In the beginning...

It rained. The weather of 2006 has not been blessings of the skies that our chosen "fishing" people might hope (ice fishing was, for the most part, a bust) but we make due. After a key tip from my comrade and fellow team member, Asa, I headed for Crawley Falls in Brentwood. The rain was...wet. It was not driving nor drenching, it was not misting nor sleeting, it simply was. Armed with waders and a rain jacket I spent under two hours throwing a Colorado spinner trailed with a worm. I did take notice, and this has been confirmed by Asa, that removing the slip shot often placed 12" above the hook yielded better results. I turned the first small brook trout back with a prayer of thanksgiving and praise of our Lord's beauty and grace, and moved back upstream. This tradition of turning the first fish of the year back to the water was handed down to me from a favorite local New Englander, Joe Jr.. I added the prayer. This was slightly robbed by our original locals with a dash of Christianity added for personal relevance. As the year continues, 2006 will most likely not soak every trip with foul weather, but even if it does we will do as we do and keep doing.

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on the muddy banks of rivers doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home. ~Author Unknown