Now you went and did it!

Ken, I very seldom reply to the news group. I try to read the entries daily,
but seldom have anything to contribute. But this time you hit nerve too
close to home. Some of you may know ..... I live in central Illinois ......
just thirty minutes west of Kickapoo State Park.

From early childhood I've had the pleasure of enjoying the same adventures
as you have ..... waist deep on a ninety plus degree afternoon in the Middle
Fork or Salt fork of the Vermilion River. I must at this point mention that
a portion of the Middle Fork River from The Kickapoo State Park north, for
perhaps fifteen or twenty miles ....... accessible only by canoe has been
designated but the State of Illinois as a scenic natural wild life area. My
oldest son and I have spent many, many wonderful hours in those cool waters.
Yes, I've been over on the other side of the state line wading the Sugar
Creek ..... But there's yet another smaller creek over on this side that
flows into the Salt fork that should not be overlooked. It's called Stony
Creek ..... A fabulous crystal clear "smallie" body of water, with pools up
to eight or ten feet deep. Smiling, I must admit my son and I have also
"toted" fly rods more or less for appearances. Usually we'd fish for and
hour or so, then find a big rock where we could sit, dangle our feet in the
cool water, and solve the problems of the world.

My son now lives in central Tennessee ...... I haven't been out to the creek
in years, and I miss those pilgrimages. At my age, I don't think it's
really a good idea to wade alone with or without waders..

Memories, memories.

Thanks Ken.


"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
Damn but it's hot around here. It was 96F real temp
yesterday and according to the radio a Misery Index
(I don't know what that is and I ain't gonna look it
up) well over 100.

Sounds like a good time to go stand waist deep in a
cool stream and wave a stick around.

I like the way the memories of a stream come back a
footstep at a time. Wading up the stream I remember
how difficult it is to get around this tree and how
I have to cross to the other side now before I get
stuck and have to backtrack. I don't like it when my
memory fails me, as in "I know I fished that riffle
before, but how in the hell did I ever get over there ?"

I'm a cautious wader, many years of fishing alone in
remote spots has made me that way. But I'm willing to
break the cardinal rule of wading on this hot day and
wade in deep enough to soak the cojones. Ahhhhhhhh.

That was pretty much the point of the whole exercise, I
had the fly rod along for appearances sake and I enjoyed
the casting. I like my Sage LL 4wt. It's light enough
for a bluegill to be fun and heavy enough to put a little
muscle on a smallmouth. I caught a few of each on a white
popping bug, probably could have caught more smallmouth
if I'd drug a wooly bugger through some of the deeper
holes but I was more into fishing than catching.

Pics on abpf.

--
Ken Fortenberry