Got home from my trout season opener trip last night about 9:30. I still don't quite feel like I'm back yet. Daily reality hasn't quite set in yet, though it probably will when I start grading a bunch final papers late tonight.
As far as the fishing goes, this is probably the best opening weekend I've had. Got a slow start Friday when I hit some water that's open all year. Decent hatch of hendrickson mayflies, but few fish coming up to take them. Caught a few small trout. Saturday I hit the mainstream of the Au Sable at dawn, and had the water to myself. The thermometer in my car read 20˚ just before I stepped outside. Had a few trout chase my streamer ( a fly designed to imitate a minnow), but hooked none of them. Lots of ice built up on my rod, and I spent a fair amount of time cleaning it off. Things got much better in the afternoon, when I ventured to the North Branch of the Au Sable, which may be my favorite trout stream in the world. Got on the water in mid-river about 11 AM. Picked up two decent trout and a few dinks on streamers; by 2 PM I noticed a few hendricksons on the water, so I began blind-fishing a hendrickson imitation and picked up three or four more. Around 3:30 the hatch come on strong, and fish began feeding in the quieter stretches of water. Took another ten or so trout in the next hour before the flies petered out. None over twelve inches, but all beautiful and scrappy.
Sunday was good too, though I'll save that story for a bit.
Other things on this trip weren't so good, but they didn't detract from the overall experience. Halfway to Grayling on Thursday night, I realized I'd left my waders at home. It's a little too cool to wade barefoot at this time of year. Stopped at Meijer's in Saginaw and bought a cheap pair. I was thinking about getting a backup pair anyway. Also forgot my pillow, so I improvised one by wrapping some pants in a spare shirt. I'll just say that if you find yourself in a similar quandry, you might want to try a different arrangement. And I forgot to take my camera on the stream each day, so no pictures. I'm just not used to carrying one. Very cold weather each night. My sleeping bag is supposed to be suited to temperatures as low as ten above, but I think you would need to be wrapped in a bearskin to endure it that cold. I barely managed with neck to ankle longjohns, fleece pants, double sweaters, and a stocking cap.
On the up side, I did meet Lee Faber (star of the Freep article I linked on the 28th) for breakfast on Friday morning. He participates on a fishing bulletin board I've frequented for a few years, and it was neat to put a name to a face. Also learned about a few colorful bits in the conversation with the Freep reporter that got edited out of the story, or at least revised for a family newspaper.
Opening day carries great symbolic importance for trout fishermen. Lord knows most years, we don't look forward to it because of the wonderful weather and the nonstop fishing action. Instead of trying to sum it up, I'll just leave you with the scene that awaited me at the access point when I left the water on Saturday. There must have been at least twelve cars at that little road ending, with maybe thirty people milling about after their day of fishing. Groups of men mostly, but couples, and children too, all talking, laughing, kidding around. Lots of beers in hand, and one mini keg set up in a canoe for a particularly thirsty group. Dogs chasing each other; people wandering out from adjacent cabins to join in the festivities. Life going on, and everyone there fully aware of it.
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