Reflections on a coho

A few late season cohoes drift over the gravels. Their bright red cheeks and sides and grey-green backs visible. Their missile forms drift backward over the gravels into the dark, side-stream hole. I roll cast up into the shallow gravels before the hole. The lead on the leader follows over and the egg patterns sink into the flow. A quick mend and the fly swings through the hole without incident. Again, again, and again and then…a bright flash of silver and I raise the rod quickly setting the hook. The rod doubles over and line slips in jolts through my wet fingers after the running fish. The reel begins to sing.