Nunya

Tom called me about 10:30 pm Friday night and asked what I was doing the next day.  Since Elizabeth and the kids were out of town, it seemed like fishing would be a good idea.  So on a short night's sleep (about 3 hours) we performed our standard Nunya routine, meeting at the Ritzville McDonalds at the opening, #7 meal with OJ, then carpool to our destination.  No cars in the parking area seemed to foretell a banner day, but the fates had other plans. 

Water level was good, weather was good, clarity a little turbid but good.  Fishing, well, my first cast of the flopper hopper just above the bridge had a take from a decent fish about 15 feet in front of me (I missed him).  That was a good sign, but not indicative of the day, as neither of us had a rise or a take until about halfway to the first big bend.  I had another small one, about 12" that I farmed, then a while later this huge brown slurped my hopper. 

Nothing after that until I landed a 16" rainbow from the fast water below the first big bend.  So in 4 hours, I had done OK, and Tom hadn't found anything except the largest rattlesnake we have seen at Nunya. 

When Tom is laying the hoppers in the grassy bank like only he can do and hasn't had a single rise or take, you know that something is off.  So we called it a day and headed back to the truck.  Since no other cars had shown up, we tried again in the first few holes above the bridge, and I sent Tom to see if he could find the one I had missed that morning.  As usual, if there is a fish to be found, he will find it.  You can see him biting his lip in concentration as he tried to make sure he didn't lose it in the grass, and he removed the skunk, landing a nice rainbow.  I had another looker, but nothing else.  So kind of a slow day for catching, but lots of practice drifting flies tight to the grassy banks.

Uh, one more thing, Tom, I know my hat is kind of dorky, but Sarah just saw the photos and said what I had thought earlier - it kind of looks like you are wearing a diaper! (or at least underwear over waders).  She also said "Nice fish, too bad it isn't as big as my dad's." (you notice I cropped mine so the fish would look bigger!).