I took advantage of an afternoon away from work Tuesday and snuck out to one of my favorite little high tide spots to look for some hungry jug bellies. The reds were plentiful and willing to cooperate. The first fish I threw the fly to didn’t want it as he kept lazily swimming in my direction. I thought for sure I’d spook him once he realized I was only ten feet in front of him, but he never saw me. He did see my fly as I dropped it almost straight down from my extended rod tip on his nose. He inhaled it and a few minutes later I released a healthy overslot fish. I went on to see another 25 fish or so, only chasing these with the long lens. Seems like I’d rather shoot them with the camera and appreciate them for a long time than to actually catch them with hook and line these days. Maybe that’s one of those things my dad said when I was a kid but never really paid attention to until now, after he’s gone. I always thought I’d start to appreciate the smaller things once I got older, I just never thought I’d ever actually get there.
The following day I had thoguhts of returning to the flats for more wading fun, but figured that I hadn’t missed an opening day in a while, so I took the hour long track out to the country and climbed up in the old beat up deer stand just hoping to see something moving around the woods. I wasn’t terribly optismistic due to the heat and me constanting swatting the bugs away from my forgotten about for four months stand. Thirty minutes before sundown, this fella walked out and stayed long enough for me to put the crosshairs on. Better judgement took over and although it would have been fun to get a buck on opening day, I let him mosey on down the trail and eventually disappear into the woodline. Hopefully he’ll return next year and I’ll get my chance at him again. I’m certainly not a d
Great shots…I miss all the green. Where I’m sitting right now…everything is brown/sand colored. Congarts on letting that buck go…You will remember him for a long time…
