Opening Day: "Gee, It Sure Is Beautiful Out Here"
By Tom Chandler on Apr 27, 2008 in Fishing Report
I’d love to bash out a couple hundred carefully considered words about opening day, but the L&T and I are pretty worn out from saying good-bye to an ailing pet (Macy the Cat, 14 years), and I just don’t feel like writing.
At least not about fly fishing.
Instead, I’ll give you the one-paragraph summary.
Dave Edmondson and I fished the Upper McCloud, didn’t fish the water we wanted because of other fishermen, hiked a good five miles, and each hooked a couple trout, though in a stunning display of technical skill, didn’t land any of them.
The pictures, frankly, are more interesting than the story:
It’s been a long winter, and the first warm days aren’t all about fly fishing.
Yesterday, you couldn’t (legally) fish this water. Today’s it’s just as beautiful.
Still snow on the ground — including the drift that ate my truck the day before.
Dangerous predators infest the river.
Gotta fish bamboo on opening day. Gotta.
See you on the river, Tom Chandler.
clara chandler | Apr 27, 2008 | Reply
So sorry about Macy,the kitty cat. Have been there and done that. Don’t like it but worth the pain for the smiles and joy and friendship Macy brought you. Macy will send another kitty to fill in the empty spot.
Go chase a fish….
Smellslikefish | Apr 27, 2008 | Reply
I think it’s an Irish tradition to spill a bit of whisky in memory of someone passed. I’ll drop some tuna from my next can in Macy’s honor. Sorry for the loss.
wayne eng | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Thomas Sorry. It’s always hard to lose family. Listen to mom there’s nothing like the healing waters of the upper sac.to help wash away the tears…..love wayne and myrna rae.
SMJ | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Sorry about the feline. It really does wear you out saying goodbye.
Nothing like a nap on a warm rock, with the sun on your face, surrounded by the sound of the river.
Kentucky Jim | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Ditto what SMJ said.
fly fish chick | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
really sorry to hear about macy. that’s a rough deal to be sure. 14 years….
AL flygirl | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Hello Tom..
Found you through FFC. Sorry to hear about your Macy. It’s truly heart wrenching…
Guido | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Tom,
Sorry to hear about Macy. A few months back, we had to put down our beloved George, a 7 year old Newfoundland, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.
So we went out and bought a new one, Truman. He’s 6 months old now and 85 pounds of stupid.
I love it!
Taku | Apr 28, 2008 | Reply
Tom and LT: Sorry about your Macy. Always hard no matter how long or how many pets you have. I think Smells said it right, we’ll spill a little tuna juice in memory here in the Bitterroot. The sun on the river looks great, and the sun will return to your life too.
Tom Chandler | Apr 29, 2008 | Reply
Thanks folks. From the second you get a pet, you know The Day is coming, but even though I’ve been through it before, I think it gets harder every time.
It’s been said that Americans (and Brits) are crazy for their pets, and that’s likely true, though it’s possible there’s a good reason for that.
After all, Macy saw me through the end of my Silicon Valley life, my working trout bum-ish years, and three years into the start of something new with the L&T.
Along the way, she treated me better than a few of the people who claimed to be my friends — a refrain voiced by many pet owners — so even though the time has clearly come to take action, you do so with full knowledge that one of the few constants in your life is moving on.
Macy now lies tucked away beneath a cherry tree and commands a rather stunning view of our wooded three acres, which — for a cat — isn’t bad.
Thanks again, and I’ll see everyone on the river.