hero to zero...

I'm sure you've been there. Each cast greeted by a healthy, somewhat confused trout, which goes on for hours. No time to replenish your spent fluids or to relieve your waste collection. It doesn't matter that your exposed skin is crisping and cracking. That dinner you were suppose to arrive at thirty mins ago can wait. You're time spent on the water is never THIS good. They'll understand. Of course, they will. 

It's fishing, not catching, right? Those tough days really add to the appreciation during those limited, epic days. Or even an appreciation on a good day. 

A trend has begun to appear a month in regarding double day trips. The first day out on the water is full of anticipation and wonder. Will we get along? Who will be going for a swim? How many rocks will be painted by Tigre? Will the fish cooperate? 

Each time, on double days mind you, the fish have been too cooperative. Not so much on the second day. It's like someone is slipping a few benjamins to them! I find it confusing as well as frustrating at best. Could I be overconfident the second day thinking that I could find the fish running different lines, using different rigs, or different techniques? Are my drifts dragging on a microscale and I'm not noticing? Should I have run the identical program from the prior day? Are the fish Alabama fans with a disdain for the color orange?

I think too much. I can't help it. It comes naturally. Here I am sitting outside my tent on a bluebird day trying to understand the behavior of a living creature that functions with a brain the size of a nickel. I spend countless dollars and time trying to develop the money fly that will lead to an epic day.  I want to be the hero.

So far, my moment of glory has only lasted 24 hours at most. Not much time to bask as the second day has dropped me to the level of zero. I literally find myself going from hero to zero in the matter of 8 hours. Humbling is an understatement.  How do I discontinue this trend?