RIVER FISHING NEEDED STAT

I love to river fish. I don't know why. My family did a fair amount of river fishing in my youth, and perhaps that's where it stems from. I like the scenery around rivers. I like the flow of the water. If you're in the right part of the state, you can hear the water rushing through rapids or small waterfalls, creating a very relaxing sound. I've camped around small waterfalls before, and it was one of the best nights sleep ever.

The only thing that comes close to sleeping next to a waterfall or some rapids is sleeping on a sailboat with a cabin, anchored in a bay. The boat gets swayed by the waves, and the wind blows an ethereal song on the metal halyards and ropes striking the mast. If there is a light wind blowing, it's hard to beat a night sleeping anchored in a bay listing to the sounds of the boat. It's peaceful. Natural. Calming.

I feel relaxed when I am fishing on a river. I can feel the power of the water, and everything underwater changes in seconds with the flow of the river. The ecosystem that surrounds the river is also something I love to see. It too, relaxes, and makes you feel more at one with the earth.

I'm constantly seeking new locales to river fish. It's getting near time to catch the bass and perch spawning and to find catfish getting real hungry again. The last two springs, Billy Ray and I have visited two locales on the Llano. One near the town of Llano and one near Mason. We had cabins at both places, and the trip to the part of the river near Llano, Texas got a bit chilly for any good fishing. Fishing was much better up near the Mason portion of the river.

We have not planned a trip this year, but I'm sure we'll do so in the next few weeks. A friend of mine was telling me that rainbow trout are surviving year round in the upper reaches of one certain river, near it's headwaters, and it's quite a ways to the south and west of the Guadalupe.

I don't want to start any unfounded rumors as to which river this is at this point, but this seems like exactly the type of fact finding mission Billy Ray and I need. Go local. Talk to the locals. Find places to fish on the river.

In any event, even if there are few or no rainbows to be caught, this particular river has a variety of perch and small bass that will be adequate fodder in case the rumors are not true. My friend, the one who told me of this rainbow rumor, visits that area quite often and knows a lot of folks in that area. He can give us some contacts that will make finding a place to fish and set up a fishing camp much easier.

I've long been wanting to run a trot line, and El Fisho Jr. has never had the experience. I have access to a small boat and motor just right for some night time river trotlining, and of course you never know what you'll catch on a trot line.

Likewise, I like lazy river fishing too, from an easy chair. I've been shopping around for a heavy duty folding chair that has a small shade over the chair, to keep the sitter in the shade. I like having a couple of rods in the rodholders right next to the chairs with baits in likely spots. Sitting back. Pondering my surroundings. Relaxing.

I need to go river fishing, stat.