"The Pool"

Many times as anglers, small stream anglers especially walk along the stream and find many pools, some large and some small. We find them to be deep as well as shallow, and a combination of both. Sometimes they are almost hidden from view and are only detected from the suns rays glancing of the water. This is the story of one such pool.

It lies in a forest of hemlock and thick laurel. The darkness can be surprising even in the high sun. It's waters run clear and cold along a steep side of boulders and a fallen tree. The plunge drops about a foot, and bubbles rise up for a distance. This pool has been here for "well lets say a long time" and has pretty much remained the same. Even in times of low rain fall it maintains it's flow.

When looking at the pool the angler knows that a trout has to live there, and in is mind is the thought of how to present a fly there to temp the trout. One wrong move and the resident will be gone, he will not leave the pool but will find sanctuary in some hidden corner, for he knows his home well.

The angler ties on a black beetle and lets the current move it. The yellow dot is all that is seen. The beetle does not drift an inch when the strike comes, it is fast and the trout is hooked.

As the little jewel is lifted and admired the angler smiles. The brook trout is placed in the water and swiftly disappears in the small dark pool. There is no need to cast a second time into the pool for it can only hold one. The thought comes across the anglers mind what a miracle of nature that this little trout is. He may live all his life in a tiny stream, and most of that time will be in this pool. The natural part is given....now...