Sunday Afternoon Fishing

Sometimes the best you can manage is a few hours fishing close to home.  That was the case this weekend which was a combination of lousy weather and bathroom renovations.  When Sunday afternoon was shaping up better than forecast, I headed to a spot on the Rideau River less than 10 minutes from home. I like the spot for the closeness but also because it is generally wade-able for some distance above and below the bridge. The fish are generally plentiful even if the big ones are harder to find.  Later in the evening they are but I was starting around 4pm so I took the light rod and prepared for the smaller guys.I had decided to take my DSLR with me but when I go to the water I began to have second thoughts.  The water was higher than I had hoped and I wasn’t too anxious to get the camera wet but after sizing things up for a bit, I managed to work my way across the river upstream of the bridge to where I usually start.It didn’t take long to find fish.  There are a lot of smallmouth bass hanging around the rocks along side the moving water and they were quickly on to my fly.As I worked my way downstream, the fish kept coming.  Most were less than a pound but they were energetic on a light rod.Below the bridge as the current slowed I started to pick up other fish including rock bass, bluegills and a few pumpkin seeds along with the bass.I fished for a couple hours and for most of that time I was carefully watched but the local ospreys.  This one never moved the entire time I fished below the bridge.  I’m not sure if he was counting how many fish I caught but I released them all so he should have lots to feed himself and the family in the nest a few feet away.