FALL REFLECTIONS

Neil M. Travis - October 10, 2011

There is a certain ambiance about fall; a feeling of melancholy, a certain unease, and yet a glorious celebration of the completion of another bountiful season. The days can be warm but there is a bit of an edge on the breeze, a reminder that it is no longer summer despite the blue sky and warm sunshine.

Yellowstone River, Park County, Montana

The entire natural world begins to respond to the changing seasons. The vegetation is the most obvious; changing from its summer dress of green to yellows, reds, and oranges. The first snows of the coming winter dust the surrounding hillsides, and fog drifts down the river valleys in the cool autumn mornings.

As the temperatures cool and the days begin to get progressively shorter the need to prepare for winter causes wildlife to feed with a renewed urgency. Birds prepare to migrate to warmer climes, bears prepare to hibernate, and romance is in the air for elk, deer and moose. The cooler water temperatures stimulate aquatic creatures too stir from the lethargy caused by the hot days of summer and anglers find that many fish are eager to feed on their offerings. Brown trout move toward their traditional spawning areas with hungry rainbows close behind hoping to make a meal on stray eggs. Warm water species take advantage of the final warm days to take beef up for the long days of winter beneath the ice. With warm days and no biting insects to spoil the day many anglers consider the fall season their favorite time of year.

As the sun sets on another summer season it's good to look back on the blessings that we enjoy and look forward with anticipation to another season in the sun.

It's time to get out and make your own memories this fall season. They will keep you warm through the long months of winter until the warm days of another spring brings the promise of another summer in the sun.

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