Every fish is a thrill to catch but none as thrilling as the first trout of the year caught in rapids. He pulled two more, smaller ones, from that spot, then worked up to the eddy below the large boulders and caught a brook trout, then another rainbow which he played until the fish was exhausted, then carefully brought it in, unhooked it and let it go.
Now he again checked his watch. It was 9:50. He had not made it to the upper reservoir, had never been there, decided he’d push on then speed up his return. Near the upper dam he climbed back to the trail, clambered up the steep staircase to the top and beheld a lovely, seemingly secluded mountain tarn. He thought to check his watch but purposefully decided against it. Quickly they set out.
A quarter mile up the narrow trail, the trail sev
