I hooked up with fellow Lout Lindy DeBie down in the Florida Keys last week.  We fished a flat on Islamorada together, wading for bonefish.  Neither of us saw any bones, however, but fun was had by all.  Lindy caught a small cuda or two on the fly and I had to hit a small shark on the nose with the butt of my rod that was showing too much interest in my toes, but that was our excitement for the day.  We were supposed to fish on my buddy’s boat together but got rained/thunderstormed out that morning, so decided to hit the flats in the afternoon after it cleared up.
I did manage to get out on a friend’s boat twice during the week and caught my first two dolphin on the fly!  What amazing jumpers they are and great fighters on a 7 weight!  Landed numerous dolphin, false albacore (they call ‘em bonita down there), blue runners, yellowtail snappers and a big, nasty bar jack that put up a serious fight on light spin tackle.  All in all, a great trip and I know I can speak for Linden when I say we are very much looking forward to this year’s Trout Louts trip.

Somewhere in this great land there are men who stand proudly, confident in their piscatorial acumen and possessed of that most treasured achievement: an Opening Day trout, taken on a dry fly while holding nothing but Oneness-with-the-One-Way- of-Barbless-Effortless-Oneness still in their thoughts as their backcasts coil mightily and make no man cry foul.

Such men cast long shadows, and they hold great sway among Councils of Tavern, and of those of Pub, and, yes, even within storied locker rooms wherever the Big Swinging Dicks gather. It is not for nothing that we know these men when we see them, for they tell us about their fish, unabashed and unashamed, embellishing but little and marking the Way for those lesser anglers among us to follow. It is in their debts that we pony up for fresh graphite, svelter waders, and the rapine instruction of Professional Guides. We know when we are not worthy.

And thus, brothers, on the eve of Opening Day 2007, I post this warning to eschew the little creek chub and take no joy in his capture. He is not your True Quarry and provides no gratification on a Triscuit.