A Good Morning

[Old Goat]

Went to the river today. The trout park is a spring branch on the Meramec River. The spring is stocked with trout (not native to MO) and over the years some have escaped and colonized the cooler water downstream. Winter is catch-and-release in the park, and it's free. I generally make a few casts in the more likely places in the branch then head away from people down the river.

It was up this morning, too high to wade most places, and the breeze was a bit chilly. Iced up the guides on my flyrod. After a couple of attempts at getting in the water, I decided to hike to a spot I knew I could fish. After about a dozen casts I was losing hope. Then, as the streamer swung out from the log into the slower current, boom! A solid strike and I had a fish on. He showed himself briefly, about a 12" Rainbow. We fought and flirted in and out of the strong current and I got him up toward the gravel bar, but he was having none of that. Away he went again. One more run and he was landed and released.

Two casts later the rod was almost ripped from my hand. After a pretty long, spirited battle that actually entailed using the drag on my reel at one point, I landed and released a 14+ inch 'bow!

What a nice morning. And the two mile hike didn't hurt, either, especially on a sunny day.

[Glenn]

What a great way to pass the morning away OG!! 
 
I really enjoyed the read ... "Rainbow" are great when they strike like the way they do.. and it takes real 'finesse' to bring em in.   I could visualize it as I read along...  nice story of a great Morn'.
 
If it weren't for recent rainfall, our ponds and lakes would be frozen over, as they've already seen a good layer of ice last week.
Thanks for sharing. 
 
Glenn

[Joom]

That's the kind of morning I need, but won't see now for another 5-6 months now.

Thanks for the story, OG, almost as good as being there...

[Old Goat]

The winter season goes 'til February, and I'll go every chance I get.

I prefer fishing smallmouth, but trout make a good alternative in the cold, and I don't mind the weather much. Can't take it as cold as I used to, but I guess that's just age.