Ten Mile Dawn
By: Rod Bonacker
Still dark this morning when I step into the river
The sun is just kissing the top of the canyon a thousand feet above me.
Grand Canyon has no steelhead, just saying,
I wade to my waist and shake out the line, the first casts lengthen and straighten.
I’m casting pretty good today.
The big deerhair fly skates across the surface below me, skipping along the seams and micro currents.Man, I would bite that in a heartbeat.
Step downstream, Lift the line behind, cast again,
Mend the line straight, swing the fly,
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Light is halfway down the canyon wall, glowing in fescue,
Ancient basalts, dried balsamroot,
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Is that a bighorn up the….BOOOOSH!
Somebody threw a bus into the river down by my fly,
No grab though,
he missed it!
Cast again, cover the spot, nothing….
Give it a rest and change to the smaller fly.
This never works for me.
I’ll have to leave when the light hits the river, its an 8 hour drive home.
Hate to leave so much of this run unfished,
so much water, so little time.
Cast and swing again,
Cast and swing…….There!
Well, at least I won’t be skunked today.
I really should wade back to shore and get rid of some coffee.
The light is almost to the river, time to head home.
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Really…, last cast,
Step, cast, swing
Step cast, swing
Step cast, swing
Ok five more casts or until the light hits that rock,
I mean it
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
Step, cast, swing
