An evening in brook trout forest.........

This is guest post. The author wishes to remain anonymous.

 

 Photo 1, The Bomber: Before wetting my line, I paused to reflect on the lovely flies I was to use that evening, and to thank the good friend who tied them.

Photo 2, A Pool from my Childhood: I had picked this stream by looking for a remote place on a map, but when I got there I found that the pool right below the road I drove in on looked very much like the kind of pool-below-a-bridge that I used to fish as a kid. Brookies were rising, so I tossed in the Bomber.

 

 

Photo 3, Sadness & Memorial: I was in to a nice fish almost at once, but when I brought it to the shore I found it bleeding and hooked badly through the throat. I could not remove the hook, and the beautiful fish began to bleed out. I chose to give it a clean death and bring it’s body home for dinner. As I cleaned it, I was struck by having brought an end to such a beautiful creature. I built this trout a small red cairn, to say thank you, and to say I’m sorry.

 

 

Photo 4, Green Water: I hiked further down the stream, casting the Pickett Pin to abundant brook trout in the green of Brook Trout Forest

 

 

 

 

 Photo 5, Green Trout: I hooked many fish, and brought a few to hand. The first of these was a study in tones of green, like the woods around him.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo 6, Red Rocks: As I waded further down the stream, I noticed many brilliant red and orange rocks on the streambed…

 

 

 

 

 

 Photo 7, Red Trout: …and I began to land trout who were a study in those colors themselves. This one was particularly vibrant. I love the orange tone of his pectoral fin!

 

 

 

 

 Photo 8, Thank You: I finished fishing after landing the Red Trout, and built a second cairn above the pool where I caught him to thank the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 Photo 9, Autumn on the Way:  As I waded out of the stream, I saw this precocious fall leaf, and reflected that I the summer is moving along and my fishing days before grad school are running out. I was blessed to have this evening on the water.