Looking at the Weather Channel, about the cold front rolling across the Mid West, made the decision to be outside yesterday a bit of a gamble. The report listed winds between 20 and 30 miles per hour, a combination of sleet, snow and rain, with plummeting temperatures as the day progressed.
Sounds perfect, and I went fishing.
The new snow, that fell the day before, made for a truly beautiful winter environment. Arriving later than usual, I geared up and made my way to my favorite pool. Within four casts I had an eighteen inch rainbow with cheeks of crimson and fins as translucent as can be. Just a wonderful example of New England at her best. A nice part of catching this fish is because a new fly that I created did the trick. Half Feedinator and half Jailbird with a rib of burned Peacock Eye.
For the next three hours I worked the entire run from top to bottom with every fly I could think might work. The weather meandered between sleet to snow and surprisingly I was warm and comfortable . No wind yet, as the front had not run through and temperatures were staying in the mid thirties. I just kept thinking how perfect it was and only if the fish were feeling the love.
Knowing that my time was short, due to a commitment back home, I decided to call it a day. Well, almost. I made a short drive to one other small pool. No footprints in the snow and why not throw a few casts. In the next hour the heavens opened to bright sunshine, the wind started to make some noise and I could feel the temperature making a steady decline. The other thing that happened was I hooked five rainbows, the largest was twenty four inches and the smallest was twenty and one salmon of nineteen. This small untouched pool had so many fish it was just amazing. This was a real steak and eggs event with the two flies that took all the fish being an orange red dot egg and a micro San Juan Worm. The fish were taking the fly at the end of the swing and feeling the take was hard and vibrant. These were aggressive fish even though the water was in the mid thirties.
I had to leave. I didn't want to leave, but I had to get going.
This morning, as I tell you about this story, the front has passed, the temperature will be minus digits by tonight and winter will be holding the North Country captive for a few days. I'm looking for a moral to the story or a some reason that I could be so lucky. Let's just say I will be looking forward to the next Friday the Thirteenth.
William
