, and it was as gratifying as I could ask for.


Walking back on a carpet of pine needles with a soft March rain.



20 comments:

  1. thanks for sharing this place and peace.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely post! Thanks for sharing your serene moments at the stream.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Beautifully written post Alan, thanks for that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alan - things are definitely slow this time of year, but the quiet grayness of early spring is hard to beat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      One can focus on other things that happen when we are out, and gain much.

      Delete
  5. Thanks for taking us along into this little kingdom of possibility.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. rivertoprambles,
      Thanks.
      Your very welcome Walt.

      Delete
  6. Water levels look pretty good on the stream, this rain and snow we've gotten should make for a nice spring on the streams.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LQN,
      Thanks.
      They're great if we can ever get the snow to stop. It's snowing this AM like crazy.

      Delete
  7. Very nice, Alan. Almost felt like I was there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gin Clear,
      Thanks.
      It was one of those days where just being there was all that was needed.

      Delete
  8. Sounds awesome. A really nice time in the forest and near a beautiful stream for sure!
    Will

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation,
      Thanks.
      Will, all that was needed. A splashy fish coming to hand would have been like whipped cream.

      Delete
  9. Alan
    There are days on the water when one only needs the solitude of the moment to make the day an accomplishment when fishing, today went to solitude. thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  10. If only we could have beautiful trout streams like that here in Ohio.....sigh..!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. tim,
      Thanks.
      I feel sorry for you. We are indeed fortunate to have so many of these beautiful streams.

      Delete