I have not been a very good blogger as of late as I have been recreating in every sense of the word. I spent the weekend in a secret place, fortunately inaccessible to most people as they , the many would trash it. I visited a Friends cabin in Northern New Mexico which is located in a canyon on a pristine piece of trout water. Rarely does someone of my caliber get to fish in such wonderful place as they really do not exist anymore in public water. This is a damn shame as fishing what we call "Live Water" is a joy beyond a fisherman's capacity in today's world without throwing down the big bucks. The river which I will not disclose for privacy reason is teaming with life and the fishing was better than exceptional.
On Saturday morning, we shook off the fog of the reverly from the night before and headed two miles down stream to jump in the river. Despite warm air temperatures, the river was frosty cold as it poured down canyon on its long journey to the Rio Grande. In an attempt to increase the odds we fished a dry dropper set up which would run a large buoyant dry fly on the surface while trailing a small sub surface nymph off the back, a truly deadly set up if you are fishing "live water". As we worked up into the first riffle, I flipped short casts into the pockets surrounding the large granitic boulders which dotted the stream. On my third drift the fly swirled into a small eddy next to the rock and immediately disappeared, game on!. I set the fly and line began screaming off my spool as the fish charged upstream in a highly irritated fashion. A few minutes later she would come agreeably to the slow water to be released. A beautiful New Mexico Brown of 16".
After such an early success, I get a bit excited and worked up on the river losing my casting edge and the zen like relaxation it takes to cast and properly drift a fly. I usually at this point place the fly line and the fly deftly in a tree to create 10m or 15 minutes of untangling line, this usually relaxes me and slows me down to repeat the process again. As we moved up stream the Dry dropper rig continued to produce.
As I rounded a long meandering bend in the river I fished up on my buddy. As always we chatted about the mornings fishing and as to whether we are on target to meet our families for a shore lunch mid stream. The fishing had turned off, leaving the fisherman to work and cover water with a a new diligence and Patience. Often when I fish and the fishing is slow, I turn my eye to birding, this day would provide not only the finest fishing in the world but some very unique birding opportunities. As I waded to the final bend I was surprised by a gaggle of Western tanager's capped in there red hoods and canary yellow suits of vibrant color. Another first for me for the day, a true dandy for a nature lover.
We came around the bend slowly as the Rainbows were aggressively taking cadis in the final pool, despite and incredible hunger and the knowledge that a cold beer lay one bend away we fished until the show was over. Soon it would be lunch and another mile of tight lines and fast fish.
I love to be out doors in the woods as I feel that for the observer there is always something afoot. I like to play more than writing on the web so if I am away, I am collecting another short tale of the wonders of nature to share with you. Have a great day and get out and hit the trail, river, woods, slopes and we will see you there.