11 -11 - 11

Palindromes

Palindromes are words or phrases that read the same in both directions.  11 - 11- 11, last years 10 -10 - 10, or 9 - 9 - 9.  Growing up in Independence i've always been fond or  Pat's tap.  But Beau loved 11:11 when ever we were on the road.

Its Friday afternoon and the fall weather is beautiful.   On my way to the Friday afternoon council meeting I drove past a beautiful old European larch one of the largest in the area but I've not found any native tamaracks growing in any of the local swamps where you would expect to find them.   A quick stop at the top of the world to pay my respects to Miguel and admire the view of the Mississippi river valley in the fall.





  Then dropping down to chappy land for a walk along the trout stream. Only brown and brook trout reliably spawn and reproduce here in Iowa. These trout are the only Iowa fish that spawn in the fall, generally October and November.











Trout construct a spawning nest or redd, a depression excavated into the stream bottom by the fish. Redds are very visible in the fall in areas of very clean gravel, good water flow and well-oxygenated water.

All in all a great Friday afternoon.  Tonight we're decorating a country Christmas tree for the gallery in town. 
Do geese see God?                       11-11-11

SKUNKED TWICE IN A DAY

I returned to the new water once again,  my second  time actually,  with out a strike.  A quick walk down the well beaten cow path.  This time in hiking boots, not hip waders.  The stream has been running quite clear these beautiful fall afternoons.  So, the trout are spooky.  Just like the halloween season or the big black herst that drove by as I got out of my car.  Strike one....no fish.

 After a quick trip home to drop and block up an elm tree for fire wood I ventured out again. I got on to big mill just as the sun was setting over the hillside.  The surface of the little stream was full of action.
A  trout rising, and it's visual take on the surface, is one of the true thrills of trout fishing.  The "rise form" is that dimple left on the surface by a rising fish. The rise can be addictive to watch. 
Changing over to a small popper and creeping to the edge of the bank  I tried to present the little surface popper with out spooking the trout.  Darkness, strike two, skunked again.