A day on the river

Everyone should believe in something; I believe I’ll go fishing.
–Henry David Thoreau

Yesterday was one of those weird warm days that December sometimes teases us with: sunny, high of 73, with a bit of a breeze. Too nice a day to be inside.

So at the crack of dawn (actually a full hour before), Ed and I pulled out of our gravel drive and headed to the Kentucky/Tennessee border for a day of fly fishing on the Cumberland River. After breakfast at a greasy-spoon in Burkesville, we met our guide for the day, loaded our gear onto his jon boat and slid into the sparkling waters of the Cumberland River.

As we made our way up the river, we saw flocks of wild turkeys, murders of crows, a lone bald eagle, kingfishers, a pileated woodpecker, cliff swallows, herons and ospreys. Even if we didn't catch a single fish, the trip was already worth it for me.

We fished the river all morning, stopping at a gravel bar for a turkey-sandwich lunch, then fished until the sun started to go down behind the hills. Ed always reminds me that I can fish, or I can worry; but I can't do both at the same time. Yesterday, not a worrisome thought entered my brain. I was way too busy fishing.

We brought home two nice trout, which Ed cleaned and gutted last night, and I'll fix up for our dinner tonight.

All and all, it was the best kind of day. Hope we can do it again soon.