It's nice to be closer to the start of the new season than the end of
the old one. Early April the Battenkill season opens and this is usually
my first trip, though a couple or three years ago, I think around
mid-March, we met up with Riverman on the Housatonic in W. CT. That was
a good way to start the year. On the Battenkill, it takes about 3 weeks
to get some good hatches going. Still, I always try to get up to see the
Quill Gordons, though, even though it's not a great hatch on that river
-- it is the first hatch though. And it's nice to look into the tea
colored water, high and cold, maybe hear the first Chick-a-dee and try
to picture it 2 months from now, lower, warmer with maybe a half dozen
bugs coming off and a pod of brookies sipping casually.

Yes, I can definitely look forward now even with a foot of fresh snow on
the ground.