Back To Work

This first weekend allowed for a little recovery from five days of fishing to begin my dry fly season and, now that it has passed, it’s time to get back to work.

Yes, I love retirement! For six to seven months each year my weekday job is fishing bright waters. As I get older, I feel the rigors of the job in my bones most days, but I’ll get back in shape before too long.

My tools are ready in the corner, that lovely old, impregnated Thomas & Thomas Hendrickson is always up to the challenge. Funny that some anglers don’t like impregnated bamboo. They complain they feel heavy to them and similar grumbles. Yes, some Orvis rods feel a little heavier and have a slower action, and my 8 1/2-foot Wright & McGill Water Seal needs a line weight heavier than my 8642 Goodwin Granger, but they are quite pleasant and capable fly rods. The T&T’s are really special though!

In their vintage catalogs, the company described this finish as a light impregnation, and that suits both in color and demeanor. My Hendrickson weighs just 3-3/8th ounces, quite the lithe eight-footer, taking a five weight line. I like the freedom from worry when fishing on a rainy day, for there is no concern about some unknown scratch in the varnish allowing moisture to seep into the cane. Back there in the seventies, Thomas & Thomas offered a choice of finish on all of their rod models, either their faultless varnishing or this light impregnation.

My vest is still fully loaded with Hendricksons, though there are signs that the hatch may be waning already in some quarters. Such has been reported on the Beaver Kill. I’ll be sure to have a well-stocked caddis box along too, but I still wait for a truly heavy and memorable hatch of my favorite mayfly.

The warm spell ignited yesterday demands I take the light rain jacket, for some portion of this coming week is fated to bring showers and even thunderstorms. Funny how quickly we have gone from chilled-to-the-bone cold to muggy.

I’d love a sunny morning to stimulate some spinners or a nice caddis hatch, but it isn’t looking like that kind of day.

Well, it’s half past six, time to get everything together, make a good breakfast to last me through a long day on the river, and concentrate on the job ahead. Here’s to a job hopefully well done!