Naming the Run...

Coming down the road, looking down on the water....we knew it had to be fished.  

It had all the characteristics, even flowing current stretching over a long gravel bar.  A slight chop on top of the water gave clues that the run had the bolder garden buckets that drew fish in like a magnet.

It screamed at us, swing it, and swing it now.

Still, it's tough to have complete confidence in water you've never fished, let alone catch a fish.

We all looked at each other to determine where each of us would jump in.  Rarely is anyone the asshat who runs into the water without the normal pleasantries of asking.  You have to pretend you don't care where you start but your lying, as you've been eying the bucket since you got out of the car.

I am sure countless others had fished this run in the past, there's no doubt about it.  It's too popular a river, and steelhead bring people out of the woodwork.  But to us it was the maiden voyage.

Twenty minutes in, we all started to doubt our selection of water.   New runs tend to do that to you.  Success gives confidence,  repetitive casting without a tug makes you think your crazy.

In the midst of the should we or shouldn't we leave conversation....Bo almost gets yanked into the river.

So without adieu, it was time to name the run.

Back at the truck, we discussed over the post run/congratulatory PBR's what the hell our group was going to call this piece of water.   Bo had the honor, as the guy who lands the first fish usually gets to right to do it.

Every different group has different names for the same pieces of water.  Confusion rains when one guy tries to explain to another the defining characteristics of a run that he calls "Black Rock" and other guys calls, lets say.."Tall Tree"

On my home river, names also revolve around what is around it.  The Ranch Run, Cattle Company, The Rocks, and so on.

Other times, runs are names after people, as in Poppy's Riffle on the Clearwater.

So we all looked around and threw out suggestions.  "Annexation of Puerto Rico" was suggested but quickly thrown out.  After some him and hawing....Bo named it.

The Grove.....named after the oddly out of place grove of trees over looking the run.

Does your group have a great way to name runs, or a great story on how your favorite piece of water was named? ....shoot me an email at jmills81 at hotmail dot com and I will throw it up here.