Got out last week with a couple of buddies on one of my favorite Ozark rivers. The weather couldn't have been any better, cool mornings where a jacket and a cup of hot coffee was much appreciated and warm, sunny afternoons. While I had hoped to get some photos of great Fall colors while on the river I was a little disappointed in the leaves this year.
With a very dry late Summer we ended up with lots of yellows and browns and not much red or orange. But there were still enough colors in the trees to make the hillsides glow as the morning sun hit them just right, Mother Natures palette.
This trip was more about just getting out and enjoying some good company on the river before old man winter sneaks back into the picture (which is right around the corner in case you havn't checked a calendar lately).
The river was low and clear, typical late Summer/early Fall conditions and the fish were spooky because of it. The conditions weren't right for hucking big flies, which happens to be the preferred method of almost everyone I fish with, so we broke out the small wooly bugger patterns and the indicator rigs for the weekend.
The fishing wasn't what I would call tough although all of the better sized fish seemed to see us coming before we could get a cast off. The joys of fishing in gin clear water!
Although the fish were all on the small side, the fact that you're catching wild rainbows (and annually stocked browns) and not just some 12 inch "trucker" from the local hatchery definitely increases the enjoyment factor. One of these small wild rainbows tends to fight as hard as one of their stocked brethren that are twice their size. And although the trees were lacking in vibrancy, the fish seemed to be sporting their Fall colors nicely.
When you take into account the wild fish, beautiful Fall weather and some great company to share it with...I'd venture to say that it was definitely time well spent.
