By late June, the Gnome had grown bored of the small fish he was catching. He had a profitable spring season and caught and cooked his fill of the native fare—he’d smoked spry trout, fried fats panfish, boiled mudbugs, and even pickled some suckers—however he was hungry for one thing extra.
So, because the summer season solar grew imply and the creek thinned to a muttering ribbon, the Gnome obtained to excited about going as much as larger nation for cooler temperatures and greater fish. He’d heard tales of an historical, uncatchable fish. And that appeared like the right journey for an apathetic outdated gnome.
Apparently, the beast resided within the excessive alpine of the Obsidian Mountains and moved between lakes by the streams that join them. People who declare to have seen it stated it appears like a dragon or a large serpent slithering over the rocks within the skinny, gin-clear water.
It had been described as a “megalodon,” although nobody agrees on what which means. Some stated it was a relic from earlier than the final ice. Others claimed it was only a fish that obtained sensible and stored rising, fattened up on brook trout, ducklings, and the occasional marmot or deer fawn that ventured too near the water’s edge.
Whatever the fish’s title, the gnome may use a problem; his thoughts had grown stagnant, fishing for a similar outdated fish in the identical outdated spots. He determined to start out packing his bag. However first, he had to determine what he may even catch the elusive monster with.
He’d taken to tying flies within the colder months, however this outing would require one thing new. He sat at his vice and stared for a protracted whereas earlier than he reached for the largest dimension hook in his arsenal and set to tying. He labored late into the evening, however as soon as the moon was excessive, he had a couple of big flies to indicate for it.
One was streamer heavy sufficient to sink into the darkest depths of a mountain lake with flash and fur and an articulating motion that might entice any aquatic predator. The subsequent one he tied was a dry fly as huge as a crow with feathers from his spring turkey, fall geese, and pheasant. Lastly, he made a grotesque grub as huge as his forearm that he may nymph on the underside—not his favourite methodology of fishing, however a superb angler at all times has choices.
The subsequent morning, the Gnome set out on the foothills and wound his method as much as the meadows that lay on the toes of the craggy peaks. There, a river snaked by the luxurious inexperienced of the meadow, breaking up the verdant scene with a single cut up of turquoise.
As he approached it, he observed a bend that minimize deep into the financial institution. Its waters turned darkish, nearly black within the depths of the oxbow—the right place for a monster to lurk.
So the Gnome pieced collectively his fly rod and selected the streamer sample from his ludicrously massive fly field. He tied it on and examined the knot with all his energy. The thick tippet held, and the Gnome was glad.
Within the first forged, the streamer landed with a convincing thwack in opposition to the Gnome’s again. Fortunately, the barb didn’t sink into his pores and skin, and he simply untangled himself. The fly was too dang heavy to forged, however he tried once more, utilizing a double haul to get his line out. This time, the fly hit the water with a satisfying splash. The Gnome let it sink, then started to strip it in slowly, working the motion of the fly. He continued like this for about an hour, however with no bites, he determined to maneuver on up the meadow.
He stopped in a little bit of shade and ate some dried fruit, nuts, and jerky for lunch whereas admiring the view of the towering peaks throughout him. He stopped cracking walnuts when he thought he heard one thing within the water. Not the constant babble and bubble he’d listened to all day, however an alien splashing.
He regarded down the stream to see an armoured head, larger than his personal, barely breaking the floor and pushing upstream. It regarded like a warship, cruising in opposition to the present with out wrestle, the rhythmic swayings of its tail propelled it onwards.
The Gnome reached for this flybox and, as shortly as he may, tied the mammoth dry fly on the tip of the road. He forged a couple of instances and dropped the fly an arm’s size in entrance of the cruising brute’s path.
In a flash, the fish opened its gaping maw, engulfed the mess of feathers, and in a single liquid motion, disappeared under the floor. The Gnome braced himself, and the road started to hum out of his reel. He doubted this fish had even been hooked earlier than, nevertheless it certain didn’t like the feeling of it as a result of as soon as it realized the road was hooked up to it, the beast began shaking its large head and pulling line quicker and quicker. The drag screamed in an effort to gradual the roll, however the line nonetheless slipped by the Gnome’s calloused grip, slicing skinny and deep into his flesh.
The Gnome was working down the financial institution alongside the monster, attempting his greatest to make some headway, however each time he reeled down a couple of inches, the fish would writhe in protest. It tailed out of the water like a tarpon, gnashed its razor-sharp tooth collectively, and shook its head like a bull dealing with down a matador.
Then the fish took off on a run down the stream like a cannonball. Earlier than the Gnome realized it, he was previous the backing and fully spooled. His rod took on the complete weight of the brute, bent over like a query mark, and started to splinter on the apex. He ran towards the fish to attempt to sustain, nevertheless it was quicker. With an amazing leap into the air, the huge fish thrashed and spat the wad of feathers and hook out into the stream, leaving the Gnome awestruck, gasping for air on the shore.
The leviathan slipped into the shadows of the stream, and the Gnome didn’t see it once more. He wiped his bloody palm on his britches and stared on the water in reverence. It’d be cautious of his flies for some time, however he’d craft some new ones this winter and are available again the next summer season with a heavier rod and longer line to see if he may tempt the son of a gun once more.
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