What do Rep Your Water, the Trout Routes App, and the COVID-19 pandemic have in common? You might not think much, but you also might be surprised, as I was today.
My nature is such that I embraced Rep Your Water's "Fish, Explore, Conserve" campaign the first time I saw it; a simple leather patch that I don't believe was ever marketed, at least so far. Similarly, I started using the Trout Routes App as soon it was available for Android, Although the most advanced version is an iPhone product. Accordingly, it was the first app I bought when I got my new iPhone SE last fall. It has enabled me to "fish and explore" a variety of new and secluded locations during this year that the pandemic has required us to "fish local." I've written previously about my exploits at trying to figure out how County Ditch #3 in the neighboring county ever got designated as a trout stream. I still haven't found any there.
Dawdling my time away this Saturday morning, I happened upon an easement that I had never noticed before. I don't know if it was new, or I just hadn't looked in that direction, although I do most of my pan fishing on the lake's west of where I live. In any event, there is this stream. According to Trout Routes, it is located on an easement. It is fairly close, within easy cycling distance, of my house. I went out and looked at it today. There are improvements, a spot that looks like a parking pull off, although it's full of snow right now, and there is a stream. I'm not going to tell you exactly where it is, but it is local, it is on the app, and I am going to explore it. I don't even know if there are fish there yet. Time will tell.
And I might even give County Ditch #3 another try too.
