It snowed here again today.
Damn.
January is almost over, and we still have at least two-three more months of wintry weather before Spring really hits southwest Montana. Despite that fact, more and more thoughts are of sunny days, green grass, and large trout rising to spring mayflies. This lust of better weather was not helped this week by the arrival of a shipment of brand new flies to the store. Even though it’s no longer my department I still spent a good deal of time helping the guys sort them out.
Nope, winter is hardly over. There will be many more cold, dark days ahead. But it’s not all bad. There is still lots of winter fishing to do, flies to tie, and work to get done. Mark and I have a project or two cooking, and I’ve got a book to finish. And honestly, winter fishing is some of my favorite, if for no better reason than it’s so much less crowded.
The only thing for it now is to hunker down and soldier on. Get a good light for the vice and fill up those fly boxes. And while you are doing whatever you have to do to chase the shack nasties away, might as well be drinking a winter drink: Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Schnapps.
I can just hear the cries of he-men who are reading this, decrying the choice as a “girly drink”. I have two points of rebuttal. One, the chicks dig it. ‘Nuff said. Two, it’s actually pretty damn good on a cold snowy night. And did I mention the chicks dig it?
As I write this, the snow is piling up outside and it’s pretty damn chilly to boot. I raise a glass to you, my friends, in the hope that you are surviving the winter and preparing for the warmer days to come.
