How Long Does It Take For New Friends To Become Old Friends?

It was the day of the Associate Editors annual meeting, (the fourth, I think), which was scheduled for 1:00pm at the Troutfitter. I spent the morning planting grass on some of the remaining bald spots from last year's grub invasion, gave a thought to cleaning out the bluebird houses, but that's on the shut down list and I didn't want to start on that quite yet. Drove up to Deposit, picked up the meatball subs that everyone ordered and delivered them to the pavilion at the Troutfitter where the meeting took place. Once again there was perfect attendance. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously passed exempting all of us from sitting on the bench of redemption until it has been refinished as it presents a clear and present danger to keisters in its present condition. There being a reluctance to talk about religion and politics, a motion to adjourn was unanimously by voice vote.

Knew in my heart that if I went back to the places where I fished yesterday I'd face the real possibility of a skunking. There just weren't many fish there and fooling a fish two days in a row is way above my pay grade. Tried Jaws, where another angler was trying for a couple big rainbows that were sipping something tiny off the surface, (possibly ants). Went down below him and found several yearlings rising in a side channel. Couldn't see any bugs on the water and my olive suffered several refusals. Drove up route 30 to a place I have fished once a week for the last month. There are reliable olives, rising fish, (some of them good ones), but I have watched my number of refusal rise and number of hookups decline every time I fish there. Today was no exception, hooked four little guys, two twelve inchers and was refused by three good fish. There is a lesson to be learned in this paragraph, but no one wants to hear that trout can learn from their mistakes.

Stopped on the way back to the fishing camp at a place on the lower EB where I hadn't fished since June. Saw no bugs in the air but the water was covered with ants. Not a rise did I see. Reeled it in and made my last stop at Junction Pool where I've taken off my waders several nights in the past few weeks. Saw two fish rising in the EB side well down from the parking lot, and a drift boat and a pontoon boat throwing at fish in the WB water. The mosquitoes made it a short stop.

Fish are definitely moving back to their home pools or to their spawning grounds, but the fishing is still really difficult, my yesterday, being a one off. Most of the guides are on the water between Balls Eddy and Buckingham, but they aren't setting the world on fire. Day trippers, look for a rainy, cold, overcast day. If you book a room bring your clubs in case the sun comes out.