Mason

May 13, 2010 12:00 am

by Richard Grover

Went fishing for the first time this year last Saturday afternoon in the rain. I had to check out a beaver dam I discovered on a local brook during deer hunting last fall — a mere 15-minute walk from where I parked my truck. This was my first time fishing a small beaver dam with a nine-foot fly rod. I learned right away that I need to get a shorter rod for these small ponds surrounded with bushes!

I carried the four pieces of rod in a fabric case, with the reel still attached, and when I slipped the base section of rod out, the hook caught about six inches down inside the sleeve of the fabric. As this was a narrow sleeve, I had a devil of a time turning the sleeve inside out so I could get to the hook. That was about a 10-minute project. Then, the fly and leader were so tiny I lost them in the ground clutter of leaves an sticks, and when I flipped the rod tip up to locate the fly, the rod tip got entangled in a tree branch, and the leader disappeared into the foliage! After getting that mess un-tangled, I kept the fly in my left hand while I climbed onto the beaver dam, slipped on the wet sticks and tangled the line among the sticks on the dam as I fell. The rain came down harder. When I fi-nally got atop the dam and at the edge of the water, I let go of the fly and flipped it a few feet out into the water in front of me as I stripped a few feet of fly line and let it coil about my feet. With exqui-site care, I finally figured out how to flip the fly a fair distance to first right and then left, avoiding tree stumps and alders and slowly retrieving it.

Suddenly, a bite! A too aggressive yank swung a three-inch minnow over my head and over a fine fir twig, the now invisible leader winding quickly around the twig. Damn! Teetering on the brink of the wet, slippery pile of dam sticks and mud, I was barely able to reach the minnow and break off the twig. After a few more successful casts I landed a couple small but legal size trout. By then, my pants legs were soaked, my poncho dripped, the cuffs of my sweatshirt stuck wetly to my wrists and time was getting short for getting home for supper. I decided I’d had enough fun for one day, threaded the nine-foot fly rod through a stand of fir trees (not easy) to a small opening, stopped to disassemble the fly rod and return it carefully to its fabric sheath. Snuffy led the way back to the truck.

One day while attending Census School again, I had about an hour to kill while other Census stu-dents were getting finger printed, so I decided to visit Phil and Juanita Korhonen, long-time friends. The conversation drifted to the warm weather and gardening. I explained that Mona and I hoped to have a good successful garden so we could replenish our supply of frozen and canned veg-gies. I am especially eager to have a good crop of sweet corn, but troubled by crows the past couple years. Crow repellent on the seed and scarecrows have proven disappointing, as the crows still pulled most of my corn seedlings. Juanita told me to try stringing string about two or three inches above the planted rows before the seeds emerge from the soil. She says this sometimes discourages crows, which seem to avoid putting their heads between the seedlings and the string in order to pull up the tiny corn sprouts. They like to snip off the seeds and drop the stalks on the ground. I wonder if the crows think the strings are snares or some other kind of trap! Anyway, I’m trying everything this year — string, crow repellent and scarecrows. I’ll even shoot if I get a chance, but crows rapidly become leery of guns!

Comments

Louis Vuitton Bags Online

The louis vuitton outlet sold on this site are top quality. Aside from our highly competitive pricing, we offer Free&Fast shipping worldwide incl. Are you looking for Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Canvas Bags . All these products in our store are 100% authentic,free shipping,100% safe,and no minimum order.We are official appointed e-tailers of Louis Vuitton Damier Ebene Canvas Bags. We have 100% secure online payment, so pls do not be afraid. All of Louis Vuitton Damier Geant Canvas Bags are made with high quality and low priceswe are able to ship our goods safely and reliably to almost anywhere in the world. If you are interested in louis vuitton bags ,please enter into our website,there are other styles for your choice.Hope to your inquiry. The Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite Canvas Bags must be your favorite items, because they are top quality and low price. We promise all of Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Bags are authentic and package. Welcome to buy our excellent products as you like.Choose our Louis Vuitton Monogram Denim Bags will make you have an amazing discovery. Here have the most complete kinds of Louis Vuitton Monogram Empreinte Handbags. In our online store, you can get the best Louis Vuitton Monogram Idylle Bags. These louis vuitton bags outlet are brand-new,reasonable price and fashion design. The Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore Bags Please do not hesitate,order Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Bags on our online store,and you will get a big discount! Our Louis Vuitton Ailleurs are a perfect combination of classics and fashion. These Louis Vuitton Antheia on our online store have high quality and cheap price,you can get a big surprise form our website. Our online shop provied louis vuitton handbags outlet with the wholesale price. The fashional Louis Vuitton Collection on hot sale,they are very comfortable to wear. The Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Bags are very popular,they are good in the quality,fashionable in design,comfortable in wearing ,and the most impfortant is low in price. The Louis Vuitton Mahina Leather Handbags. Sell 2010 new arrival Louis Vuitton Taiga Leather Handbags! Big discount and Free shipping! All these shoes are best quality and inexpensive price! Welcome for your coming ,high quality Louis Vuitton Wallets Sale are the best-seller in our online shop. Buy Louis Vuitton Shoulder Bags from our website now, you will enjoy real quality and big discount. Free shipping to your door!