Funny how life keeps throwing curve balls. Not that I am complaining, but this year I've lost a number of friends and associates. Some close, some distant, some I haven't talked to in years. Those popped up and suddenly silently passed.
I've spent more time keeping doctor appointments than enjoying what I have. Don't read this the wrong way, I get up early to see the sunrise, watch the fish rise in the pond behind, my home (NO FISHING ALLOWED), seeing my pet gator cruise around or the heron slide a fish or snake down his long throat. My wife will keep me informed when she takes up our observation post of the number of turtles, and the black racer that lives in the bush by our lanai. On a good day I count Dragonflies, mourning doves, sandhill cranes and mocking birds.
Fishing has been off since he moved south; blame red tide, suntan lotion and crowded beaches. I will get back to that sooner or later. My longest fishing pause was ten years. I was working continually since college and went to an outdoor show in Chicago. There I saw a guy tie a hares ear nymph, I discovered trout streams within a two hour drive, and the bug hit me again. I paused again in the 80's, too much work and raising my family.
A summer trip to the Hungry Trout and I was back at it. That trip the hot fly was a spent wing black caddis. In the 90's I discovered the Carmens and spent the next 15 years or so visiting the river. As I lived on the north shore, spent a lot of my evenings fishing the salt. Heck it was a 5 minute drive. In the early 2000's I bought a kayak and then another. fishing for stripers and bluefish on the fly, in the back edges of stony brook and setauket.
One lesson learned, adapt.
