Everybody has their weak spots, and lately, mine seems to be getting a good night's sleep. As anyone with a real knack for insomnia can tell you, around day three, things start looking pretty surreal, almost as if you were viewing the world through a pair of abused rental eyes working in concert with a head filled with warm dishwater. With this as a background, I didn't fish Saturday and Sunday, preferring to let the crowds of fishermen fight the heat while I chased sleep. Sleep, hmmmmmmmm.
Today at least, the world no longer feels like it's tilted permenantly downhill away from me, and I feel good (almost normal, or at least as close as I get). This evening I'll be fishing. Naturally, as soon as the river falls to fishable levels the hellish temperatures descend on us, but I was lucky enough to enjoy a couple nights of fishing on the seam between the two.
Temps in Dunsmuir have exceeded 100 degrees, but because of the mountains, it always cools down at night. I'm guessing the fishing will soon fall into the morning and evening routine that defines the Upper Sac during warm weather, and those with daytime aspirations will do well to find the most oxygenated water on the menu.
There's plenty more below, so
today's Underground Entertainment is limited to a couple entries. First, MidCurrent brings us a
story about Grand Lake Stream - that little slice of Maine where I go every year (looks like September this year). The
Fly Fishing Yellowstone blog tells us that the stoneflies are descending in numbers in that part of the country. Then - via
Collateral Damage - comes a story of Southern California pelicans suspected of flying under the influence (yup). Finally,
Ian Rutter overcomes the Web problems he's been having and posts a couple of reports on fishing in his very pretty part of the country...
The Raine Road Trip enters Gierach TerritoryWith Chris Raine rolling ever closer to the Colorado Springs, he's apparently now passing through John Gierach territory - that bit around Lyons immortalized in Gierach's numerous essays. Thankfully, Jack Raine's good with a cell phone camera and we've got more pictures of a part of the country you're probably familiar with if you've ever read much Gierach (and who hasn't). Enjoy!
A beaver dam on the St. Vrain. Pretty, but no fish for Chris. (J. Raine photo)
A nice rainbow from the Big Thompson - one of three that Chris Jack caught. (J. Raine photo)
Bamboo rod builder Mike Clark outside his shop in Lyons. (Mike, try another swig of coffee - you don't look so happy.) (J. Raine photo)
Another reference to the happy hot dog, though this one by an ethnic group (the Vikings) not known for their tube steaks. No word as to whether slaw dogs are on the menu. (J. Raine photo)