Ducks or Bats

I was originally going to write about ducks or bats and past experiences, however i read this week that about 90% of the upstate bats are dying off this winter. They do not seem to know why, its between a fungus and a virus (West Nile?) either way this means bad news for those us who spend time outdoors as the bug populations should see an up tic.

Frankly bats scare me (a lot)! Although I have never really been hurt by one (or any other animal). I still do not want to be in a world with out them. It is not b/c of the bugs but rather i like how scary they are. When the last light is fading in the west (as opposed to???), they come up first one and them several and finally many, they swoop & swarm over under and around. They may have been here first.

I have now caught 2 of them the first i was unable to properly release (now with a cigar i just burn the tippet and know they hook will dislodge in a few days at the most). My wife's dad built and place many boxes around rivers and G/Cs and I think that is a good thing.

I guess it comes down to this they are smaller than us, and we should defend their space.

Cold

The worst cold hits the Middle Atlantic by February, but it is mid March with its wind and sleet which hurts my bones.

We do have enough nice days to lure you off guard for an afternoon when the temperature hits 55 or more and then drops 30 or more degrees in a few hours.

A pleasant preamble precedes a prodigious precision of priests podding to avoid the pilgrims plunging purposefully prone to the present position along the pocked and pebbled pathway.

For some reason these days seem harsh but when comparing 5 degrees and the = wind chill factor. I will take the still night every time (well... it is always good to have a few windy stories to pull from.

I hit the trail at about 2:30 and made my way to first pool which was glass and below the freshet one would expect to find this early in the year. The only occupants of this open space (relatively) were deep in their darken caverns either to cold or shy to appear for the afternoon tasting.

I worked my way up stream with a determined and purposeful gate. Trying hard to work off the yoke of the past year. I moved well and made the usual casts in the usual spots, without a glimmer of attention.

As i moved upstream I found several new posted signs (life in the 00's). I lit a C and continued my spawn upstream depositing my hair's ear into to each pool and spill way. I approached on of the 3 larger boulders (to small to consider erratics). I came in from the tail and over the top and somehow fooled one of the larger hold overs into his first spring hit. I played him for a while but was not able to land or even get him up to a level where i could view my first jewel of the season.

Winter rocks, but spring holds the promise of....

March

The last day of the pre-season is generally mid March in NJ. The day felt like leftover fall apples which had been crushed into the fields by the horses of winter.

The rain fell with a steady pelting all morning until 2pm when i reached the river. I was sure i would turn around, but the wind had relented for this one day after what seemed like weeks of unending venting of the past winter.

I thought what the hell, I'll "just take a look", stretch my legs, or....

Boots to the door & out to the stream.

The water level looked right and was reasonably in the very upper 30's low 40's. I wore my boot-foots and was happy to have slipped in & out so quickly. The rain was letting up and there seemed to be the old magic in the air. Cross the road, over the bridge, over the next bridge and down the trail to the stream. A quick line up, straighten a bit and add a small nymph (to small for March).

The first pool was freshly clean glass & even on this improving but still gray day it was transparent to the bottom. It is both a joy and unfortunate to see the best fish still tucked into the winter crouch of overhanging rock cavities. I could have walked up & high sticked them but choose to find a bolder somewhere and test out the behind the rock trick.

The cascades were as pretty as they ever are. The rock was pre season free of moss & the flow level about right for this sort of thing.

Upon the 1 st of the 3 likely spot i reached over and got hung up but then as they do the snag had life and pulled away. It was a good fish which i did not fully hook and knew it likely to get a away so i angled my rod toward the open water away from the subterranean scour. But he was gone. No matter i was fishing well and even more important outside and moving well!

2 week until opening day & HoHW i will be out there........