Colorado. Only in Texas.

It seems like I go to a lot of trouble, and expense, to catch a few smallish fish in far off places.  This past Sunday-a very hot, very steamy, very still early June Sunday-is a prime example.  This was a day with Bert, though, and that made it special.  Bert is my son-in-law, husband of my younger daughter, and father to Huck.  He is a fine, smart, hard-working Godly man, and we love him dearly.  Though he has been around for eight years, and married to Taylor for six years (?) we had never fished together.  It was his time-in fact, his destiny-to share a boat with the father-in-law.  We headed for the legendary Colorado River, taking off from the Little Webberville boat ramp.

All Water Guides, out of Austin, are the brainchild of Alvin Dedeaux.  This trip, we were paired with Jeff.  Jeff, it seems, is a fellow Levelland Lobo.  He's also a college professor, graphic artist, fly-tier (or also tie flyer), father, coach, baseballer, and a host of other descriptions.  And, if I may add, he is a wonderful fellow with whom to spend a hot June morning in a jet boat floating on a river.

As we drove to the launching rendevous, I had told Bert that, as many times as I have fished Central Texas Hill Country rivers, I had never actually had a red-letter "banner" day.  Brazos, yes.  PK-yes.  Texoma-yes.  Belize, Bahamas, Alaska, Montana-hell yes.  But not Texas.  Not in the pristine flowing jewels that make Hill Country fly fishing so unique.  I've caught fish, even large fish, but never had "one of those days".  I felt certain that this particular morning was going to be different.  The stars were aligned for a great day on the river.

Bert did great. For his first time fly fishing from a drifting boat, he was amazing.  He was accurate, he was deft, and he put the fly/popper right where Jeff told him.  Alas, my fishing ESP was sadly incorrect-we caught few fish. Bert did manage a couple of nice Guadalupe bass (the official state fish of By-God Texas).  I caught a few bass, representative of the species.  (which is a polite way of saying average).  I caught a two foot gar, which rewarded me with a couple of jumps. I had a really nice gar on for a while, including a couple of jumps, but long-range released him at the boat. We did "leader" him, so that counts, at least in Belize....

Full moon, high water, heat, etc-lots of excuses.  Not many fish.  Ack.  Someday, I'll strike the mother lode like almost everybody else on these

 amazing waterways.  Pretty sure I'll be ringing Jeff and Bert up again for round two, hopefully this October.  For now,  though, I am thankful for meeting Jeff, for having Bert for a son-in-law, and for being a small part of the fly fishing community.