Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Last Days

This summer seems to be winding down.  It's been a great summer to return to the Pacific Northwest after a long absence.  Coming from the brown desert to the lush green of the Olympic Peninsula has been fantastic.  Getting back to coastal fishing has been a blast.  It seems like I've fished far less but every trip has been savored.  I almost forgot about the diversity available here.  From ocean salmon fishing, rainforest steelhead, sea-run cutthroat and resident rainbows it has been a summer to remember.  It's been great to run into a few native fish, especially the native summer runs.  I missed that connection to the past while chasing browns in the Rockies.  I know soon the rivers will be filled with runoff, salmon and then the beginning of the winter steelhead run.

Not only has this summer been good to me in the fishing department, but growing a garden has only added to the connection I feel to this place.  We've been enjoying fresh food for a couple months now, but one can also sense the change of seasons in the garden, although it feels like a quicker end.  We'll soon be planting overwintering crops and flower bulbs awaiting the first warmth of spring to give us a colorful reminder of another summer to come. 

A couple days coming up to fish and the question is one that confuses all fall fishermen in the northwest.  What the hell do I fish for?  I think it may be an all of the above trip.