Little Red River - a Violin Day

We all watch fishing videos.  There are three kinds: 1) instructional 2) artsy - with a violin 3) intense - with an electric guitar.  Although I enjoy the violin-like aesthetics of fly fishing, the serenity of a trout stream, the beauty of a soft roll cast, the subtle rise of a fish to a BWO, I want my actual fishing time to be electric guitar type madness. Doesn't it sound a lot more fun to have hook-setting, reel screaming, electric guitar-esque madness than some flowers with a violin?  Yesterday was a violin day.

Nate fishing below me.  With the fog rolling off the river and the ducks circling
over head, I should have known - it was too pretty - it was going to be a violin day.

My friend Ryan and I talk about fly fishing all the time at school.  Ryan ties flies and is very enthusiastic about the sport, but quite frankly, he hasn't had too much luck - ever.  He really wanted to catch fish this weekend, as he had been skunked his past few outings.  We argued over whether we should go to the Little Red River (his choice), or the Spring River (my choice).  He won.

I picked up Ryan and his classmate Nate, and we were out of Memphis at 5:00.  We made it to Cow Shoals by 8:00.  When we got to the river they started putting on waders and thick wool socks,and I put on some light long pants and old tennis shoes.  "Did you forget your waders?" they asked.  "No, but I'm not going to wear them.  It's going to be in the 90's today, it will feel nice."  They still think I'm crazy, but I can't believe they were wearing waders!  Two plus hours at Cow Shoals brought four fingerling browns to hand.
 

Fingerling brown.  The only saving grace is that this is a wild fish.  It has
been a while since I caught a wild trout. Now grow!

We then made the move to Winkley Shoals.  The productive holes I fished last time I was there had filled in somewhat, but I was able to catch one planter rainbow and three more fingerling browns.  Ryan caught one planter rainbow, and Nate, who has the patience of Job, caught one fingerling brown on a dry fly.  We left the river at 3:00.  Talk about a violin day.

Planter 'bow with Ryan and Nate in the background.

 Is it nice to just get out?  Yes.  Does the river just feel amazing with fog lifting off it? Absolutely.  Would I rather be fishing than almost anywhere else? Of course.  But come on!  Let's catch some freaking fish!  I want the guitar in my fishing video to be wailing!  I've got some plans, though - a couple ingenious plans.  More on that later.