March 8, 2017 – Dry Dropper Scores 3.5 (2.75?) on a Short Trip to a Low and Clear Valley Creek

A few fish took midges dropped under an Ausable Wulff.

In case you haven’t noticed, I have off all this week for my spring break at the College.  Life is good, and I just landed a new job that will give me even more freedom with my schedule.  It still has not sunk in that a first generation college student, son of a ditch digger, is now Assistant Professor of English and Communications.  Crazy.  I am trying to stay focused on the fact that I will be busier for the first six months or so, as I adjust to the new lifestyle and lay down all my prep work for new courses, but in the back of my mind a voice is saying, You only teach one day on campus and one online class for the next 8 weeks!  You can fish 5 days a week, dude!  To make matters worse, Ward’s dad is retired and golfs every day.  When I saw him last month at a family party, he laughed and said his steadiest golf partners are full time professors… Having gotten to know many professors over my life in college and working in higher education, I know they work as much as people in sales, always on call but, besides a few class meetings and committees, they get the work done on their own time.  No punching a clock, just get the work done, even if it’s at midnight because you want to fish all day in State College on Wednesday.  

Well, enough of that and on to day 3 of my fishing spring break.  I graded papers in the morning and ran some errands for the family, but after eating lunch, it was just too nice to stay home.  I had a dry dropper rigged up on my 3 wt from my Monday flirtation with a trespassing rap, so I took a quick run to Valley—on public water.  It was breezy, and the water low and clear where I jumped in, but I landed 2 and tangled with 2 other little Valley tweeners, including a pretty leaper of 11 inches who jumped right off my barbless size 20 zebra midge at my feet.  I only fished for about 90 minutes, but I got a little walk in and some fresh air.  I am taking a trip with my dad tomorrow, which should be a fun, and it may be the last trip this week, unless I sneak out on Saturday or Sunday morning.