Snapshots of 2013 - Part 1

It's hard to look back at this the past year and remember all the things that I want to write about.  All the singular moments that made my 2013 have already started to blend together.  This is my feeble attempt to piece apart a few days on the water that seemed to stand out above the others, the ones that meant something different than the norm, and that I'll keep with me for a long time.

March 22nd

The Chagrin River - Willoughby, Ohio.

Made the last minute call to drop the drift boat in on the first day of spring.  It wasn't the most productive day I've ever had - but rowing the boat down my home water on a beat rarely fished was a special experience that I won't forget for a while. At least the old man got a big one.

May 22nd

A seldom fished flat off the northern coast of the Yucatan.  

Despite a diagnosis of a broken foot the day before I was supposed to leave, and the humiliating experience of being driven around the airport on a handicapped cart next to geriatrics, I made my flight.  The next day, I'm racing through the shallow lagoon created by an archipelago that shoots out into the Gulf of Mexico. After an hour long rough ride into the wind, Sandflea found 'em, and they cooperated. My first grand slam.

August 30th

West Brand of the Delaware, Hancock NY

Thunderstorms and some of the heaviest rain I've ever seen or fished in - river blew out. Buddy's girlfriend's pitbull in the boat? Fail. Match the hatch? Fail. Eat every meal from a gas station? Success.

Tied some flies, drank all night, caught a few dinks, and lost a two-footer. Drank more in the boat after that. An awesome trip.

September 7th

"Lost Creek," - somewhere in the southern Absarokas, Wyoming.

Snow, rain, wind - that's mountain weather. After a night of sixty mile an hour winds, and freezing temperatures, day broke and we headed up the canyon scarred by a fire only a few years ago.  The creek was off-color, but that didn't bother the Yellowstone Cutthroats.  It was a beautiful day, and as the best BWO hatch I've ever seen peaked, we backtracked to fish a pretty good hole full of rising cutties.  Turns out we'd been followed.