Back to the Black

At left, a Winston Boron IIIx with a Douglas Argus reel sporting a Wulff TT line ... all in 4 wt.

I'll use this as my back-up gear in the event of drizzle or anything more serious. I hate getting cane wet. I always think I'll damage something pulling one apart.

Opener in a few days on the Black River. Can't wait. Prepping gear. Stacking the load-out. Scanning the forecast for wind, rain, temps.

It'll be frosty in the mornings. The wind should be low and so I'm dumping the low profile backpacking spike-camp tent for the large safari-style number: a Nemo Dark Timber.(here).

The Black is an unassuming little river here in Michigan.

It is full of these fat little guys. I will say, they are slippery little buggars. Extra slime on them which I will assume is a sign of cold-water health. I'll do net-pics this year.

This guy was pretty typical of my last opener at the Black River.

A low profile shot of the Black showing the standard bottom. Small cobble with spots of gravel interspersed dominates the streambed. There is little agriculture as the river flows through forest and the logging is controlled now to areas away from the stream. There isn't a lot of run off silt/sand.

Water will be high so hopefully fishing the bank-line and close-in current seams will prove productive. I'm expecting to have to do some contact nymphing.

It's an excuse to shout "spring" at the top of my lungs.

It's been a longish dull winter here. I could use the uncertain joy of unexpectedly warm afternoons.

Prost.