First Time Out...

This week I got the green light to get back to my life. After three weeks recovering from a light stroke, I'm back. Well, sorta. I loss a good bit of my stamina and will need to take it slow while getting back into shape. This summer I will be mostly doing what I call gentleman-like fishing. No long hikes or bushwhacking, and I'll be mostly fishing along an open stream bank due to some medications I'm now taking. That's okay. I would be happy to sit in a camp chair by the stream, and just listen to the rushing water if that's all I could do. However, I am good to go fishing as before, once I get back into shape.

Yesterday, I went up the mountain for my first time out to float a dry fly. When I was on the highway I noticed a plume of smoke in the area, but wasn't sure exactly the location within the mountain range...until I got part way up the mountainside. Yup, it was right next to my home waters. And then, four state troopers whizzed by me with lights and sirens blaring. I knew what that meant. The park and roads would be closed at some point. Confident the park's day areas wouldn't be open, I pulled into a private property with a trout stream flowing through it. I've done it before in these situations, and knew I could get an hour or two of fishing before officials start closing down the roads.

I chose an old Scott F 7' 3wt fly rod (black blank) for this second-chance return to fishing. I don't know why I chose this glass rod for today's adventure? Maybe because it has a lively action and is fun to flick a dry fly among the pockets of water. It makes you feel alive. Dang, it was sure nice to cast and float a fly on a trout stream again!

When the sky began filling with tanker jets, planes and helicopters fighting the fire, I knew it was time to depart. Nope, I didn't want to get stuck up there when the roads closed. And it's a good thing I left when I did, because the signs were going up along the road for closure as I was rolling down the mountain. Yup, perfect timing.

Streaming in the truck on the way down the mountain: Ain't No Woman by the Four Tops.