miracle accomplished

ok, ok, ok. much to my chagrin and relief - received tacklebox back last night from a very interesting chap. at our last phone conversation before scheduling the meeting place I was forced to capitulate to certain indignities but what the heck - 30 years of flies, lures and other meaningless paraphenalia are more sacred than almost anything on the planet.

once again, all the fish are laughing or cringing somewhere in their favorite hiding places, either in deep pockets in rivers and streams or off the coast in schools waiting to assault the freshwater in breeding frenzy.

the ones that are laughing know that more often than not, I'm just sitting down there by the river or stream with a fishing rod as my "hall pass". try to sit on a riverbank or stream by yourself sometime and everybody that walks by will have something to say or a question. then again - sport a fishing rig and they all steer clear and give you some space.

huzzah to shallow ploys!