The Beauty of a Three Day Weekend

Yesterday was too nice a day to go to work.  Or at least that's what I told myself as I slept in well past my alarm clock's wishes.  It was a premeditated act of hooky, as I recently reviewed how many vacation days I had still not taken this year.  In a "use them or lose them" scenario, a crisp Fall afternoon of fishing seemed to be more than deserved.

With no grand plans other than leaving the work-provided iPhone in the car, I headed back to the "not so secret" stream that I wrote about fishing for the first time a few weeks ago.  Small water and small fish, but very, very eager (and wild) small fish.  Seemed like the perfect refuge from the stresses of the office and an alternative to the more popular local creeks that got their seasonal stockings of pellet-fed transplants about a week ago.

I'm finding this creek to be great dry fly water, and as such was the primary item on the menu.  While the trout were not quite as cooperative as they were on that first trip, it really didn't matter, I had an absolute blast watching these little guys come up with minimal coaxing to take a properly presented meal.  I can see why people become dry fly snobs.  

Most of the trout caught were pint sized, much like the brown above.  I did catch one a bit larger - in the seven inch range - but being camera shy by nature, it wriggled out of my hand as I reached for the point and shoot.  No worries, at least I know they're in there...for the next time I decide to sleep in.