Had A David Attenborough Moment.

 

Fished another split day with a couple hours of yard work in between. Fortunately with the sun subdued by a high haze it kept the streams fishable and it stayed cool enough to work.

Drove over to the Bk this morning and found a few fish. Also became reacquainted with an adult bald eagle that patrols the bottom few pools. Last May he was sitting in a tree across the river from me when I hooked a fish. When the fish jumped the eagle flew right over and circled above the fish, I let the line go slack, the eagle flew back to his tree and I landed the fish without further incident. Seemed to encounter the eagle almost every time I fished the lower pools. He would be flying up or down the river and would land in a tree near me, caught fish in front of him, but had no further acts of aggression. Until today! Hadn't given the eagle a thought since back in June. Didn't see him today until I had hooked and was playing a 12/14 inch rainbow. Had the fish on a tight line and was reaching for my net when I heard a swoosh and the eagle came over my right shoulder, talons extended diving on the fish. I did nothing, the fish saw the eagle and made a panicked burst for deep water, thankfully the hook came out, the eagle pulled up, turned, and flew up onto a limb not 30 feet from me. It took two inches of type to explain what happened in less than two seconds.

The evening fishing was more of the same old, same old, was in the river at 5:30, olives started about 6:00, the fish shortly thereafter. Tonight they didn't really want to eat my flies, (most ignored them). Hooked six, landed five, (two were non-counters), and lost the only decent fish I hooked. I've fished the place three times in the last two weeks and will not go there again anytime soon.

Saw two does with twin fawns and a big buck with a heavy eight point rack on the way home, and was again greeted by the spike and one of his girl friends when I got back to the fishing camp.        

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