100th Post

     I've won some, and lost some, in life and on the river.  Success is a relative term, due to the fact that each of us can define it differently.  An accomplishment to one fly fisher might seem trivial to another.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of snickering, and ego in this sport as anglers compare their fish tales. But, ultimately, we fish for ourselves.  We fish for personal satisfaction. I set a goal for myself this year, in part, to get a deeper knowledge of the Catskills; to dip in all of its major rivers and see new sights.  And so while the younger trout bums have outfished me this year in terms of numbers and size, it brings me great joy in this one hundredth post here on Beadhead Babble to report that after all of the rambling, I am happy.
 

     Breathing and walking are the only two activities in life that I have been doing longer than fishing.  But I have never been so proud of an accomplishment on the water as I am now.  With winds that howled over 20 mph turning the Main Stem into an ocean tide, I fumbled through the conditions with zero success.  However, one small trout nose in the vast expanse that is Junction Pool showed itself between the crests. I saw it only because I desperately wanted to see it.  So it came down to me throwing an isonychia emerger that I tied myself, to a wild, rising rainbow.  It hit on the first cast, put up a fight well beyond its juvenile size, and made personal history when it hit the net.




      It felt great.  I was all alone- no anglers in sight, and it was quiet.  It was my moment.  On one knee, I let the little guy back into the river, rinsed my hand, and then stood tall.  It was over, and it was over before Labor Day. A big sigh, a grip of the rim of my cap, and a big smile underneath it all.  

        They weren't all big, and I can't claim dominant numbers along the way.  I had wonderful water conditions to work with for most of the year and I had good experience with the local bugs over the last few years to guess from.  It took me about 13 attempts over the course of the seven rivers to make it happen; only the Main Stem took a third attempt.  I had no idea the Main is as difficult as it is.  I'll be back.  In fact, that's the part I am looking forward to; wondering of the new spots I discovered- where I'll return.  I enjoyed scouting out the spots and timing them with the season and managing the crowds when I had to turn to alternate plans.  Pouring rain on the Willowemoc.  Sunburn on the West Branch.  There were browns, 'bows, and even a brookie thrown in for good measure.  All on my own two feet. 

     The Catskill Slam.  

Beaverkill
East Branch, Delaware
Esopus
Main Stem, Delaware
Neversink
West Branch, Delaware
Willowemoc

   Oh yeah, that's right... I still owe you a little bigger fish from the East Branch.  Hey, I'll get to it!  Thanks for hanging with me.
 

                   CATSKILL SLAM 2014!