This time of year is a hard one. It's what people in the North some times refer to as "soft weather" - too cold to paddle, but too warm to travel safely over ice. Obviously this is less true the further you go north, but for now we're all staring down the barrel of soft weather in the next few weeks and months. For me, it's the hardest time of year - I wish I could remember who to attribute the quote to, but someone said that they pitied the person who didn't paddle a wooden canoe in the winter (or at the very least a own a wooden paddle) because they had nothing to do.
This time of year, you are likely to find me tying flies for fishing season, refinishing the odd paddle, or tending to the season's gear that needs tending. Sometimes I will create a project, like the one in the works for the past two years to create a GPS pocket on my bird vest so I can track my distances.
Tonight I sat down with some of the things that make the off season great. The fly tying vise, a cocktail and my dog. The few flies I tied were serviceable but nothing special - my company was quiet, keyed in on her treat of pig's ear from the butcher. But, come spring, a trout or a panfish will rise to my ugly flies and may become dinner.
In the meantime, pull up a chair, have a drink - this is the time when most are ready to get out the house, but if you;ve been active all winter, a break is a good thing.
Still, I need a wooden boat to work on.
