Friday, October 19, 2012

Rain

As a carp fly fisherman, I am usually violently opposed to rain and cloud cover, but man did it feel good tonight. No fish to hand tonight, but it didn't matter. There I was, standing in a river...cocooned in Simms and Patagonia, my feet freezing, my hands and face cold and feeling warm inside where it counts. We all need to feel the water push against our legs and the rain fall on our face.

I often say that swinging flies bores me, and it can, but there is a beauty in the method too. The line rolls out, the river sweeps the fly down and across and sometimes a fish follows. I got one good tug tonight on a hange down while I had my face upturned and eyes full of rain. I didn't even mind missing the fish.

One gentleman shared the water with me, and he is clearly a better steelhead fisherman than I am. He brought this brightly colored fish to hand as I watched. I appreciate him letting me take a look and a picture...it went nicely with the rain.

 

9 comments:

Ty said...

"We all need to feel the water push against our legs and the rain fall on our face."

Damn, you're practically a poet. Great read!

Mark VanDehey said...

Glad to see you branching out again John.

It is good for the soul to catch beautiful fish from time to time.

Mark VanDehey said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gregg said...

Nice steelhead of the mans'. Looked like it had been caught before. I once dreamed of the classic swing for steelhead once, maybe someday all the flies I tied during that time I'll use. Carp are beautiful to me may I say.

Gregg

John Montana said...

I intend to fish more this off season than I have in past years. I will miss the carp, but the real beauty is in the river and water. I won't get to "hunt" for fish, but I will likely find the peace we all look for on the water.

Hah...steelhead as a consolation prize. That makes me laugh.

Feather Chucker said...

Great pics, that's a beastly looking trout.

Unknown said...

It's hilarious that you call fall/winter in OR the "off season!"

Brian J. said...

Love it. I need to get out and enjoy some rain soon.

Randall said...

Nice read, John.

I'm looking forward to a good "off-season" as well...actually these days, I'm the opposite, the summer is off-season...