Thoughts on 2007 & 2008

It has been a while since I have felt the urge to write. I'll explain that as you read. As the desire to update my website returned, I realized that I had begun my reflections on 2007 and not finished them. Now as I commit to that process, I add also my reflections on 2008. As I do so, I wish to state that much feeling is involved in doing so, more than I can express and probably more than you care to comprehend. Let me firmly state that I publish them with an honest heart and a true understanding that each day on Earth is truly a gift from God. I will tell my story once and then look to the future, hopefully giving my reflections on 2009 in a few months if God permits.

Older, slower, and hopefully wiser, I have been blessed with the experiences of another fine year! 2007 made me realize more than ever that each year is different, filled with a spectrum of exciting to mundane happenings. The fishing was outstanding despite my number of trips to varied locations being down from previous years. Fly tying at a few events afforded me a diversity to the work/fish pattern that normally develops over time. I was even lucky enough to be invited to make presentations to a couple of clubs on fly fishing Arkansas and the Little Missouri River. The people who invited me probably don't realize that I received more enjoyment from this than anyone. From mid-2006 through early 2007, a rotator cuff injury probably did my rod work more good than any coaching by book, Web, or person could have done. My casting became a slower, easier, more relaxed process than before and actually became more fun!

My trips to places away diminished during 07, yet my fishing enjoyment increased, partially due to my increased time on the Little Missouri in the Albert Pike area. This continued into 2008 as I made over a dozen trips there with quite a bit of successful fishing, both in fun and numbers.

In March of 2007, David Chin, Dick Waldrep, and I made our annual trip to tie at the Sowbug Roundup in Mountain Home. This has always been an unusually pleasant experience since the event is designed primarily for tyers, and we get to meet people from all over our fine country. We also were able to get in a couple of fishing trips, one on the White River and another on the Norfork. The rivers were somewhat crowded due to the people in the area for the Roundup, yet they were North Arkansas fly fishing!

The winter and spring on the Little Missouri were outstanding! I fished more river than ever and found some nice new locations. The Little Missouri has much more variety than most people seem to realize. Not only are the known access areas good fishing, but there is excellent fishing offered away from the crowded areas on each. There are riffles, large pools, nice channel runs, and flats that all offer their own styles of fishing. The dry fishing at times is as good as I've seen anywhere in Arkansas. Caddises, march browns, light cahills, sulphurs, and blue winged olives all hatch on the river, and all can offer excitement. If you need the scientific names, please call 1 800! I had learned the names of some, then forgotten them. Just remember that I was happy to take my C in general biology and get out of it!

Once again, fishing the summer may have been my favorite time of the year. Most of my fishing was relegated to two hours, usually the hour and a half before dark and the half hour after. The fish are quite active at this time because there is usually something hatching. At times, there would be a three-fold (or more) hatch, sometimes with light cahills, caddises, and various midges all hatching.

Once again in 2007, my father, one of my brothers, my son, Matthew, and I made a trip to the Gunnison area of Colorado in late August. Matthew and I were able to fish on the Gunnison River as well as fish some of the small streams and potholes that are in that area above 10,000 feet in elevation. We managed to catch just enough fish to call it fishing, and we enjoyed the fantastic scenery of the area. Our greatest fun was fishing for the Kokanees as they came back up the river. This year we were more prepared. We learned the value of a Mickey Finn as we hooked several that gave us good runs, catching enough to get good pictures. I had a nice hook-jawed one, a beautiful orange in color, in the shallow water not 4 feet in front of me before he made a last good run. I hated to lose that fish!

2008 began with outstanding fishing. Then, just as they began to release some larger fish for the first time in several years (as our management committee requested), I had a nice round with pneumonia that kept me out off the river for about 4 weeks. I recovered enough just in time to make the Little Missouri Fly Fishing Festival in February. Then the rains began! We had a lot of water on the Little Missouri River due to excessive rains. It was good though to see that our three year drought was over. With 24 hour generation for several weeks, I fished Albert Pike successfully for at least a dozen times. Albert Pike is possibly the most beautiful location in our outstandingly beautiful state.

The summer fishing of 2008 started off well. The number of fish that I was catching was as high as ever. The fish, especially the Eagle Lake strain, were strong, active, and beautiful. The winter's pneumonia had made me weak, and I seemed to be out of shape more than I had been for several years, noticing it particularly when I tried to climb the banks of the river. On June 19, I came home from work early with what seemed to be a severe case of indigestion. It disappeared about supper time, so I went to the river. The fishing was excellent, but when I started home, the pain increased. I had a heart attack!

Due to severe blockage, I needed and had quadruple coronary bypass surgery. The fact that I had minimal heart damage plus my general health otherwise was a blessing. It was the hardest thing with which I've had to deal in my life. My recovery seems to have gone well, and I was extremely glad when about 5 weeks later I was able to step into the river again for a few minutes. The prayers of so many were greatly appreciated. Each day now is indeed a blessing from God, and I appreciate the words of the psalmist when he said, "This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!" After two months, I was back to work. Now, after a year, I seem to be in good health. Look around and remember that God is in control!

As Forrest Gump said, "And that's all I have to say about that!" God bless you. Hope to see you soon on the river!

thoughts by Johnny McJunkins

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