Fat Bottomed Girls!

A Corpulent Lassie

As Freddie Mercury of Queen sang, "Fat Bottomed Girls, you make the rockin' world go round."

Well now, the sky was clear, the wind was light; I was darn anxious to get back on the water and catch some "Fat Bottomed Girls". Yeah Baby!

I got up an hour later and headed to a different part of the river. I waded for close to an hour before I saw a tailer, but when I did, for the next several hours I didn't go more than 15 minutes without seeing a good target. What a day! I hated to stop and eat my Clif Bars because two tailing fish came into view while I was eating. I was disciplined; I made myself pause and stay seated for 15 minutes. My arms were already getting tired; I knew I would last longer if I rested. At one point I got fish on three successive casts. Oh, how they love Mr. P.'s Carp Carrot.

One particular phattie was in very shallow water. He was feeding and facing to my left. He turned straight towards me as I was making my backcast. I delivered the fly anyway a couple feet in front of him. He paused and then moved forward. I got to see his big mouth open and ever so casually hoover up my Carrot. I set the hook and we were off to the races. He took me way, way into the backing. It was one of those fish where I knew that not only could I easily lose him if he scraped the leader against rocks but I could lose my fly line if he sawed off the backing on a jagged edge. I did finally get him in and his mouth looked big enough to pick up a baseball. Okay, maybe not a baseball but a golf ball anyway.

By the late afternoon I was used up. I could still see the occasional tailing fish but my shoulder hurt, me ankle hurt, my arms were tired and my legs were tired. Hours of wading on rocks in the hot sun takes it out of a guy. I wanted to catch more fish but I didn't want to play them. I was tired but it was such a satisfying tired. I had my fill. Today, those fat bottom Carp girls made my rockin' world go round!

I sat for awhile, reflected, looked up, and gave thanks for an incredible day. I gave thanks for all of my many blessings. I thanked my dad for taking me fishing when I was little.