12/5/19 Journal

This morning I was reminded by my phone memories app of an exceptional day on the water that I had exactly one year ago today. Last year one of my best friends, Chase, and his dad accompanied my Dad and I to the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX. We hired two guides with two boats. Chase and I shared one boat and the dads shared the others. The cool morning started off rather slow, but as the sun crept above the trees the trout seemed to awake in a feeding frenzy. Although these trout are stockers and are replenished annually, the conservation association Trout Unlimited stocks large rainbows and browns from Montana. This makes for very exciting fly fishing opportunities, especially for us Texans that usually must drive to New Mexico or Colorado to have a go at trout this large. That day Chase and I landed fifty trout, about half and half browns and rainbows. In the picture you can see just how beautiful rainbows can be. This particular photo is my favorite simply because I believe it is the most beautiful trout I have ever landed. Rainbows offer quite a bit variety in their color scheme, but this one has a unique dark tone that I still have never encountered again. The brown back transitions to a pink, almost red, center that seemed to flash through the clear water of the Guadalupe. I remember back to this moment last year and think of what a fantastic trip this was. It was perfectly timed to give me a last breath of fresh air before putting my head down for finals. Although I didn't get this last breath this year, I especially needed it last year because my coursework was far more challenging. This day on the water will hold a special place in my heart forever. It was one of the few days where the trip was already perfect because of the company of dear friends, but made even better by our success on the water.