A Day Of Tradition

January 1st has become a day of tradition for me thanks to a dear friend.  It is a day to fish and start the year in good company.  January 1, 2011 was like no other with the high temperatures over the entire Northeast.  I still felt cold even though the thermometer read well above freezing. We arrived riverside in the dark at 6:30am and were not the first kids on the block.  Our number one location was open and we moved in quickly.

Hours went by without so much as a showing fish.  We were about to give it up when my buddy started to throw a few casts into the rapids below the pool.  He has done this year after year without result.  Like I said this was not a typical year.   One, two and three came quickly to hand falling for his Smelt pattern. The largest was a beautiful 21" bow.  The forth came a bit later and took a black leech.

My day ended with two fish hooked and none landed.  Not exactly what was imagined.  Even so, I love January first because it is a beginning of a New Year as well as the start of my twelve month fishing cycle.  I can also reflect on 2010 with great fondness as many of my days were used in the pursuit of the catch.  Much was learned in a sport where the knowledge is never ending.

William