I was heading to the river today and my heart
was nearly jumping out of my chest from excitement looking at the swallows and
the snow. Winston was in his seat in the back and had his usual blissful grin
plastered across his face. My hands were a little sweaty and I was having a very
difficult time sitting still, this just might be that epic BWO day I had been
waiting for all spring. As I was pulling into the State Park an old Pat Benatar
song (Hell Is for Children) came on the radio and I was magically whisked into
a flashback of the Omaha blizzard of 1975.
The school day started like any other and
then the snow began to fall outside. The snow and wind quickly started to pile
up and after about an hour the intercom beeped and was followed by a list of
kids that their parents were there to pick them up and they were excused for
the day. Every fifteen minutes the intercom would beep and another list of “not
me” would roll by. Two hours went by and more than half of my class was gone. I
knew I was most likely stuck at school for the entire day because our family
only had one car and I knew my dad was not going to be able to get us. Even
still, every time the intercom made the beep to add to the list I would say a
quick prayer, hands clasped together begging God to make sure my name was
called, followed by an eleven year old pity party when my name wasn’t. Thinking back to what a wonderful student I
was, I am sure the teacher was praying for my parents to show up as well. Our
class was down to about 3 or 4 kids with myself and my neighbor Kim Crossman
when the intercom made its beep and listed Kim and then Grady O’Connell. WooHoo!!!I
didn’t know this Grady dude but it was close enough to my name that I jumped up
and ran to the office. Kim’s dad was there to pick us both up, I really didn’t
care who was picking us up but was just elated that now I was FREE!!!!
I got to the water today about noon and was
psyched to see the swallows swarming the entire river. I headed straight for
Peek-a-Boo and started casting; third cast and I landed a beautiful 16 inch
rainbow. Fishing was strange today; I would catch 5 fish and then go half an hour
without a bump. I kept surveying the water and even though the swallows were
swarming, I didn’t see any bugs. I ran
into Scooter and we spent the afternoon fishing together. The pattern never
really changed with fish being a little spotty. With the water being raised
earlier in the week and the low light conditions of today, we had to rely on
memory of these flows rather than sighting and then casting. Our best action
came between 2:30 and 3:30 when we were stalking rock clusters that we have
mostly ignored the last several months with the lower flows. Flies of the day
were the True Blood, FOD and Ninja midge.
I have been in the Subway business for twenty
two years and have known for quite some time that our business is hugely
weather related (rain and snow = slow sales). One of the great things about
flyfishing is that the snow and rain can bring about some of the best hatches
and keep some of the crowds away, so it is kind of a win win or lose lose
situation however you look at it. With my tendonitis acting up in my wrist I
have been trying to be real picky about the days I fish. I saw last night that
a storm was supposed to move in today but was also supposed to be accompanied by
high winds. I wasn’t planning on fishing today but after a few hours of work I
saw that it was starting to rain but no wind. The gears in my mind began to
turn and I decide the fish needed me more than my employees.
It’s crazy how 37 years later snow and a song
(Kim had the Pat Benatar album and played it all the time) can trigger the
exact same childish emotions that controlled me as a child. The second I
decided I was heading to the river it was like I was that eleven year old once
again skipping all the way to the office…I was FREE!!!!! So when people tell me
I should grow up, I decline because I don’t ever want to lose that joy in my
life. As always, thanks for reading Connell, Cat, Winston and the Drift Fly
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