It's That Time

OF GROUNDHOGS,
CANDLEMAS,
& BUDDY

Ours Is A Yellow Belly

feasting for football

the day the music died

.. There was a fine sentiment expressed yesterday by Best Fly Fishing Yellowstone: "February always brings new hope to my fly fishing mind and heart."
.. Despite the culture or country; societies in the northern hemisphere invoke a persistent buoyancy of the human spirit about this time of year.
.. The worst of winter seems gone. The days and evenings are softer. And, of course, our pineal gland is feasting on a bit more sunlight each day.
.. With the Vernal Equinox nearly 2 months away it's a psychological necessity for us to anticipate more salubrious fishing weather. And we do.
.. Be it pagan rituals, lost in the European mists of time, or the Christian celebration of Candlemas this is that part of the calendar that demands optimism.
.. The appropriation of this feast time by the groundhog and the NFL is just the latest in a long line of optimistic anticipatory rituals. We note with some levity that the losers of the Super Bowl have a "next year sentiment" too.
.. It may be Groundhog Day, Candlemas, or the eve of the day the music died; but it is still winter in the high country.
.. However, it stayed above zero last night, and although out yellow-bellied marmots are still sleeping peacefully, and even if the music died, and even if the Cardinals lost -- hope of spectacular fishing bursts forth from our fur and feather and floss debris in the sanctum of the tying room.
.. The fishing, these last few days, has been just short of spectacular on the open water in the neighborhood. The snow, alas, is not too deep and the afternoons have provided ample snow flies for the trout.
.. Midge clusters have been cooperatively large, and dimples on the water have been abundant between the lakes in the Hebgen Tailwater. Most of the neighbors have enjoyed the reduced tourist traffic this year and have had nearly enough time to visit with our aquatic fauna.
.. There are fewer unknown vehicles in the parking spots, and even fewer out-of-county license plates.
.. The storms have been pretty soft this year. Mother has compensated by throwing in some cast-busting winds and ground blizzards that would do Point Barrow proud. Happily, casting skill is less important than stalking skill this time of year.
.. The high country seldom pays much attention to the circus at Gobbler's Knob. We know that there will be at least 6 more weeks of winter. And that's not bad.
.. An olde rhyme from Scotland was way ahead of Phil on this day:

Candlemas Day
If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,
Half the winter's to come and mair.
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
Half o' winter's gane at Yule.
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.. We'll let the congealed sausage gravy from breakfast fight with the chips and dip from yesterday evening as we head to the tailwater. Wind be damned; it's a good day to fish.