TR: Owens (Long & rambling)

I meant to post this report the week after Thanksgiving, but I somehow
allowed "stuff" to get in the way. Sometimes that just happens before I
realize exactly what hit me. Anyhow, it was a great weekend and I felt the
urge to share...

After a wonderful belly-busting Thanksgiving day spent with friends, I
hopped in the car and headed up 395, my right foot getting heavier the
farther north I traveled. A few hours later and after a quick check-in at
my Bishop hotel, I was river bound. Approaching the Owens, I was horrified
to see cars, cars and more cars...I opted for the little-used west road that
runs along a bluff above the water. Good God! Half of Los Angeles seemed to
be on the river, and almost every stretch of water was alive with flailing
rods. But then, as the sun's rays grew longer, the crowd started to leave. I
didn't understand, but didn't complain either and quickly scrambled down the
brushy slope to the river. I hadn't fished here for a couple of months, and
it felt good to be standing in flowing water again. The next couple of
hours found me trying to match a maddeningly tiny midge that was hatching (I
think). A few taps here and there, a brief tussle and subsequent LDR, and
it was dark. No fish, but a fun evening all the same. Back in town I
placed a call to a gentleman and his wife with whom I'd been hoping to fish
for some time. With the next day's plans made, I ate dinner and called it a
night.

I spent the first hour or so of the next morning showing a nice collection
of midge imitations to a pod of skeptical trout. In the end they decided
that my wares didn't suit their needs, and we went our separate ways. About
this time a little RAV4 came rolling toward me across the field, and out
stepped Danl and Cindy. We live less than an hour from each other but had
to drive 350 miles to finally meet. Introductions were made, greetings
exchanged, and we stepped down to the river to look at some fish. Without
detailing every cast and mend, I'll simply say that it was a pleasure to
share the water with this easy-going and patient guy. I'm still fairly new
to this game, and throughout the day Danl graciously gave me much of the
prime water. He still caught 3 or 4 fish to each one of mine, but I learned
a great deal and had a fine time just talking and casting. It was a slow
day for most of the anglers along the river, and that eased the sting just
enough. I found Cindy to be a great person; funny, full of energy and
interested in just about any subject. These two are as fine a couple as one
could want to meet. But I digress...we were fishing.

Late afternoon found us casting to a few risers at a big bend in the river.
I had a few strikes and misses while Danl had strikes and catches. Ah well.
I was about to have my moment. Around the time that were ready to leave, I
cast a small parachute adams to a rising fish. It drifted slowly on the
sluggish current...slowly...WHOOSH! In what I honestly remember as a
graceful, arcing leap, the fish completely cleared the water and took the
fly. It was a scene from the cover of a 1932 Field & Stream. Perfect. A
fight ensued, and while I could tell that the fish had some size, it
struggled almost lazily. A few moments later when I had it to the edge of
the reeds, it rolled on its back to reveal the trumpet mouth of a sucker.
Doh! We reeled in and spent a few minutes chatting on the bank, then said
"adios" and headed down the road. Not a lot of fish (for me), but a truly
excellent weekend. Nice people, a few fish, beautiful scenery and a chance
to depressurize. Yep. An excellent weekend. A couple of pictures can be
seen at: http://users.adelphia.net/~wmason/owens.htm

Cheers,
Bill