Two days until Thanksgiving and I awakened at last to the blissful sound of rainfall on my roof; and gave thanks. It seems that last week’s snowstorm did a lot more good than it appeared here in Crooked Eddy. The Hancock Herald reports that copious amounts of wet snow fell on higher elevations all around our little village. Seeing no more than a couple of inches here, and no radical change in the river gages, had convinced me the drought remained in full force.
With this morning’s rain, the rivers have risen at last, though not excessively. Learning of the heavy snow received higher up in the watersheds makes it clear that most of the rain and snowmelt experienced in the past week was absorbed into the ground where it is so desperately needed. With the load of doubt lightened, I turned at last to my tying bench.
The first dry fly trout of 2025 will likely rise to a fluttering member of species Epeorus pleauralis, the mayfly fly fishers commonly call the Quill Gordon. Theodore Gordon’s legendary fly pattern is thus forever associated with the beginning of spring. I tied a pair of these to begin my day, paying homage to Mr. Gordon with flies tied in my own style inspired by his legacy of fly tying and writing: the 100-Year Dun.
The Catskill style tie will be next upon my agenda, though in truth there are plenty of both styles tucked safely in the compartments of my Wheatley fly box. I tie these each year to welcome the coming spring, just as I tie the Hendricksons and Red Quills. Would that I could live so long as to fish all of the Hendricksons spawned from my vise!
There should be a bit more snow for Thanksgiving, and I wonder about a daybreak trip to the mountains. Deer season continues, and I can use the exercise. The passing of my dry fly season makes it too easy to sleep later or recline with a good book.
Year-end chores await. Time to design a new calendar for 2025, and there are new Christmas cards to be addressed and mailed. It will be a while before the urge arises to take a well fished cane rod from it’s tube for an off-season polishing. Such things are best attended to when the cold winds howl and the snow piles up outside, for that is when my soul most needs their reminder of the magic!
Bright Waters Catskill 