Went last night to the benefit dinner at the (fabulous) Aneu Bistro for Mr. Yang, the generous grocer who helped out Valley Forge TU during the Crabby Creek restoration project, but who got jumped by a couple of punks and was seriously hurt. Since the dinner was early (5:00) I put in 90 min at Ridley, mainly to see how the bottom had changed from the weather and determine where the early brown/black stones were in their cycle.
Lots of peeps enjoying the weather, and quite a few ffishermen (and fishergirls too). But the water was 45º (courtesy of my new $5 Harbor Freight dial thermometer to replace the several digital fancy ones that quit working). A goodly number of stones were emerging, and I could see fish, including trouts, some of which were stocked last week.
But I only found rising in one spot. I hooked one immediately on a crippled emerger, but I guess my unfamiliarity with the new glass Cabela kept me from landing him. Some of my buddies in the audience hassled me for not using cane and blamed that for the loss.
I searched around, and pointed out the monster Palomino (who wasn't rising, even though stones were floating over him) to a young boy, who was very thrilled about the find. So before I left, I returned to the spot where I lost the riser, gave another one the Zen treatment and rose him to a different stone emerger with a shuck and landed him for the kid.
Great day to be out and see some friends. These days it's good to see some of the older pals and know they are up and about. Life can be short.
tl
les
