16 Minutes

Sometimes, I've only got a tiny window of time in which to make an outing. I've been fishing the area around my home for a while now though, and I know how to make things happen. The other day I had a little bit of time in the late afternoon. I wanted to get one fish. I wanted it to be a wild brookie between  6 and 10 inches. no bigger no smaller. And I wanted it to be on a dry fly. I rode to the stream. I looked at the time when I got there. 3:42. If I didn't have my one fish by 4:00, I was out of there. I rigged up my rod and tied on a Sturdy's Fancy. I made a few casts in a shallow flat that occasionally has fish first. I expected nothing and got nothing. I carefully got myself in position to cast onto the pool where I knew I would get a fish. I methodically increased my cast length, covering the water I had caught countless brook trout in before. Then I got a rise immediately after a twitch. I missed. Or maybe the fish did. It wouldn't come back for the Sturdy's. I changed to an Ausable Bomber and the fish took again. I didn't miss it. It was a wild brookie of about 7 inches. I photographed it in the water, then removed the hook. I looked at the time. 3:58. I went home.