Skunked

I fished the Beaverkill yesterday morning and got skunked. But the thing is - I never once entered that "predatory I'm gonna catch a fish or die trying" mindset. I was too lazy to change leaders. Too lazy to change flies. Too lazy to change spots. Just plain lazy.

The real reason for going yesterday was to meet up with some friends I have not seen is some time. Being close by, so we can talk easily back and forth was more important than strking off on my own to find some fish.

We found a couple working fish close by. Small ones. Near the shore. Young, but well educated in arguably the river's most fished pool. One would sit on shore and judge, while the others would try to fool the fish. I think the only participants who took the whole thing seriously were the fish. After awhile, they had enough and disappeared. We didn't care.

We drove to another spot to start "real" fishing, but I didn't have long to fish so I just sort of went through the motions through the fine (fine!!) looking pool we had to ourselves. I nymphed. I drifted a streamer. Too lazy to change leaders, I tried to put leader sink on a furled leader. I even went so far as to crimp a shot to get the streamer to sink. What a bum.

Ever have a day like that?

I didn't fall in. I didn't hurt anything. I didn't lose anything. I get to meet a new friend, and I got to see an old one. The weather was great. The water was clear. The scenery was lovely, as usual.

If the purpose was to get my waders wet (and I found a leak - grrr), to see if I still know how to cast, to make sure all the gear is where it is supposed to be, then I guess mission accomplished. I'll chalk it up to an advanced scouting mission in preparation for some hard core Fall trouting.

Yeah - that's it.