Last Weekend

Winter weather advisories, storm warnings, and prayers for snows seem to be all the rage on my phone the last two days! As with most things in life though, I typically don’t pay too much attention to warnings or cautionary encouragements from weather predictors. When are the ever right anyway? So, I headed out for a few hours of fishing yesterday, between tasks and family commitments.

It has been a few weeks since I wet a line in Montana and the call of winter water had been gnawing at my all week. I love hitting the lower Madison for a few hours time of year on cloudy days. You know that there is always a chance for some rising fish and the nymphing will be solid if the bugs never show themselves. The water, the runs, the buckets, and the weed-bed edges are as familiar to me as anything else on this great green world of ours. I could stand in that water everyday, looking for more fish and enjoying the ones I find.

Yesterday, however, was more of a drive or a “Bee-Bop” around than a fishing adventure. I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the car and “wader-up” as the truck rattled in the wind and the river was covered in slush. I gave it some thought and decided that although fishing can be a wonderful way to waste the day away, yesterday was not one of those days. I tried to salvage the day with a run to Ennis, but the wind was the same and the slush was even heavier.

In the end, I snapped a few shots of winter misery and listened to OU beat OSU while heading home.  I wonder if I should count that as a day of fishing on my yearly tally?