Go With the Flow(s)

When it comes to fishing reports on the coast, a week's old report may as well be a month's old.  While I've never been one to try and "plan" a winter steelhead trip, I figured 3 days advance was enough. I was wrong… As was the weathermen, news reporters and river flow guidance plots. 

Fucked. Not only will all the north coast rivers be blown out; high, muddy, un-fishable, but they would go out just as I was arriving and right in front of my very eyes. To say the least it will be a show to see, I thought, justifying my ridiculous drive up the coast. I'm searching feverishly for reports of any green rivers, and my search has me looking farther and father north. At a certain point I'm so far into the neighboring state it appears more logical to take a plane than my car.

But you plan make the trip anyway, its beautiful country nonetheless. 

The next few days you spend so much time hitting the refresh button on flow charts and weather patterns that it becomes like a reflex. These rivers that have my heart have been devastated by decades of logging and it certainly shows. Sometimes taking up to a month to clear after a storm and often taking my sanity with it. I find myself driving 1,200 windy miles over three days and fishing far less than ideal water searching for steelhead. At one point I'm apparently conducting casting practice for no other reason than that I can see my boot tops in shin deep water. Eventually the white towel is thrown.

Hikes through fern covered redwood groves and foggy beaches bring me back to earth and it becomes easier to deal with mother nature's tantrums.

This winter my mom gave me something to ease the stress and anxiety that comes with the constant checking of conditions. A magic 8 ball. Equally as reliable as any weatherman and far more insightful…

I'm slowly learning to go with the flow(s) and to try and enjoy whatever happens. I'm lucky to be alive and able to witness a raging river overflow its banks…