A Day on the River

Why did I choose this topic as the foundation for this blog?

I figured since this is my first post I’d like to give a little insight into the life on the river. A day on the river involves much more than a day waiting for fish to bite. Many times, the day starts well before sun rise.

The Hardest Part of the Day

                At 5:00 am the horrid sound of an alarm set to high volume chimes. This is the hardest part of the day. Every time, I drag myself out of bed and contemplate sleeping in for just a few more minutes. After a battle with myself to wake up, I always start the morning by cooking my Lawn Boy signature 5-star meal: unseasoned chicken with boiled noodles, covered in the cheapest tomato sauce you can find. Believe me, it tastes great… but apparently my buddies say it doesn’t have the most beautiful aroma. My meals are made, my gear is loaded, and I head out the door. A typical morning commute to the river is between one hour and two and a half depending on where I choose to fish. The morning drives involve a lot of “The Olllam” music, windows rolled down, slapping my leg, a few rumble strips, and a snack to get some sort of food into my morning sickened stomach.

The Arrival

                It’s something about putting the car in park and turning It off that signifies that it’s time to get serious. The “hurry and get your crap on” stage is made up of getting our waders on, rods put together, having a quick snack and trying to remember to grab the net. From there, the walk begins. Many people stay close to the beaten path, but a normal morning for me starts by climbing steep hills, stomping through deep snow, sneaking on private property, crossing deep water and praying you don’t get wet within the first hour.

The First Spot and the First Fish

                The first spot seems to build the highest-level of anticipation. You get in the water, finally peel your fly line off your reel and begin to cast into the dark into the dark abyss. Mend, stack, roll, and execute is the name of the game in fly fishing to get the perfect drift. Many drifts go through the “sweet spot” and finally the thing you have been waiting for “a bobber down”. You set the hook and either it’s a log or a set of head shakes that you will never forget. You go tight and feel the liveliness on the other end of your line. The fight has just begun. A steelhead behaves like a steelhead for lack of better words. The fish jumps, tears a hundred feet of line off your reel, and freaks the freak out! Nothing fights like a steelhead. After a little dance up and down the river, keeping the fish out of log jams, away from rocks, and holding on with all your might, the fish begins to “dog,” or in other words get tired. This is when you can max out the break strength of your tippet (line) and start to feel like you have control of the fish. Your buddy lines up perfectly to get a clean scoop with the net. You get that familiar smile and that feeling of success. Walking up to your buddy, a high five is always welcomed and you look down to see one of the most beautiful fish on this earth.

                I chose to write about this topic because fishing is my life. I live, breathe and sleep fishing. Fishing is more than just catching fish. It’s a journey all in its own. It teaches me to think differently, take chances and feel the reward after a lifetime of work. Fishing is what makes me happy, and at this rate I will be happy the rest of my life.