I Suck! (3/31/11)

The sun was bright, almost too bright. Standing on the edge of the North Branch of the AuSable, a new layer of snow that had fallen the night before surrounded me. The sun overhead made the snow so bright that it almost seemed to radiate its own light. I glanced skyward and noticed that there was not a cloud in the sky. My Grandfather referred to a cloudless sky as an “Arizona day.” It was an Arizona day, minus the snow, cold temps and four layers of clothes I was wearing to keep warm.

Before me was a most perfect seam. The cold water of the North Branch came around a bend just above where I stood, hit a log and was pushed away from the bank where it wore away the stream bed forming a deep channel. I knew there was a fish there… a big fish! I cast a large streamer into the head of the seam, mended my line downstream and waited as the streamer darted down the channel. I concentrated hard on the tip of my float line… waiting. The fly line straightened out and I let the streamer swing through the bottom of the channel. “FISH!”

The day started a little different than most fishing days. Normally it is tough to find a fishing partner as the other Average Joe Fishermen apparently lead busier lives than I do. I try not to take it personally and just go fishing anyway. But on this day however, I had two fishing partners! Earlier in the week, Average Joe Fisherman Scott made plans to fish with me after he made sure his schedule was clear and, more importantly, his wife gave him permission. Donny P, through the marvel that is e-mail, also said he would be joining us. So the three of us piled into my Silverado and off we went. Have you noticed that it is always me who does the driving? My friends really need to get some manly cars that can handle a little dirt and two tracks!

Once we arrived at our destination the three of us quickly suited up and stepped into the river. Don headed upstream and Scott and I went down. I left Scott to fish a nice looking bend. Finding a seam that looked too good to be true below the bend where Scott was fishing, I started to fish. Within moments, I heard Scott yell, “FISH!” You didn’t think that it was I who actually caught the fish did you? If you did, you might want to reread the tile of this post. “I’m coming!” I yelled back. Bringing in my line, I ran onto the bank and through the woods to Scott’s location. I arrived just in time to take a picture of Scott holding a beautiful seventeen inch brown trout. As Scott told me all of the important information, where the fish was, how it hit, etc. we heard Don yell, “FISH!” Don, being too far upstream to run to, was yelling like a mad man. “This is going to be a great day!” I thought. Turns out Don fought and landed a 21 ½ inch pig! As for me, I fished all day and didn’t see a fish other than the ones my buddies caught! Man, I suck!