Currents
Release 027: Winter Lessons, Creek Angler's Device, and 20 Orvis Pieces
Late winter fishing can be interesting and, if you are a bonehead like me, a little dangerous too.
With this recent warm-up and all the snow still on the ground, I noticed some dense fog this morning. It immediately brought me back to a day trip with my buddy Craig.
It was about this time of year. We were heading three hours south to fish a tailwater. It had rained all night, and when I picked Craig up I remember asking, “Are we sure this is a good idea?”
Craig, without hesitation: “Yeah, we’ll be ok.”
Looking back, that might have been the kiss of death.
About an hour from the river, still pitch dark and with fog thick enough to hide everything, I blew through a stop sign I never saw. We slid sideways, somehow missing two cars and nearly ending the trip right there. The car finally stopped and Craig calmly goes, “Hey, there was a stop sign back there.”
We kept going.
When we reached the river, it was still raining, but the tailwater looked perfect. Within 30 minutes we had each picked off a few brown trout and figured we were in for a great day. Then I noticed the water rising. Fast.
Stupidly, we kept fishing another few minutes until it finally clicked. They had opened the dam. Now we had a problem. We were on the far side of the river from the car. Our options were simple and not great.
Cross the river in rapidly rising water
Or hike two miles upstream to the nearest bridge
We rolled the dice. Craig, who is taller and far more coordinated than I am, made it across without much drama. I, on the other hand, hit the halfway point and completely panicked.
I looked at him and yelled, “Hey man, what should I do if I fall in?”
His response, in classic Craig deadpan, “Don’t.”
We still laugh about that day.
Six hours of driving.
Two near death experiences.
And about 30 minutes of fishing.
new and old: creek angler’s device edition
20 Orvis Pieces
I genuinely enjoy putting these lists together. Not because anyone needs to buy all this stuff, but because good gear and good design are always worth appreciating.
20 | Vintage Orvis Bonefish Hat
19 | Vintage Orvis Pouch
18 | Orvis "Limestone Special" Bamboo Fly Rod
16 | Orvis Jacket Safari Jacket
15 | Vintage Orvis Tortoise Shell Bifocal (for those size 20 midges)
