The cold water was a welcome feeling on my legs as I eased my way out into the current. With nearly a month gone-by since I had last held a rod it was a long overdue sensation as well as a much needed bit therapy. The recent weeks had brought with it many obstacles, from the stresses of life and its ailments to the annual archery season; the result was my fly rods had been collecting dust. But life's ailments were easing a bit and I had a fat doe in the freezer compliments of the local oak ridges, so it was time. Having rigged at the truck for the walk into the stream I was ready to go. In my hand was my Far-and-Fine, lined with a 5-weight double-taper line, 5 foot furled mono leader and 4 foot of 5x fluorocarbon tippet. My fly of choice was a size 14 Squirrels Nest. All that remained was my indicator, of which I chose a yellow ½" Thing-a-ma-bobber and looped it into my leader just above the tippet ring. A quick glance upstream and my roll-cast flipped the rig to the head of the riffle.

The temperatures were dropping and it had rained for two days. We got about three inches which is great for the soil moisture but terrible for driving into ponds. But it was a fairly nice day and it was time to be putting a line on the water. I grabbed two rods and headed out to a pond. I had two boxes of flies with me. I took the fish basket and headed out from where the truck was parked. I had to hike about 3/10 of a mile to get to the east end of the dam. There is a nice broad flat there. The water slopes down to about 5 feet deep before hitting the drop off, that is 10 feet deep. This is a nice place to start casting to figure out where the fish may be. There are trees and bushes that allow triangulation to tell where the break line is.

This will be the last issue for 2013. We will give Ron Tidd, our faithful IT man, a well-deserved break and we will post a new edition on January 13, 2014.

May all of our readers enjoy the best Christmas possible and may the New Year bring health and good fishing.

Earl Madsen is a name that should not be a stranger to anyone. He was a famous Michigan river guide, a river boat builder and legendary tyer of the Au Sable River in Grayling, Michigan. He is credited with being Michigan's first commercial tyer and the first person to ever tie deer hair parallel to the hook shank. Our pattern today, the Madsen's Skunk has long been attributed to Earl and will probably remain that way.

It's Christmas time again, and in FAOL's best tradition, the Ladyfisher brings to you her thank you story.

The Lewis River will enchant the angler and entice the angler to solve the mysteries of the beckoning water. The pool below Lewis Falls holds the promise of large trout and the possible surprise of a hefty lake trout. Yet I know many anglers who have never visited this delightful and complex river especially the section from Lewis Lake to the falls and from the falls to the top of the Lewis River Canyon.

Mortality – the condition of being certain to die eventually.

Mortality is not a subject that is normally raised in proper conversation but in our private moments it sometimes creeps into our thought process. Autumn is a reminder that we are all mortal and the ensuing winter stamps that reminder with a powerful demonstration of the truth of understanding. When we doubt our own mortality all we have to do is look in the mirror and see if the person staring back at you looks like they did just a few years ago?

I grew up and spent most of my adult life in the North Country where Christmas time was defined by snow and cold and often weeks without a day on the water because of the air temperature or the wind velocity. Now, some look forward to a white Christmas and I surely understand that sentiment, however I now look forward to a green Christmas on the palm-lined saltwater rivers of Florida.

One thing I can tell you; putting up outside decorations is a lot more pleasant in seventy degree weather than it is in the snowy cold of the North Country.