Long Leaders and tight Roll-Casts
Trout Season is upon us. The foliage along the banks and trail into the river resemble shades of cilantro and lime green.
Fiddlehead Fern fronds emerge from the soil and fill the air with a scent that can only be Northern Michigan on a favorite stretch of cedar toppled headwaters. Daytime temperatures dance near seventy degrees and intermittent hatches of our early season bugs have arrived.
Casting, Stealth and Luck.
Black caddis, small and mid sized mayflies, and millions of midges have taken to their adult stages while securing the next generation. Many of our smaller streams that have been forbidden now yield some spectacular fishing. We must be careful. This resource cannot be exploited or we shall push it near extinction. But, we must go out and relish this time of the year, some days can be stellar- 30 or 40 fish, although only a few will break the 8″ mark. You never know when a fish from a few prior generations and double that measurement may come to hand. Go forth, breath in the air, practice your tight roll cast, tie on a #16 rubber-legged stimulator, extend your leader a few feet and have a blast. The renewed vitality of spring and all of its promises remind me of an even more important message~
It’s the feeling of satisfaction that comes from limiting your kill instead of killing your limit.
It’s communing with nature where the chief reward is a refreshed body and a contented soul, where a license is a permit to use, not abuse, to enjoy- not destroy our trout waters. ~Art Neumann
Blue Haloes
I feel refreshed and rejuvenated, although the day was not a banner day by the books, I know the river is alive and she is ready to play.
