Make the most of every opportunity!

Last Tuesday was a beautiful day! I woke up early in the morning as a guest in my parents home near Huntsville, Ontario. Bacon and eggs were already being prepared in the kitchen as I sat with my coffee enjoying the view Muskoka sunrise. The day ahead was going to be busy so this brief moment was precious. My only concern ... how was I going to find even an hour to spend down at the river with my Ultra Lite.

Well, breakfast was done and off I went to my morning meeting on the other side of the lake. The conversation was great but the time was racing by so I excused myself and got back in my truck for the two and a half hour drive to my next meeting.  There was no way I was going to get a chance to fish down by the dam as I had planned but I reasoned I could at least drive down and take a quick peak.

There had been a lot of rain and the river was raging. When I looked in my rear-view mirror, I could only see my rod reflecting in the early afternoon sun almost as though it was teasing me. My mind wandered back to the morning meeting and it caused me to rehearse the words I heard one of the men speak almost prophetically, "Make the most of every opportunity Andrew." As I sat in my truck down by the impatient water I reasoned that this moment may never return and I justified in my heart that five quick casts couldn't hurt anyones schedule, so I put my old Chevy in park, grabbed my rod and climbed down the rocks to the river.

The day was cold and even though there had been no rain, the air was quite damp and the wind had begun to blow. Fortunately, I had my brand new Carhartt Quick Duck Woodward Traditional Jacket on. The closer I got to the water, the more I could feel the cold mist from the river wash over my face and hands but amazingly, I was warm and comfortable. Nothing came through the Quick Duck fabric.

OK ... only time for five quick casts. I took the rod and cast out my #3 Blue Fox Gold and Red Spinner. I began to retrieve and felt a sharp tug on the line. I reasoned that a combination of the current and the rocky bottom were playing tricks on me. I couldn't get over all of the room in the shoulders and under my arms in this Carhartt. Don't think I've ever felt more comfortable, dry and warm fishing with a jacket on. Then my phone rang. Will I take the call? It could wait. I only had a few minutes here and I wasn't going to miss this moment for anything!

Another three casts and my plan was to go. Five cast was all I could justify when I had to be in another meeting by four o'clock.

Then it happened. Those tugs and pulls that I mistook for rocks and fast moving waters finally gave up their true identity ... IT WAS A FISH!

The line tore out of my real and the fight was on. My little Bass Pro Ultra Lite bent like a young tree in a hurricane. It took me almost three minutes to bring the beast close enough to shore for me to identify what it was. To my delight, it was one of the biggest trout I had ever caught. This was one for the story books!

The moral of the story, when life presents you with special moments, make the most of every opportunity!