Author: FisherDad

I am a Christian who has been married to my wife for over four decades, with six children and four grandchildren so far. I have retired from a string of successful occupations as a certified public accountant, a chief financial officer, and a registered municipal advisor. I have been a fly angler for almost five decades. My one and only article submission was published by Southwest Fly Fishing magazine (now American Fly Fishing). You can learn more about me by clicking on “About” on the top of my blog page.

Dacey Bass Fishing

Looking southeast across McGill Reservoir; note dust trail in the air from the Trout Truck

Patience. It’s an acquired taste. For some of us (me…), that acquisition can span decades. I had heard it said that hardship fosters patience, patience breeds character, and that character produces hope. Paul, in Galatians 5:22, says that patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and I suspect that my later-life rebirth explains that missing fruit in my younger years.

So, what does a fishing photo shoot look like?

Ron, a retired principal from Santa Barbara, attempts to land a 20+ inch rainbow.

WARNING: This blog contains fish porn.

When I was in my late twenties I got the bug to write an article or story on fly fishing, so I did. I had just read Nick Lyons’ book, “The Seasonable Angler.” I could identify with Lyons’ conundrum of balancing family, work, and fly fishing (and of course, I added serving My Lord to that equation). I never submitted the article to anyone, but it did light a smoldering fire. I’m sure this blog has its roots in that early effort.

Brotherly Love on Dacey Reservoir

My son Doug and brother Bruce, launching into Dacey Reservoir (Grant Range in the background)

The Greeks have four words to describe love based on their observations on the subject. There is their word éros (ἔρως) to describe “physical” passionate love that carries a sensual desire and longing; a more self-centered “erotic” driving force. Then they have philia (φιλία) to describe a “mental” love, an affectionate regard or friendship that exhibits the give and take seen in families and friendship (the root of Philadelphia, city of brotherly love, originates from philia). Their word storge (στοργή) describes “affection” as in a parent’s natural affection for its offspring. Most importantly, they have agápe (ἀγάπη) to describe a “spiritual” love, a true sense of unconditional love that is selfless; it gives and expects nothing in return. Agápe is the word used in the Bible’s “love chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13; it is a sacrificial and spiritual love. I believe all four words are used in the Bible, but perhaps a more scholarly Bible reader will post a correction to that assumption. Anyway, the point is that in context each clarifies what God was saying in the Holy Scripture.

Faith in Dacey Reservoir, Wayne Kirch WMA

Dacey Reservoir after a morning of angling.

In my Paul/Timothy group we were discussing “faith” and in particular its two elements: belief and trust. You may say you believe something to be true, but if that belief lacks trust it may not result in a corresponding action. The analogy used in our discussion was that of a tightrope walker. Assume you had observed him crossing back and forth several times on a tightrope, so when he asked if you believed he could do it again a reasonable answer would be “yes”. But if he then invited you to climb on his shoulders while he walks the tightrope, wouldn’t you likely decline due to a lack of trust? This concept works in the workplace, as without trust employees are unlikely to follow their managers; they may believe their manager knows what he’s doing but if they don’t trust their manager it’s unlikely they’ll follow them when the going gets rough. Biblically, we see this concept as “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17 NIV).

Pre-Thanksgiving at Cold Creek

Some slushy snow at Cold Creek pond, and across the glass-like water surface you see the snow-capped Sheep Mountains in distant background.

I didn’t fish last Saturday when I visited Cold Creek in a light snowfall, although I was able to enjoy the drama displayed by Mother Nature instead. So, I decided to fulfill my ceremonial pre-Thanksgiving afternoon fishing trip. I probably shouldn’t have gone since I was feeling under the weather, but I was curious about the snow remnants. Enjoy the pictures.

Cold Creek Coyote Gives Chase

Indian Ridge runs along the the Cold Creek Road to the west. This day it was draped in a dusting of light snowfall.

Three days of drizzly weather in late fall was producing snow-capped mountains in the Spring Mountains Range. The peaks were enticing me to try fishing Cold Creek in the snow, although I wasn’t sure how low the snow got down. Studying Red Rock Canyon and La Madre Mountain from town indicated the snow level was about 5,000 feet. Since Cold Creek Pond was at 5,900 feet I knew I would be driving in the snow. Still, it was worth an early morning adventure.

Cold Creek – Fall Stocking

A view of the town of Cold Creek in the distance (a little dusting of snow on Willow Peak in the Spring Mountains)

I had received a few inquiries on the stocking of the pond at Cold Creek – my Veterans Day visit confirmed it is so. An email from my friend Mitch this morning also said it occurred two weeks ago. Chan will be smiling because I didn’t jump the gun this year.

Dacey Reservoir, Sunnyside, NV

Dacey Reservoir, looking southwest (Hot Creek Butte on left, 11,000 foot Grant Range in center background)

Sunnyside (now Wayne Kirch Wildlife Management Area) first came into my consciousness in the 1980’s through fish-talk with the EG&G Purchasing Director, Merl Rees. Merl told stories of large trout, sixteen to eighteen inches, in the Sunnyside reservoirs. At the time my fishing interests were focused on streams and high mountain lakes. It wasn’t until April of 2005 that I first visited the Wayne Kirch Wildlife Management Area (i.e., Kirch, a.k.a. Sunnyside). Kirch has four fishable reservoirs. On all four reservoirs the only shore-accessible fishing is from the dam; boats, pontoons, and tubes are the most effective way to fish these reservoirs due to significant bulrush growth along the shorelines.

Dacey Reservoir, Sunnyside (Wayne Kirch WMA)

Here’s Dacey Reservoir from dam, looking north with the Egan Range on the right, White Pine Range in distant left.

Do you notice how sometimes our initial impression of something, perhaps driven by a comment from someone or a story we may have read, sticks with us and clouds our judgment. It can cause us to avoid the person or thing for a long time until we decide to investigate the reality. I suppose belief in God can be like that for some.

Illipah Reservoir & Cave Lake – White Pine Co.

To those of you who read my blog for the fishing, my apologies for my slight diversion today. But I have to say that God knew what he was doing when he gave man a helper (Genesis 2:18).