In the cold and wintery silence of the Sapphires, I geared up amid a flurry of snow that reminded me why I had nearly followed the allure of slightly more pleasant weather on the Bitterroot, despite how much I had felt like going to Rock Creek. I’ve gone fishing in zero degree conditions more times than I can remember, and yet, for some reason, I had been so concerned about a little bit of wind and a slightly colder temperature. I guess I had been focused on factors out of my control, rather than just following my heart, knowing that my gear would keep me warm at either location. While fishing, I contemplated this tendency to become preoccupied with the things we cannot control in life, while opportunities to better ourselves, and the lives of those around us, pass us by. If something is beyond our control, why worry about it? I resolved to focus more on that which I can affect, and to try not to worry too much about the rest.

Rock Creek was kind today, and within the first few casts, I landed a nice 18” cutty on a San Juan. From there, the theme stayed consistent throughout the afternoon; big fish readily taking big flies.In particular, I was getting into more browns than I am used to for the lower section, with the prize of the day being a 20” brown that was hanging out underneath a downed tree in some fast water, making for a difficult landing. Before leaving, I enjoyed a cold Pepsi while the sun disappeared, and thought about how glad I was that I followed my heart today, rather than the weather.