Monument Lake - First Day Out

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iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

Today was my first day on the water this year. I have good excuses for my tardiness: Iraq, surgery, and a nagging sense of responsibility. I hit Monument Lake at dawn. I got off to a fast start with several bites before hooking this bow.

I then set my sights on structure near a beaver dam. This is when the tide turned. I snagged a sunken branch and yanked hard enough to trigger a full intruder alert from the beavers. The first beaver swimming toward me in a confrontational manner didn't phase me. Three of them at once was a different story. At some point I decided that I needed to break off my line. That is when my rod snapped. It was my 5 weight - the one I catch trout with. Six months into 2011 and I have one trout and a broken rod under my belt. I am sure the next thirty minutes on the water will be better.