While Congress bloviates endlessly over meaningless resolutions, the Trout Underground is working to improve your lives in ways that count. For example, we unilaterally declared yesterday "Get out and Fish Thursday," and in accordance with what I perceived to be a legal requirement, I got out and fished.

Wayne Eng and I ran to one of my favorite downriver spots looking for the big bugs that had showed themselves during the preceeding overcast days. Unfortunately, with the sun riding high, we had to be content with finding the odd fish who would rise instead of those who already were.

Wayne Eng on the Upper Sac. Beauty river, eh?

Lucky me; I found a beautiful, 16-inch fish near some shoreline cover, and after he ate the ever-popular Beetle Bug, he twice ran me beneath an undercut bank before he mistakenly finned his way to the center of the river. The beauty of a nice fish is multiplied when you catch him early in your outing; all the pressure's off. I could have laid down on a rock, slept the next four hours and still carded a birdie.

Still, Wayne's a guide and always scouting the water, so we checked two more spots, catching fish here and there. The good news? River's falling and starting to look good. It's still intimdating in places, but if you pick your spots, it is fishable. Though we saw more mosquitoes than anything else, I have heard rumors of fishable hatches and Wayne and I saw enough bugs (especially caddis) to keep it interesting. Very interesting.

Mind the weather, and make plans for next weekend...

Gusting winds kept things interesting, and I was glad I was fishing a stronger 8.5' 5wt Thramer hollowbuilt designed to handle big water and wind (helpful hint: high flows are not the time to show up with your favorite 2wt).

So now – with flows continuing to fall and the fish apparently eating - you gotta ask yourself: "What am I doing next weekend?" Or even today. After all, it's Fly Fish Friday at the Trout Underground.

Today's Underground Entertainment? Lots of links. Kick your shoes off and relax...

From the always interesting MidCurrent, news of a really, really rich guy doing something really, really stupid – ripping off a fly shop and then falling asleep on the scene. Not good.

Then a link to a story on Ted Williams' Conservation blog. After reading it, the obvious question occurs; is anyone who knows Karl Rove willing to write a letter asking for a few more salmon in the rivers?

From the interesting and adventurous GetOutdoors Blog, news that your sunscreen might only be working half as hard as it says it is. And finally, there's the Flytimes blog, where he's fired his staff but poured out the love for the Underground. Yup, at the Underground, megalomania is setting in. And the fun's not over yet; stay tuned for another installment of The Raine Roadtrip
- a post consisting of text snippets and pictures shipped via Jack Raine's cell phone. Today? We're at Silver Creek...

See you on the ever-more-fishable river, Tom Chandler

p.s. -- No comments the last couple of posts? I'll take "gone fishing" as an excuse, but little else...