Bill Kiene semi-retired
02-11-2008, 08:02 AM
Posted by Keith Shein on 2008-02-10 22:19:10 on Dan Blanton's BB
When a buddy told me he'd caught a huge steelhead on the American River, I didn't hesitate to say I'd meet him up there. Unfortunately, that meant the weekend, when the river becomes crowded. The forecast was for even more than usual river beaters, given that the American is running low and clear, and the usual Bay Area coastal streams are down and dirty from January rains.
The spot we fished is a classic tailout above a riffle that runs the width of the river. My buddy and I were on the water at dark, a half hour before dawn and legal fishing. We got two of the last spots, and all day it stayed that way, anglers separated by about ten yards, nobody moving an inch. There were predictable difficulties, late-comers, arriving at first light, upset that no spots were available, and hook-ups that involved hooks but no fish, and the the necessary ill-temper of not being able to move to fish the water or even trudge to the bank for relief without worry that someone would try to poach your spot.
But I met with an unpredictable generosity. The guy next to me, named Dave, without request offered to trade spots with me after he'd caught a number of fish. It was my first time on the American, and I was prepared to hold my spot till dark, fish or no fish. I was astonished at the offer. He looked over my rig, made some suggestions, and we switched. Within an hour, I'd hooked five fish and landed two, beasts which went on reel-singing runs and took me down and around the corner to land. Dave was there when I got back, holding my spot. That was Saturday.
It turned out that Dave knew my buddy from previous trips, and I assumed that Dave's kindness was because of our common friend. But this morning, Sunday, we were again out on the water before dawn, and I waded right to the spot. Dave showed up beside me about ten minutes later. I recognized him but he didn't recognize me. By first light, he approached me and offered his help again, to someone he thought was a stranger.
I don't even know the guy's last name. But you can bet he's got a ride on my boat for striper fishing, and I thought, given the bad encounters we have all too frequently on the water, Dave's civility deserved mention. Too bad the man's not running for president.
When a buddy told me he'd caught a huge steelhead on the American River, I didn't hesitate to say I'd meet him up there. Unfortunately, that meant the weekend, when the river becomes crowded. The forecast was for even more than usual river beaters, given that the American is running low and clear, and the usual Bay Area coastal streams are down and dirty from January rains.
The spot we fished is a classic tailout above a riffle that runs the width of the river. My buddy and I were on the water at dark, a half hour before dawn and legal fishing. We got two of the last spots, and all day it stayed that way, anglers separated by about ten yards, nobody moving an inch. There were predictable difficulties, late-comers, arriving at first light, upset that no spots were available, and hook-ups that involved hooks but no fish, and the the necessary ill-temper of not being able to move to fish the water or even trudge to the bank for relief without worry that someone would try to poach your spot.
But I met with an unpredictable generosity. The guy next to me, named Dave, without request offered to trade spots with me after he'd caught a number of fish. It was my first time on the American, and I was prepared to hold my spot till dark, fish or no fish. I was astonished at the offer. He looked over my rig, made some suggestions, and we switched. Within an hour, I'd hooked five fish and landed two, beasts which went on reel-singing runs and took me down and around the corner to land. Dave was there when I got back, holding my spot. That was Saturday.
It turned out that Dave knew my buddy from previous trips, and I assumed that Dave's kindness was because of our common friend. But this morning, Sunday, we were again out on the water before dawn, and I waded right to the spot. Dave showed up beside me about ten minutes later. I recognized him but he didn't recognize me. By first light, he approached me and offered his help again, to someone he thought was a stranger.
I don't even know the guy's last name. But you can bet he's got a ride on my boat for striper fishing, and I thought, given the bad encounters we have all too frequently on the water, Dave's civility deserved mention. Too bad the man's not running for president.