Some say communing with nature can be a religious experience. I, for example, find that everything in nature screams of the Creator. I don’t worship nature, but I find that the Lord’s hand is everywhere to be found in it. In the Bible, Job retorts in his defense against his so called friends, “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or ask the birds of the air, and they will teach you. Speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea tell you. Every one of these knows that the hand of the Lord has done this” (Job 13, 7-9). So, today I went to speak with Mr. Trout.
We recently started a new four-day, ten-hour work schedule that frees up Fridays. The new four-day workweek was a cost saving measure for some employees who are working four, nine and one-half hour days which is a five percent cost reduction. I suspect it will eventually go away when the economy recovers enough to return to a five-day, eight-hour schedule. For now I will enjoy it as long as it lasts. Today, for example, I was able to sleep in a little and then accompany my wife Denise and our foster child to visit the birth mother at Child Haven. Afterwards we hung my certificates and pictures in my new office, which was then followed by a late brunch for the three of us. When we got home about 1:30 pm I could hear those Cold Creek trout talking all the way down from my house. Denise graciously allowed me a run up to Cold Creek to see if the warmer weather had melted the ice off the pond.
Some of you FisherDad followers were disappointed when the pond froze over shortly after it was stocked due to a cold snap. This past week was unseasonably warm and with my new found Friday freedom I decided to check it out. And speaking of Friday’s off I was surprised to hear a voice message from my good friend and co-worker David who passed me on U.S. Highway 95. He had taken his family up into Mount Charleston to enjoy the winter snow (and perhaps try out the new four-wheel drive vehicle). They were returning from the winter playland when he noticed the Trout Truck heading in the opposite direction. David has great powers of deduction and instantly knew I was headed to fish Cold Creek. I found the fortuitous passing to be another example of how small the world really is when you pay attention to what is happening around you.
Well, I can tell you that the reason I could hear the Cold Creek trout calling me was that the ice had indeed melted off the pond. It was gloriously warm (close to fifty degrees) and there were no other anglers in sight; Cold Creek was all mine for the moment which greatly enhanced my ability to listen to the speaking fish, I might add. But it was not only the fish; there were the omnipresent Cold Creek feral horses (I resist calling them mustangs). As I was assembling gear and putting on my boots two young colts approached my truck. The horses around Cold Creek are pretty tame for the most part, but still not predicable so they are best left alone. These two youngsters sought me out which tells you something about their familiarity with all the Cold Creek visitors that bring them apples, carrots, or whatever. They came right up to the truck and were starting to stick their noses into the door when I shushed them off. Not sure but they weren’t saying, “Dude! Got carrots?”
I was excited to have the pond to myself. It had been a year or so since that had happened. Despite my anticipation the fishing started off slow. I caught my first trout about forty-five minutes into it. Fortunately over the next seventy-five minutes I caught four more. All five were about eleven inches or so, and they were healthy. They attacked the flies deep. Two were caught on a small scud pattern and the other three on a Rickard’s Callibaetis nymph, but all were caught at least four feet down. I was casting my six-foot, four weight fly rod. I only have an intermediate sinking line for that rod, and so I had to count to twenty to give the line a chance to sink deep before I started my retrieve. All the retrieves were slower than usual, by the way.
By 3:50 pm I had enjoyed myself enough to last another month or so, and I knew Denise would be looking for my return before dark. Although a short trip it was a joyous one that lightened my burdens enough to refresh my soul. And the conversation was delightfully praiseworthy.
I am SO GLAD you made a trip out there. I've been curious to know whether the ice has melted off or not yet. I am thrilled to see open water. Once again I enjoyed your writing. Thank you very much!
Devin —
My friend Mitch was up there Wednesday and took this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWQykO_myPo. I note for the record that he failed to let me know the ice was off, even if temporarilly. He must have wanted the pond to himself (smile). I don't blame him. Enjoy, and practice catch & release, not because they'll grow larger or reproduce, but because the increased pressure will diminish the enjoyment if we all harvest our limits. Tight lines and best wishes.
— Mark
We don't know each other, but I came across your blog and enjoy reading it. I appreciate your connection with nature and recognizing the hand of the Lord. Though I'm sure we don't share the same religion (except that we are both Christian), your latest post reminded me of one of my favorite scriptures:
"The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the bearth, and call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its dmotion, yea, and also all the eplanets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."
