Dec 17

Here' the situation. I haven't caught a fish all afternoon. I have about two hours of daylight left. It's a beautiful, sunny, reasonably warm day. The kind I don't normally like to fish because pretty days on weekends draw crowds.
But it's late Sunday and everyone has gone back home to watch football or get ready for work tomorrow. So, I have the river to myself. I do not have to work tomorrow and I have a full camp set up in the park. So, regardless of whether or not i catch a fish, im going to enjoy a relaxing evening of poking a fire with a stick after a meal cooked over said fire and no stress of going to work in the morning. I feel like i have already won. But it is kinda of important to me that i catch at least one fish. Today is my birthday. I've aleady caught a bunch of fish on this trip but, so far, none today and you dont want to get skunked on your actual birthday right? I mean, in the big scheme of things it does'nt matter at all. No one else cares and I really don't care either. I have my freinds, my health, my beautiful wife and I have a great camp setup waiting for me and none of that hindges on whether I catch a fish or not. But still, I want to catch one, and, just one is all I would need to feel like it's been a successful birthday. I walk down to my favorite pool and a big feeling of dread creaps up on me until I turn the corner and see that nobody is there. Nobody is anywhere for that matter. I haven't seen another human in over a hour. I cut the size 16 olive hairs ear I've been drowning all day and tie on a size 12 Caddis pupa tied with shrimp pink ice dubbing. Not that i really think the fly makes a difference but I feel like I need a change of place, change of fly and a change in attitude to create some success. I wade into position at the bottom quarter of a riffle, square my shoulders and make a cast. There is a rock about halfway down the drift that you can't see but always bobbles the indicater as the fly bumps into it. I remind myself not to rip the fly out of the water because I know it's coming. You can tell it's not a fish if your paying attention but, when your really wanting to catch something bad, you can get real trigger happy. Sure enough, the strike indicator bobbles just were it should in the drift. I grit my teeth and assure myself it's not a fish. The indicator straightens up and continues on its drift. Nothing on the first cast, or second, or third, and so on. I'm starting to worry now that I will have to back go camp defeated. I'm the only one that knows but I imagine in my head that anyone I come across will look at me funny - as if they somehow know. They can just sense that this guy couldn't catch one on his birthday. What a loser. I might have to pack up camp under the cover of darkness and sneak home a day early. What will I tell my wife, my freinds. Will I be able to go back to my job... Funny how your mind wonders when you've been basically alone for four days.
The indicater dives under so quickly I almost choke the hookset. I'm a bit late and a little surprised that I hook the fish but he is on and jumping. I try to play him carefully but I also rush it a bit. I want to get my hand on him so I can count it as a legitimate landed fish before something goes wrong. He's a small fish, about nine inches or so and he wears himself out quickly by jumping a lot. Soon enough, I have him in my hand. He's a beautifully colored fish with so many spots that he looked gray when he was jumping. I take a quick photograph and release him.

Happy Birthday Capt! Great write-up. Congrats on a great camping trip. Can't beat that!

and a AWESOME post!

Thanks for the fish prose and hear, hear for the win. Happy belated birthday, Cap.

Late Happy Birthday. Always enjoy your posts.

Anytime you can catch a fish it is a Happy Birthday.

Thank for the birthday wishes guys!
This was supposed to be a photo essay of my camp trip but I got to writing and couldn't stop. I was going to post a lot more pics than just the one but, the pic of just the fish that saved the day seemed to be more fitting for the ending. Anyway, I still may post the photo essay version after the holidays settle down a bit.

Beautiful fish = a wonderful birthday! Excellent write-up. I’m suspecting Beavers Bend?

JR

Thank you, JR!
It's the Blue River.

Happy belated birthday! Good ending to a special day!