low water, heavy rains, melting snow, rising waters, rapids, boulders, flooding, fast currents, smooth waters, dropping levels, ups and downs, burbling, roaring, dancing, pounding, lapping, grinding, the flow of rivers and life

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The peaceful Fall pace of the river. Then, one wanted more water, more cover for the fish.

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I ventured down to the Oregon Coast to fly fish a coastal river for Winter Steelhead. The river had come up the day before several feet and was expected to drop and clear. The prevailing theory of optimism is the high water entices the sea run trout to push up river and then hold in a stretch as the water drops. The water did drop ever so slightly and the color never made it too that ideal ‘steelhead green’. The off-color, brownish, tea color and the heavy currents made for difficult presentations. The pockets and slots had disappeared on most of the river. 

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One spot beckoned as the river widened out and the surface turmoil was reduced to a chattering, busy swirl of surface disturbances. Picture the water flowing away from you but at the same time there is a horizontal back and forth of movement across the top…

Many casts and mends waiting for the tug, the pause in the line, some sign of a silver rocket on the other end. Not this time. All beautiful and soothing to the mind. Like a soothing mental bath that eases the mind, but does not dampen the senses.