Visiting my therapist and losing the last bit of composure

I went to see my therapist today. I’m always anxious to go and always arrive on time. My therapist doesn’t speak to me. But if I listen, I hear all about the subject matter. I just have to show up on time. I usually have trouble hearing for the first [...]

Read Full Post »

Elbow weather

Ok, we need the rain and the snow, and my elbow needs a break.  But now I’m certain that if I could just get back out on the river I could correct my cast with more bottom hand and my elbow problem would disappear.  The weather forecast suggests differently (from this evening’s forecast discussion):

A COLD [...]

Read Full Post »

What is it?

What is it about moving water that draws us from afar?  Makes us skip out of work?  Entrances and enthralls us?  Excites us and soothes us?  From the tiniest trickle to the worlds largest rivers, we, as a species, seem drawn to moving water.  Whether for its life-giving, thirst-quenching sustenance, spiritual renewal, adrenaline rushes or [...]

Read Full Post »

Finding the Soul of a Mid-winter river (or: caught naked in the sunshine)

At this flow, the tailout is infinitely large – and maybe a tad bit too deep to comfortably wade.  The water is running at six degrees this morning and a long pass through belly deep water would probably sap the life out of me – slowly and unknowingly.  So, I decide to drop the pram [...]

Read Full Post »

Basic Tying – Percy’s Blue Hope

Mid-winter, low water, cold mornings, WARM afternoons.  Let’s go!!! Added some blue schlappen into the mix of tinsel, llama, pheasant rump and mallard.

Read Full Post »

Preparing for the New Spey Rhythm on the Eel

Replacement camera arrived today.  Just in time for green water on the lower river.  I tied a few larger flies using pheasant rump and hackle-tip wings.  More to try out the camera than anything as the fly box is well stocked.  Hoping to do the early walk into Elinor bend where the river does a [...]

Read Full Post »

Searching for the Rhythm of the Eel

The river swings away from the highway for a few miles, winding through tall trees and underneath moss-covered everything.  Standing halfway through the run, bitter cold of morning stinging my fingers, I notice the water slows to a gentle sound – more like soft voice than the chatter up top in the riffle.  Here the [...]

Read Full Post »

Winter

Snow has been falling to near sea level for the last two days with record cold forecast for the next few days.  I dropped my camera while trying to take a picture of some pumpkin rolls I baked for a potluck.  The water temperatures in the river are hovering around five degrees C.  The rain [...]

Read Full Post »

Descent into winter

These days
Falling into hushed calm
Of mornings lingering
And afternoons brief.
I cannot say
Those fearful words
We’re done
And yet you persist
And I find you there.
Find me again
Along the river
Starved for rain
As I gather the last memories
As fast as I can.

Read Full Post »

Brief river note

Started out around 9:00am at the tee-pee burner – I decided to go with the lighter rod and sinking tip just for the ease of it and the fact that the water has been warming up so I was assuming feisty, grabby, upward-looking fish.  One half pounder to hand.  Fished tarpon bend as Dirk, Trevor [...]

Read Full Post »