Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. Wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight.
Damn, that was a big fish. My head shakes in disgust as I once again realize that I had hooked THE fish of the past four days of bug tossing on the Henry’s Fork. I’d like to again have that decision to raise the rod tip without loosening the reel drag a bit. Mr. Trout snapped the 4x, 6.5 lb test like it was a loose thread. Smiling, I realize a lesson was learned, one I forget too often while fishing for trout in Utah. Hit me again, Jack.
My head leans back for a look at the twilight sky, thin clouds glow red in the west. The sunsets here are rarely plain. I have camped alone for the past three nights, comfortable except for the mosquitoes. There has been no moon at night, so I have retired early. Tonight, there is a large group of Japanese camped behind me and there seems to be a jovial mood among them. An early night is out of the question. There is one star high in the east, so I make a wish. Please let me get a good night of sleep. I need to fish early and drive home safely tomorrow afternoon.
The Japanese neighbors begin to make a series of trips to their vehicles, one strolling by with an armload of items about every three seconds. This will go one well into the night. Bizarre. Realizing that I am truly screwed for sleep, I decide to medicate myself and enjoy the entire evening, the parade of car-camping Japanese, and have a look at the night sky. My head tilts back once again and there are more points of light in the sky. The faint Big Dipper confirms my northern suspicions, and I stoke the juniper campfire.
If I had only lightened the drag earlier, but sometimes that damn reel is touchy and if it gets too loose, things get not good quickly. That rainbow would be in my cooler now. All 6.5 plus pounds of his slimy scaled ass. I shake my head and half heartedly laugh off the loss in the Battle of Henry’s Fork. I’ll remember that one for sure. Less drag, let him run, get him in the net.
By this time, the sky is almost completely darkened, just a glow of twilight in the west. The big stars are out, the Milky Way begins to show, and the Japanese continue their portages. The past three days have been filled with time to reflect, regain some sense of direction, and for the most part, I am unchanged. Tonight, the sky is cleared out for the first time. Must see camping TV. Every time I look up, I see more stars.
