Guess what, Honey.

Eager to get out of town, particularly because my home waters are currently running at 13 CFS, but short on resources (mostly time and energy), I decided to hit a slightly larger stream less than an hour north.  This stream has been touted as being not only one of the most scenic in the state, but also as being one of the best smallmouth streams in the state.  I got a small fish on my third cast, and nothing the rest of the day.  In fact, though it was pretty, at least in places, the stream was largely lifeless.

Carp left, smallmouth right

First.  Only.

On my little trickle, I'll see three or four species of suckers on any given trip, as well as carp, smallmouth bass, rock bass, sunfish and bluegills, shiners and the occasional largemouth.  And so, because the day was not over, I paid her a visit.

 

I saw a bald eagle fly over not long before dark.  A small bird, a blackbird of some type, was chasing it.  When I got home, I told my wife about the eagle, but I never mentioned the blackbird.  Only later did it occur to me that, while it's common for small birds to mob large raptors, it's still no less remarkable.  I mean, if you saw a bear running through the woods being chased by a toddler, would you return home and say "Guess what, Honey.  I saw a bear.  Running through the woods.  Neat, eh?"