North 40 Fly Shop eMagazine March 2018 | страница 76

After we netted a dozen or more fish we
hopped in our canoe and progressed downriver,
while noticing the aroma of burning leaves in the
air. The aroma grew stronger and was intermin-
gled with fresh earth. We dismissed the alarm,
thinking this must be a campfire.
Then the skies grew cloudier and the bugs
came off en masse. On cloudy days duns drift
longer while their wings dry. This makes them
an easy target for trout. A perfect day. I paused
and enjoyed a cup of fresh-brewed coffee on the
riverbank and took a deep breath. This was re-
ward for shoveling the driveway and not seeing a
bug for a few months.
At the end of the day, when we’re loading
canoes on our vehicles, we heard sirens in the
distance and watched the skies fill with smoke.
Driving out on a dusty two-track, we met
firemen trenching a fire break in the jackpine forest.
We could see flames licking at the sky. A careless
campfire started a blaze that engulfed hundreds of
acres on the banks the North Branch that spring.
After seeing that, I was even more thankful for
treasured moments we get fishing Hendricksons in
this wild habitat. w