I went fishing, it was cold, snowy, and I fell.....but that's OK

After a week in the deep freeze I was ready for a walk, a walk along a stream, a walk on some fresh snow with the smell of fir in the air. This day was a balmy 33 and a light snow fell as I walked in. These days are such that just the opportunity to fish is reward enough and the thought of many fish to hand is a far off one. The first pool I came to was pretty much free of ice and on the second drift I had a savage strike. The fish was on and bolted away at a good clip. I felt that the trout was a rainbow, but has he came close I saw that it was a silver chub. Man can these fish put a bend in a rod. I fished for the next hour without a take. I fished the likely spots as well as those that held trout in warmer times, each the same, nothing.

I moved to a different area of the stream and found it to be some what iced in. It had a few open areas and that's where I concentrated my efforts.

In the slower pockets, I fished the Pinkie, as soon as the fly slipped under the ice it took a hit. The fish were tough to hook, and most were off before I could bring them in. There were a few times when I tried to get a little advantage by stepping closer to the water, both times it was a mistake. The shelf ice gave way and one time I went down, luckily I did not slide into the water.

There is incredible beauty along a stream. One need not catch fish to have a memorable day.

This is the area of this stream I call Rbacher it's where a little trib flows in and often produces fish. I let the fly drift along the bank. As it reached the plate of ice I felt the subtle take. Pulling back I knew I had a hookup. The hookup was brief and off the fish went. Several more drifts in the same place brought nothing. On on last drift I let the fly slip way under the ice. Suddenly the line shot upstream, I gained control and as the line tightened I had a good hookup. My first brown, A quick pic and away he went.

As it turned out that brown was the only fish to hand, but that's OK.