Thankful...

Once in a while you just have to stop for a second and enjoy the moment and give a little thanks for the gifts we receive in this wonderful sport. So far this year there's probably been at least one slow trip for every good one. But even every slow trip has it's rewards. Sunsets and wildlife, anticipation and just not knowing what's going to happen next, a deer you jump walking out, the sound of the wind in the treetops. In winter you better be content with more rewards than just fish. But it can happen, it does happen, just enough to keep us going.
You would think early spring would be a reversal of late fall, with bass being in the same spots putting on the feedbag. Most years that isn't the case, we get a week of warm heavy rain and the rivers blow out at the same time they warm up. Then by the time the river is back down the fish have spread out and you miss that chance to fish over numbers of big fish at the same time. I've been saying to everyone that will listen lately that I was sure this week was going to be epic. Warming temperatures WITH a low river. I wasn't expecting this fish today though. Maybe later in the week or then again maybe never for a beauty like this. With one of those fat, full of eggs bellies you normally associate with largemouth instead of river smallmouth. I didn't fish too long afterward but I did sit on a big rock a while watching the river flow by for a bit before heading back to the truck.
Oh yeah, the fishing report part. In probably three foot of water in slack water right up against fast right on the upstream edge of a deep slow hole on a 1/8 ounce jighead with a curly swim fished slow and steady right off the bottom.