Family Post: High Alert

I had a kind request from a reader for news on the baby. So here's a brief update.

I got here OK, changing planes in Denver. On that second leg we successfully dodged those storms in the heartland before touching down in Indiana.

Laura is patiently waiting, and weighing options. Things are definitely on the verge.

Meanwhile, I'm having a great time with my Indiana family. We are all on high alert.

Fisherman's Luck

I'm going to be gone for a week starting Saturday, so I stopped off at the lake for one more time before I go.

The fish were up and busy on a hatch.

There were good numbers of caddis fluttering everywhere, and the fish were coming out of the water to make sure nothing escaped.

I tied on a deer hair caddis. It was too big, and the hair was white, not natural, which would have been better at matching the hatch. But so far fisherman's luck has been with me, and every fly I've tried has caught fish, so I wanted to see if I could keep it going. This one worked, too, especially with a fast, jerky "caddis retrieve." Those fish were taking no prisoners.

A pair of Loons are back. An Osprey has been patrolling the lake. On Thursday I was up near the lake and saw Sandhills way up high, but I saw none on this trip. They'll be here. Toward evening, swallows came swooping over the water.

This Great Blue Heron kept coming back to this perch.

One Red-necked Grebe is back, waiting for its mate. Once he (or she--they look alike) gets here, they'll be inseparable. This one is mostly quiet, but when they're together they're constantly communicating with each other in a high, braying call.

That green haze is visible in the woods now, with newborn leaves everywhere.

I've been looking for deer, having seen them come down to this shoreline to water. On this trip a pair of Bighorn Sheep, a ram and a ewe, came clattering and crashing down the mountain. The wind was behind me, so they knew right away I was there, and headed back up the mountain again. But I got this shot of the ram. If you look closely to the left of center right above the left diagonal tree trunk you can make out his hindquarters--tan, the same color as the tree trunk--and his horns, to the right of the hindquarters. He kept both eyes on me before finally retreating.

The trout kept taking that caddis.

Imagine my surprise when this Bluegill did, too. I almost forgot how aggressive these fish are on the surface.

As the sun slanted down toward its setting, the fish went nuts. Big pods cruised back and forth along the drop off slamming anything that moved. I lost about three fish in a row before checking the fly and discovering that it was bent open. It had gotten a lot of use. A quick fix and I was back in business.

They were still going strong when I left about a half hour before dark. It was hard to leave, but I had things to do to get ready for the trip.

I'm heading east to be with my daughter Laura for the birth of her first baby, our first granddaughter. At least I hope I'll be there for the birth. The baby was due on Friday, even as I reeled in those trout, but she didn't show. Sometimes first pregnancies go long, and Laura is hoping not to induce. So we'll see.

I'm hoping my fisherman's luck will hold, and I won't get skunked on this trip, either.

A Photo Miscellany

In my browsings on the internet I tend to collect photos that I think I might eventually use on this blog. More often than not they languish in my files. So I'm pulling some out for your education and enjoyment.

 This one greatly appealed to me back in the dark days of winter.

Something about lost seasons, lost hopes, lost loves....

 I found some beautifully delicate line drawings by an artist in Japan who fishes in Hokkaido.

I greatly regret having no more information than that, but the drawing speaks for itself.

It's good to know exactly what it is we are trying not to squeeze too hard

as we extract the fly and release the trout.

What is it about mermaids? This one makes me happy.

This photo is for purely instructional purposes. I'm sure the first thing you noticed

 was that she isn't holding the rod correctly. For one thing, the reel is set up for a left-handed caster.
And as long as she's holding the rod in her right hand, why isn't she holding any line in her left hand?
Makes me think maybe she really doesn't know how to fly fish.

(Where is her left hand, anyway?)

Spring Settles In to Stay Awhile

"The Trout," by Amy Lowell

Naughty little speckled trout,
Can’t I coax you to come out?
Is it such great fun to play
In the water every day?
 
Do you pull the Naiads’ hair
Hiding in the lilies there?
Do you hunt for fishes’ eggs,
Or watch tadpoles grow their legs?
 
Do the little trouts have school
In some deep sun-glinted pool,
And in recess play at tag
Round that bed of purple flag?
 
I have tried so hard to catch you,
Hours and hours I’ve sat to watch you;
But you never will come out,
Naughty little speckled trout!

Shirtsleeve Day

Monday was the day we finally did it. We broke the 70 degree barrier, topping out at a balmy 75. It was so nice.

This is one of my favorite photos of the year. It marks the first day of the season that I can fish comfortably in shirtsleeves.

The fish were still up and hungry. I caught a few, but spent most of my time trying to get a good photo of a fish jumping.

It's quite a challenge, and I didn't accomplish my goal. But I'll keep trying. It adds an enjoyable extra dimension to the day's fishing, and produces some surprising results.

As usual, I took a shore break. The trees were full of noisy Flickers. I got the first mosquito bite of the year. The buds are swelling overhead, and very soon the new leaves will cast a green haze over the woods.

I fished, and juggled rod and camera, caught beautiful little trout, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

With the coming of dusk, it got a little chilly.

I actually had to roll my shirtsleeves down.