A Man And His River!

The Journey To Serenity

The alarm clock rings at five in the morning, the sweet sound of music tickles the ears and then you are up and at it. For a trout fisherman who is eager to make the river, five o’clock is no big deal. The knowledge of that first fish gets you motivated like no other type I know of. The river is like a good old friend who welcomes you inside every time you step on its doorstep. That warm feeling of being home overwhelms you. Being away from home too long leaves you unsettled, but once you come home to the river, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong here! The fish are but just a bonus, like having a grand desert after a good meal.

Your heart begins to beat quicker and your fingers tingle with anticipation. The river has a way of bringing you that particular feeling. After a few moments your heart settles and you begin to breathe deeper inhaling that sweet fragrance of pine and cotton wood which overhang the banks of the river. The water is glowing with the first light of the sun touching the dancing pyramids that flow along the far bank. As you glance to your right a deer spooks and bounces through the foliage away from you into the rising sun. Vapor rises from the river as you unzip your back pack and fetch your first lure. Before you tie up you recess and take in the scenery, the city sure does not look this beautiful! Then you recommence your knot, synching it up tight to the split ring making sure to wet it before it closes firm. You check it and make sure you are good to go.

Once the lure is hurled, you loosen up and hone in on the line. You watch that line like a hawk and feel the lure pulsating in your hands. The lure then hits the bottom and quickly grabs your full attention. Just the bottom you think but wait that might be a fish. You stop the lure a few seconds and resume your retrieve, hoping to unite with that first fish but nothing happens. A few more casts in that location and no action. A short walk up the river bank to another location where you view a seam that cannot be passed up. The lure runs down the river bouncing over the shallow shelf and then into the deep water beside it. Sha-bang that first fish can’t resist; a brown trout surfaces before diving back down to the river bed to shake the lure out from its toothy jaws. Not this time as the fish is scooped up in the soft rubber net and carefully admired.

You have now found that sweet spot in the river as another fish has taken that bait. One after another you find victory. Finally after six fish have been landed the fish discontinue their feeding frenzy. It is wise to move along to another piece of real estate and investigate again. The hunter is on the prowl to find his prey. Knowing how to dissect a river is an important piece of the puzzle and an art form in itself. Once you know how to read water you will be rewarded with some colossal fish and your journey will be productive.

It does not really matter if you catch one fish or one hundred, you are home and home is where the heart is. You never want to leave and make sure you are never away for long. The fish seem to call you back. In all seasons and in all temperatures, no one can keep you away. The journey for serenity at last ends when you come home!