Took the boy out fishing today. Well, more accurately, we went out for some casting practice over on Long Pond, near Castle Island Camps.

The conversations between the several anglers there all went something like this:

"Are the fish biting?"

"Well, we've only been here about 10 minutes. But, no."

"That's what I figured."

It's still, obviously, very cold and the water is rushing around at a high level. It's not exactly flood level, but it's still high enough to cause problems.

Mostly, the 4 1/2-year-old in the group spent time trying to "catch" a piece of rope that was sitting at the bottom of the lake. This just in: the rope wasn't biting any more than the fish were.

When we got back to the house, my wife and daughter greeted us at the door.

"Did you bring back dinner?" my wife asked.

"We did if you're looking for saltine crackers and a bottle of water."

Funny, isn't it, how one week before you can catch all you want for a meal while ice fishing — only to not be able to induce so much as a nibble while "open water" fishing just a few days later?

Nature is a crazy world, indeed.

-- TB