Simple Beauty

I walked the river late yesterday, relishing the recent burst of autumn color, the warm air and sunlight, and was stirred by the simple beauty that surrounded me.

The river was quiet, there wasn’t any activity to note from either insects of trout kind, and yet it was a very satisfying visit. The color of the light at this season, particularly as afternoon proceeds toward evening, is worth basking in of it’s own right, for it accentuates every nuance of land and riverscape.

The classic old Leonard rod in my hand found it’s stride as I prospected a wide run of faster water, first with a dry fly, and later with a soft hackle wet. I learned something new about that old rod too. A smooth, beautiful casting instrument with it’s intended number six fly line, it sang more sweetly than ever for me with a modern Airflo Tactical tapered WF5F line spooled on a vintage Hardy Perfect. Should I find good trout sipping the tiny olive mayflies I seek at this time of year, that combination stands ready to make glorious presentations!

Quiet afternoons are expected at this season, though opportunities may be found by the careful observer. Just last year I walked the same reach of riverbed as gently as possible in the low, clear flows on an afternoon so warm and still any sign of life would seem an intrusion. Studying the wide mirror before me I detected a single teacup sized ring a hundred yards distant. I did not check my watch upon beginning my approach, but the time invested was substantial. Once or twice along the way, another tiny ring became visible for an instant.

At last, I found myself within a long cast of the epicenter of those sole signs of life. I carried a little seven and a half foot Orvis bamboo, and called upon it to reach out and deliver my old faithful number twenty olive dun. That cast and the events that followed left a lovely October memory…