Subhead
Winter is closing in on our trout streams. Soon the longest night of the year will shroud their presence, but not their burbling flow over riffles and through windfalls. It is the tune an attentive listener on a night walk seeks, as moonlight reflected from snow makes evident the dark sinuous track of the stream. It is time to reflect in thankfulness for the gift of trout streams.
Memories may flood a fisher’s mind of past winters; however, it is likely that the mind brings forward most often though, the events of warmer seasons. The first hatch of spring when caddisflies flit about streams and hungry trout rise. Shortly thereafter mayflies are on the wing and both trout and fishers relish in delight. When fishers gather and talk about seasons past, it is usually of catching trout. But in the solitude and quietness of the night their minds will rest on the most significant memories, those of companionship, those times when just being there was all that was necessary, those times when it turned out to be the last time on stream together. Another time perhaps of sharing well practiced skills with a son or daughter, with a newcomer or with a friend to be.
The gift of trout streams frequently is not realized for a long time, in fact it can take years. Slowly the nature of streams permeates our being and when we are in need of refuge from our daily lives instinctively the solution is apparent. Maybe it is just the memory that is all that is needed. Most often it is being with the stream, with its feel, smell and reverberations that evokes its spirit. A spirit not usually voiced but remembered within the circle of those of common experience.
A gift though is to be given and as we have entered the season of Christmas, where gifts of rare preciousness originated, it is an appropriate and joyous time to introduce young and old to the wonders of streams. Gifts of spin-fishing combos with red and white bobbers, fly fishing rods or a box of home-made flies will ignite the fire of imagination, setting a place for future summer adventures. The gift that is most treasured is one of time, your time spent sharing your skills.
A treasure that influences life, the life of both instructor and learner, eventually leading to common experiences, new memories and perhaps company on a walk along a darkened trout stream in winter. It is a choice, as life is full of them, a choice to make aware the joys of streams that flow through our communities, meadows and wooded lands to all whom we encounter, in this joyous season of Christmas.
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