With winter being in full swing, I look back on my fall and summer exploits, picking out the days that really stand out as great days spent fishing. In my case, pretty much every fishing day is a great day. However, there are always ones that seem to stand out. One such day didn’t even start out as a fishing day. I was on a job site that happened to be next to a small stream. When I was finished penciling an estimate for the customer, I asked about the stream and what kind of fishing was to be had. What he said nearly struck me dumb.
“I have no idea,” he said. “I don’t even know if there’s fish in there.”
What? No idea? It was like he was suddenly speaking a different language. I felt very much the wizard talking to a muggle about cars vs. flu powder. We were just not on the same page. My priorities, being what they are could not allow me to leave his property without doing a little recon for future reference. As it was a sunny day, I walked the banks looking into the eddies and slack water trying to spot some sign of life. The beauty of the river soon captivated me and for a time I forgot the fish and stood still. A gentle, but firm, breeze stirred the treetops raining down the yellowed leaves of the fall Quakies.
And what about the fish, you may ask. Of course there were fish. And of course, I managed to catch a few in the short time that I had. I also was smart enough to snag a personal permission slip to fish the property anytime I wanted. To look at him, he seemed to have no idea why I would want to do such a thing. To each his own, right? Fishing aside, I keep looking at the video and pictures and hope that winter leaves in a hurry so I can get back to doing what I love.
The Spirit of Fishing 