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Date: April 18, 2020 Body of Water: Walden Pond - Concord, MA Moon Phase: New Moon minus four days Boat: None, Shore fishing with waders With: Alone Target: Stocked Trout Time: Noon - 3 PM Conditions: Snow tapering to sporadic sprinkles; overcast; 35 - 40 degrees F. Mild wind from all directions. The water remains very clear. I was mildly surprised to find that all access to my destination of choice (White Pond) had been closed by local authorities, ostensibly due to lack of social distancing practices. While the backside access wasn't totally closed, somehow two vehicles had managed to occupy the four existing parking spots. I'd been shut out! I figured I'd go to Old Lexington Reservoir, not because I wanted to, but rather to save the session. As an afterthought, I decided to at least look at Walden Pond. It was closer, and potentially provides a better fishing experience, but I certainly expected that it, too, would be closed. I was pleasantly surprised to find the State Park "open", and it was remarkably uncrowded because of the crappy, unappealing-to-most weather conditions. By Noon, I was set up on the prominent point to the left of the boat access point, with not another fisherman (other than a bald eagle) within a couple of hundred yards. I decided to set a Carolina rig on bottom with Powerbait while wading the nearby shoreline and casting a variety of lures. To get right to it; most of the session was spent contemplating how to describe the drive-by, swing-and-miss hit that I received in the first 15 minutes. Had it been a legitimate "thunk", or more of a solid "tick"? Despite the fact that the only other signs of fish I observed were sporadic, timid offshore rises over deep water at the end of my casting reach, the fish I'd missed had hit near the break just a couple of rod lengths away from my feet. The fish had tried to eat a gold-and-black DC5 Rapala that I'd allowed to sink for a count of 10 or 12 and had retrieved painfully slowly. That partial second of "action" was the extent of my fishing "success" until about two-and-a-half hours in. I worked hard on my fishing throughout, though. While soaking a variety of baits off bottom, at various depths and locations, I continued to cast lures and vary retrieves. I threw at least a dozen different lures in a range of sizes and colors, including spoons, grubs and count-down Rapala stick baits. Finally, using a deep and slow, subdued yo-yo retrieve with a green-and-silver CD7 Rapala, I instinctively swung on a perceived hesitation in the lure's vibration. This hit, too, was just off the break, and I quickly had my first Massachusetts brook trout in hand. I fished for another half hour or so, but nothing else happened. What do I have to say about this? This would have been my father's 85th birthday, and I owe a good chunk of my love of fishing (and more!) to him. It was fitting that, as I left for the day, I observed a dude just to the right of the boat ramp land two bass in succession (one brown, one green, and both of decent size) using shiners under a float. That was about the only way my dad wanted to fish, and while he wouldn't have tolerated the cold and wet conditions, he would have embraced the calm conditions and smooth water. I need to pay homage, too, to my good gear! Thick neoprene Orvis waders have turned into one of my most important accessories this season, and when combined with my StormR StrykR jacket, I've been able to comfortably "weather" all the conditions thrown at me. This, to the extent that I prefer the less crowded, uncomfortable days to the beautiful, comfortable days (such as the one I'm experiencing while I write this) for my local fishing. Finally, what a fine line divides confidence and uncertainty. Although when one is fishing Thoreau's pond, one should maintain clarity of thought and continue the pursuit of what is correct and best for the situation. Armed only with that thought, supplemented by the knowledge that this really was the best use of my time on this particular day and in this particular situation, I was motivated to keep on casting and to try to trigger that nuanced bite! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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