A Brazos Surprise

Memorial Day Weekend of 2011 saw the Brazos below PK blasted by 108 degree temps and 40+mph winds straight out of the south.  Not exactly idyllic conditions for fly fishing.  Nevertheless, since Tam and her fam had headed north to the casino at  Burkburnett,  I thought I'd give it a whirl.   I drove through the fire ravaged areas along Hiway 16, near the Hills Above PK.  Most of those houses were saved, but a considerable amount of pasture was torched.   To my surprise, the river was deserted.  And, furthering my surprise, there were fish to be caught.  None were large, but a couple of spotted bass pushed a pound or pound and a half.  Dozens of sunfish, not a single carp.  Then, right at dusk, I had made my way back up to the first big pool below the dam.  The wind had slacked to less than twenty, and I was able to limber up my casting stroke and bang out some longer casts.  These pics were snapped in the last fifteen minutes of fishing, and take a gander at the last fish.  Ten inches, on a yellow popping bug, in the Brazos River of Texas-a walleye.  (I had not caught a walleye since leaving Montana in 1987)  He was healthy, feisty, and released unharmed.  You never know what you will find in the Brazos.