The girls walked down to the pond. They past the beaver damn that formed the pond, and looked around for the furry engineer, but couldn't see the little architect any where near. They followed the river bed until a small creek branched out and it was shallow enough to wade in. They found a nice shady spot under the trees, and stopped to rest. Sophia waded out and let the icy water wash her ankles and feet as she daydreamed, gazing at the blue of the Montana sky. Annie, bounded into the water beside Sophia, and quickly covered her with splashes while she laughed. "So where are these tadpoles, I see lots of baby fishes, but no tadpoles?" she asked, continuing to lightly splash her friend. "Tadpoles need still water," we will have to go back down toward the pond. Did you bring a jar?" "Shoot, I didn't think about that, I guess we will have to do pebbles today. Lets see if we can find 16 white pebbles," Annie said as she began to search the shallow water. "Oh look, a water skipper!' Annie said to Sophia as she looked up and saw her friend staring downstream. and Annie looked to see Gene wading into the water.
Gene's flannel shirt lay on the riverbank, and his taught body rippled as he cast his fishing line out into the water. "Hey..." Annie started to sat, but Sophia quickly put one hand over her friend's mouth and put the fingers on her other hand to her lips, signaling Annie to be quiet. The Girls backed up under the under brush and sat down to watch him fish. Gene's bamboo fly fishing rod bent with a gentle elegance, and Sophia liked the methodical way he would cast, reel in, and cast out again. The beauty of his line as it ribboned across the water, was elegant, yet precise. The effort was deliberate and patient. He seemed to enjoy the process of his work, and Sophia wondered what would happen if a trout actually took ahold of the fly. She liked the way his golden hair brushed his shoulder as he drew his fishing pole back to cast. Just as she got used to the controlled beauty of his casting motion, a thick rainbow trout jumped out of the water and grabbed the fly in mid air. Gene jerked the pole and set the hook into the mouth of the fish. As he reeled the fish in, the line caught on a boulder, and Gene struggled to keep his balance as we waded out into the deeper water
Gene's flannel shirt lay on the riverbank, and his taught body rippled as he cast his fishing line out into the water. "Hey..." Annie started to sat, but Sophia quickly put one hand over her friend's mouth and put the fingers on her other hand to her lips, signaling Annie to be quiet. The Girls backed up under the under brush and sat down to watch him fish. Gene's bamboo fly fishing rod bent with a gentle elegance, and Sophia liked the methodical way he would cast, reel in, and cast out again. The beauty of his line as it ribboned across the water, was elegant, yet precise. The effort was deliberate and patient. He seemed to enjoy the process of his work, and Sophia wondered what would happen if a trout actually took ahold of the fly. She liked the way his golden hair brushed his shoulder as he drew his fishing pole back to cast. Just as she got used to the controlled beauty of his casting motion, a thick rainbow trout jumped out of the water and grabbed the fly in mid air. Gene jerked the pole and set the hook into the mouth of the fish. As he reeled the fish in, the line caught on a boulder, and Gene struggled to keep his balance as we waded out into the deeper water
