Cold Is The Water

12/2010:
I head down the trail looking at myself, thinking I look like I'm about to rob a bank.  Dressed in black: jacket, gloves, glasses and hat.  At least I remembered my jacket this time.  And gloves.


Trudging through snow, ice, mud.  When it's snow, it sticks to the boots and builds up.  When it's ice, I'm likely to fall on my ass with the lack of traction.  When it's mud, well, I'm even more likely to fall on my ass!  There's a strange wheel of thoughts turning in my head.  My eyes turn to the river.  This beautiful, big flow of water holding some amazing fish.  I'm on a mission to get to this one run, knowing that I won't be the first one to cast there.  But I am confident, and hopeful as I play my game of placing the vehicles in the parking lot with the fishermen I pass on my trek.


Among the spinning in my mind, first and foremost, is the anticipation of my future little fishing buddy on the way.  Already imagining the days when I can bring my son to these rivers and show him what I know in this sport.  He'll be a lucky boy to grow up fishing these waters that I have come to know and love.  Each river holds some very special memories for me.  And I can remember the friends that shared those particular days with me.  I can recall the events as if they just happened yesterday. 

That was a couple months ago.  Haven't been fishing since.  My little buddy is now with us, and he is the light of my life.  Now the visions of the future are stronger, and more real.  I hope he grows up with an appreciation for the beautiful natural world that surrounds him.


Now my hands aren't used so much for tying flies and knots, but more for holding bottles and changing poopy diapers.  I remember how proud I was, standing in the North Umpqua river alone, holding my first Steelhead.  That fish was big, about 12 pounds.  But not nearly as proud as I was when I held my greatest catch of all for the first time.  All 8 pounds 10 ounces of him.


My 70-day fishing years are now gone and that's quite okay.  Maybe I'll cherish each day I get to spend on the water even more.