What if I were to tell you, hypothetically speaking, that I had an absolutely epic day today (which is often the case in October in Colorado, unless it snows … and sometimes even when it does)?
So what qualifies as e
pic? Put in at a public launch. Took out at a public launch. Floated about 10 miles of river. (Thank goodness for America’s public lands).
Never saw another boat, nor even another wading angler all day. And it was a nice day … wore a long-sleeve T-shirt and was never too hot, nor too cold in several hours on the water.
Landed about 20 fish. The smallest being 14 inches, the largest 22-inches.
And most of them ate dry flies. Blue-winged olives, actually.
So here’s the rub… do I have to tell you where I was? Or would you be mad at me if I told you where I was, because you already know where I was? As a writer of fishing stories, that’s the question that needles me more than any other. Because no matter what I do, I’m wrong. Some people get mad at me for teasing, while others get angry with me for spilling the beans. What’s a guy to do?
To tell the truth (for real) I actually have a formula for that, that’s probably not going to change unless I hear a really compelling reason to do so. I’m a pretty open book, personally. But at the same time, I believe the “quest” is a big part of the adventure. If you don’t walk, wade, and row the miles yourself, you’re missing out on most of the fun. So if I think the cat’s already out of the bag, and more importantly, if I think the water and the fish can handle the exposure, I talk. If it’s really a hidden gem, my lips are sealed.
Is that fair? Or do you have other suggestions?
— Kirk Deeter