FEATHERS & FINS
Eleven
long months have passed; some were excruciatingly slow. Linger they did, but
they are now in the past; thankfully so. Being tomatoless made it even worse. I
sure hope that doesn’t happen again; we shall see. Yes, it is finally May and I
hope it lasts for six weeks instead of two. The mad May rush is on, get
everything done before the heat sets in. It’s time to get your priorities in
order turkeys, trout and garden in no particular order. Just doing what seems
right for the day is the way to go. Enjoy the month; because it will be a long
time, until it arrives again.
I don’t
turkey hunt nowadays like I once did. I used to be out there guiding or hunting
from mid-March until the end of May. I just have no desire to do that anymore.
I do not hunt in the naked cold woods of early season. May is the time for me.
I choose to wait until the woods come alive with green leaves, warblers,
whip-poor-wills and mature gobbling turkeys. I don’t hunt in the rain, either.
Been there, done that, don’t like it and I’m not doing that anymore. Yes, there
was a period in my life when I lived to pursue the king of spring. The way the
area I live in has been destroyed just leaves me disgusted. It took a lot out
of me. Oh, yeah I have other places I really like to hunt but they require
travel and time to get to. I still get up every morning during the season. I
look at the sky. When I see stars, I go to the woods. If not, back to bed. It
works for me, I only need one bird. Half for Thanksgiving, half for Christmas
that is enough. I hunt the pleasant days when I enjoy being in the woods. I
don’t worry about turkeys, I know one will come; always has and always will.
One day in May.
For me;
early trout fishing with salmon eggs, Clousers and woolly buggers means one
thing; actually two things. When I am able to make myself go, the goal is to
put six on the stringer and go do something else. It is a time for restocking
the freezer and getting a fish head for each tomato plant. That is it and I do
not enjoy it. May is the fun time to be on a trout stream. I really enjoy
fishing for trout on dry flies. The period following the April monsoons until
the waters dry up is primetime. Nothing I have every found is as relaxing and
enjoyable. March Browns, Sulphurs, Green Drakes, Isonychias and Light Cahills
are all dependable and can produce constant surface action. Most importantly;
it is fun fishing. I may keep a few rainbows for the freezer if I still need
more. Brooks and browns go back in.
May,
without a doubt is the best time to enjoy and explore the West Virginia Highlands.
Get out there and do it before it gets too hot and the streams go dry. You’ll
be glad you did. Enjoy May when you can; It’ll be a long time until it shows up
again.
This is my article for the May issue of Two-Lane Livin
(c) High Virginia Outdoors Photo (c) High Virginia Images ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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