Thanks for the blog.
Anonymous –
I am happy that you stumbled upon my blog, and that you appreciate my perspective of nature and belief that it screams out for the creator Lord. Your quotation from Moses 6:63 (Pearl of Great Price written in 1851) is a close replica of Psalm 19:1-4 (“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world”, NLT). However, I cannot accept the Pearl of Great Price as divinely inspired “scripture” because it was written in 1851 and is not part of the bible scriptures (Apostle Paul warns us of this type of false teaching in Galatians 1:6-10).
You are correct that I am a Christian. I believe in one God and the mystery of the Godhead (i.e., that the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are three separate beings, but that they are one in purpose and will). I believe that Jesus, eternally begotten of the Father, was born on earth as both fully man and fully God. He was fully one with the Father, as he states in the bible. I believe that Jesus’s purpose in becoming man was to save us from sin (by taking all past, present, and future sin upon himself while dying upon the cross as the only perfect sacrifice to God the Father), to pull us out from under the law (which was given by God to Moses in order that we may see that we cannot earn our way into heaven because we are all sinners who cannot keep the law, every one of us but Jesus), and to teach us how to be in fellowship with God (through the gift of the Holy Spirit). And in recognizing that God, made man, died for my sins I am compelled to accept his gift at the cross, to believe in Jesus as the way to truth and life, to confess my sins and repent from them, and to be in loving fellowship with him. If anyone agrees with and believes these fundamentals of Christianity, then they are indeed Christian.
Stay in touch, and blessings to you on your journey.
— FisherDad
Forgive the typos–I copied and pasted and it included footnotes (which trew off the spelling).
The quote was not from the Book of Moses. It was from the Book of Mormon, specifically, the Book of Alma, Chapter 30, Verse 44. (Google isn't always right). But then again, I'm sure you don't accept that as scripture either. I'm fine with that. To each his own. I, however, do accept it as scripture and inspired writ. I also believe that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life and that no man cometh unto the Father but by him. I am very much a Christian. I know that Canyon Ridge teaches otherwise, but they are simply wrong. Good luck on your fishing adventures!
Anonymous —
We can’t engage in a scriptural discourse in this forum; you obviously know me so it’s up to you to connect with me if you wish. I will say that I cannot and will not judge my Mormon friends; that is God’s business. I don’t doubt that a Mormon can be saved through his belief in Christ Jesus and confession/repentance from his sins. As for me, I can only quote what the bible states regarding those that wish to add or detract from its scriptures, and I know that Canyon Ridge has much company amongst the majority of Christian churches in that regard (i.e., it’s not a “Canyon Ridge” thing). Nonetheless, we can be friends in pursuit of the Truth (see John 18:37, “Jesus responded, ‘You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.’ ”).
Blessings.
— FisherDad
Amen to that! I don't know you. I just noticed the GF sticker on the back of your truck in the picture, which was the reason for my reference to Canyon Ridge. I never intended to engage in any debate and still don't. Trust me, I know a lot about Christian beliefs so I'm not learning anything new to what you're telling me. I merely shared a thought that I appreciated. The source you may not agree with and I get that, but neither of us can or will deny that all things testify that there is a God. We can share that belief. That is a true statement no matter where it comes from! I'll be checking back in on your adventures.
Mark: I have worked the 10 hour shift – on graveyard. The only thing worse then graveyard is rotating shifts every 30 days. But that is behind me now, I am retired.I have fallowed your advice and am set up to relearn fly fishing. Will throw them all back because they are becoming exstinct.Because of the warm spell last week I drove up to Ely to look around. Sunny Side iced over same as Illipah Reservoir With 20 MPH wind, was glad to drive home.To God be the glory.John in LV
John in LV —
So good to hear from you, and that you're looking to relearn fly fishing. I hadn't heard from you lately so I was wondering.
Although your trip was fruitless relative to fishing, I'm sure it was nice to drive our open Nevada space. All that free time to think and ponder… maybe I relish that because I still have such a hectic life.
Anyway, good to hear from you. Just a little more patience to get on the other side of winter.
— FisherDad