Skunk in the Snow

This past Sunday, I had decided to try my hand at catching some of the steelhead that are planted annually in the Boise River. What I woke up to was anything but ideal weather, and it snowed on me all day! As a result of the weather (and of course a serious preparation blunder on my part), no fish were hooked.

Nevertheless I went and stood in the water for a few hours - I was even able to capture a few fleeting moments of solitude on an otherwise very crowded stretch of river, and it was quite pretty amid an early winter snowfall!

Since there are no fish to discuss, I thought I'd take this opportunity to discuss a few things that are on my mind about fishing in general.

First, there is no substitute for good equipment, and for dressing in layers for the conditions

Secondly, and I really don't want to harp on this, but it's time to discuss etiquette. There is a code amongst most fly-fisherman I know about etiquette on the river. This is centered typically around the goal of silence and solitude. I can suppose that this is, at least in part, due to a heightened sense of patience a fly angler has simply by the nature of the activity; watching, waiting, and observing for feeding behavior and insect activity. Unfortunately, this is not a value that is shared by bait fisherman, and if you are a member of the latter group, please read this with an open mind.

Naturally, the Boise river gets pretty crowded when steelhead are present, and everyone is entitled to engage it whatever type of fishing they would like. What happened to me on Sunday was, however, regrettable. I was standing in the middle of the river working a small, slow moving pocket of when I heard commotion in the brush behind me that would usually indicate a bear rummaging through a campsite garbage container. Unfortunately however it was three gentlemen looking for a place to fish from the bank. They settled on a location within casting range of me (had I turned around), and proceeded to discuss where they would all cast their bobber-laden rigs surely tipped with earthworms and power bait (all of which were locations that would have snagged my drift if I continued to fish in my spot). So, I slowly and quietly began moving upriver to get away from a potential snag but unfortunately could not have moved far enough to avoid the next punishing hour of very loud, obnoxious cursing and bar speak generally reserved for a low-rent tavern in a red light district. To get out of earshot of their incredibly underwhelming conversation would have put me somewhere in New Mexico.

The point is this: There is plenty of river in this world, and particularly in the great state of Idaho. There is simply no point in getting so close to someone else on the River, especially when it is evident that this person is trying to be alone. And if you simply “must” get so close to someone, please do your best do so in a manner that is not so entirely off-putting. If you would like to discuss the finer points of life like how hot Jenny McCarthy is – please do so at your local tavern. In other words, BE QUIET!! (And for God’s sakes pick up your friggin’ garbage!!!).

Have a nice day…………