South Branch Raritan 53 Degrees this Morning

South Branch Raritan Ken Lockwood Gorge six days before the Opener.

If I were a true diehard, I would have got up at dawn this morning and fished Bedminster Pond. I know this, because I was right on the pulse of local waters during my teens. Yesterday, temperatures climbed to nearly 80. I think it was in the 60's when I walked Sadie near midnight. If I were still a true diehard, I would have realized dawn would be a real good time to fish bass today.

Trish walked Sadie early. It was warm out.

Instead, I had introduced Trish to Jim Holland at Shannon's Fly Shop in Califon this afternoon, and in the course of conversation, he told us the river's temperature this morning was 53. I was taken off-guard by this information, truly astonished...kind of like a greenhorn. Not like an angler who thinks first and foremost about the condition of his local waters.

I'm just being honest with you. First and foremost with myself. Such an angler as I admire in my mind at present is an ideal that possibly doesn't exist, perhaps, but he's certainly possible. And actually, by reading the NJ Fishing.com message board, I think quite a few of them do exist.

About a year ago, my life came to a critical juncture. I thought I could go deeper into fishing yet, immersing myself so deeply in nature that I would cross the line to identify myself primarily with the world outside, instead of with home and culture. Or I could stay within limits that, especially at my age, might be thought sane.





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