Of mice and men

A short time to go, and the tying got serious recently. It's a mouse year in New Zealand and the word is that the fish are fat, healthy, and will give a ride to the rod. It's funny, reading the hype of beech mast years in New Zealand, how the trees give rise to masses of rodents in beech forests, there's a certain level of skepticism in my head. Sure, the entire ecosystem in the beech forests are heavy with nutrient right now, but how many fish are actually eating mice voraciously? Part of me wonders if a few foreign writers hit the waters looking for one fish here or there that will engulf a mouse pattern, and then write a long tale of the moment. Not every writer will tell the whole tale, leaving dangling bits out of the story that would actually tell the whole tale.

I do suppose that in a short time we'll find out about this New Zealand mouse year thing. Will we find fish for the 2 dozen mice patterns I tied this morning? Of course, our entire 2 1/2 month trip won't be spent in beech forests, but many of our favorite waters are. We'll cast at different times of the day and night just to be sure fish want these furry beasts. The excitement of the prospects of fat trout are making the next week a tantalizing wait. Just a little longer...