A smallmouth-filled trip last week was punctuated by up-close bald eagles, grouse drumming in the woods, raucous kingfishers, sandhill cranes on a sandbar, and a black bear ambling down for (I guess) a little drink. Missing were other anglers, and we only saw a few cabins. Rivers are, for me, special places.
Rivers offer exceptional fishing opportunities for a variety of warmwater, coolwater, and coldwater sport-fish. It’s axiomatic that the more difficult the access, the better the fishing quality measured by the size and abundance of the fish, less disturbance of the fishing environment, and fewer anglers encountered. Relatively small and shallow rivers and streams—what are often called wadable streams—are better accessed and fished on foot. And, as a conscientious angler, you have an obligation to preserve the serenity and…
