When Granny and I made our move to Wisconsin official, it was amazing how many local fly fishers reached out and welcomed us. We got advice on places to fish, some folks offered to take us fishing, and Stu Neville, owner of the Hayward Fly Fishing Company, Stu offered to promote my art, sell my books in his shop and he even put on a “Currier Christmas” event at his store last December just like WorldCast Anglers did back in my Victor, Idaho days.
Though Stu and I have hit the Anglers for dinner and tipped a few brews together during my first year, until today we hadn’t fished together. But I got a text around 4 PM this afternoon with an invite to join him and his store employee, Levi, for a short float to test out his new boat. I was in!
I won’t mention where we floated but it’s a place I’ve hit before. The difference this time was that we didn’t push off until 8 PM and I’ve yet to fish this river in the evening. Also, I had Stu behind the oars. He knows every nook and cranny and it took about five minutes to christen the boat with its first fish – a nice little river smallie.
It got dark on us fast despite being the “second longest day of the year”. This particular river bottom is thick with trees and by 9:30 I was having trouble gaging my casting distance and in general, seeing where the heck I was casting.
It was a great evening over all. We landed about six fish between us before it got too dark. Surprisingly, a largemouth bass was the largest catch of the night and there were no pike. That’s fishing. We pulled off the river about 10 PM.
Its almost midnight now and I have an early one tomorrow. Granny and I will be giving Nelson Lake our first crack. We aim to be there at sunrise in the Blue Bathtub. The shoulder is feeling better and I’m fishing harder than ever lately. Life is great!
Glad the skeeters did not carry you off!
Oh they tried!