Chapter 58 Final Page - Trout Season

With only sixteen days left in official trout season and with the weather looking rather rain-swept in the coming days I know that today was the final page in this trout season for me.

Heavy rain is predicted for Monday and Tuesday followed by chances of rain each day thereafter.  The price of petro at the pump hit $3.72 here yesterday.  The carp are getting extremely active right now and all these things come together to form a perfect storm of not going to the pretty fish anymore this month. 

Today, Mercurio, Charlie and myself attended the end of trout season celebration at the headquarters building at Blue River.  The wildlife department fed everyone fish, fries, hush puppies, cole slaw and baked beans - it was rather good. 

While we were there the proceeds from the One Fly tournament, along with a personal donation from Merc, were turned over to the wildlife department.  The total amount was $1,000.00.  I spoke with an official of the wildlife department who is in charge of federal matching funds and he told me that indeed our donation would be matched and the net result for Blue River would be $4,000.00.  Not bad.  So, a big thank you to all those fly fishers at Blue River who willing signed up and participated in the One Fly - you guys did good.

After lunch, Merc and I had already decided to go fishing at Blue.  Asking Charlie if he would go he said he had things he needed to do around the inn.  Like we believed that - Charlie had things to do, but it was probably carp by fly fishing things. 

Leaving the headquarters building I followed Merc to the river.  No... that's not my Tweety Bird, I was in Miss Carol's pickup today. 

We went about our fishing in a slow relaxed way today, looking at unfamiliar and not-often fished water.  We didn't catch a lot of fish, but fish we caught including perch, spotted bass, and yes trout. 

I got the pleasure of watching Merc sight fish a couple of trout.  He kept drifting his fly by these trout and they turned a couple of times on the fly but just wouldn't eat.  So, Merc switched gears and went smaller and on the first drift a trout ate the fly.

The weather was rather warm and humid today and the river was running pretty.  It was so warm and humid some kids from Texas has skinned down to little clothing and were joyfully playing in the still rather cool water.  Kids are tough you know.

After we were through fishing, we drank one beer together while visiting with Matt. 

Today was a pleasant day on the river Blue - no rush, no hurry, no pressure.  Just good friendship on a pretty little river.  

Chapter 58 Day 133 - Trout Season

The Time Of  Conflict

Young girls write in diaries about sparks of love, things that catch their fancy, and secret places.  Most likely the sparks of love these young women feel will turn into a full fledged love affair someday.

Older men like me write in journals also about sparks of love, things that catch fancy, and secret places. Most likely for guys like me we already know the love of a fine lady and have become quite comfortable in such.  My sparks of love these days, the fanciful things I now chase, and the secret places I seek, all have to do with fly-fishing, nature, and wildlife. 

Now that the One Fly tournament is complete I know that chapter 58 in my fly fishing for trout life is quickly nearing an end.  There are only a couple of more weeks left in official trout season left and for the most part I am done with the pretty little fish. 

However, there are still some dates with the river and the bows.  This Friday there is the end of the year fish-fry the wildlife department has near the end of trout season at Blue.  I guess it's their way of celebrating another successful trout experience at Blue.  Each year the fly fishing community receives an invitation to attend and over the years I've tried to invite different anglers.  Usually though, those invitations are not accepted due to the busy life most of us live.  There are a couple of guys though that I can usually count on finding a way to the feed and this year we'll be attending.

Then, there is a fly fishing outing that had to be postponed due to weather and I hope to reschedule this trip to Blue with friends and a couple of guys I've never fished with before.

Lastly, I still have high hope of getting a grandchild on the river this trout season.  If so lucky and the trip comes to be, most likely it will be a short outing because young children have so many interests they tend to wander from here to there in excitement.  Even if it's just an hour in the river - that will be just fine with me.

Yes, chapter 58 of trout season is coming to an end.  These days I am conflicted.  Short time left in trout season and this is the time of year the grand and golden carp begin to show signs of activity.  Now is the time I should be on the local creek trying to find where the carp are pasturing, checking the water to see how it should be fished, and watching the carp for any particular patterns they have.

Chapter 58 has been a remarkable trout season for me in having met so many wonderful and new faces on the river.  Faces eventually become friends and for this I am certainly a richer man. 

So my friends, if I don't see you again this trout season I send you the best of wishes in all things and especially in your time on the river Blue. 

May you always walk off the river with a smile on your face.