Years ago I was an avid river angler seeking salmon and steelhead in the fall and early winter months. The salmon were caught with an emphasis on curing the eggs for steelhead season starting on Boxing Day (my wife had not yet introduced me to the pleasures of ikura); inevitably a miserably cold and snowy day with ice forming on the lines. My family thought I was crazy, but always seemed to enjoy the catch.
Current fishing conditions (aka combat fishing) make me much less inclined to go out on the OFF chance of catching something. Instead, I am much more likely to paddle my canoe gently across picturesque waters in search of trout eager to play. The boy and I had a great evening last night on Lost Lake, a memorable way to spend the first day of summer! And as the summer progresses, we hope to hit some of the other equally picturesque lakes Oregon has to OFFer, as well as wade some of the many small streams and rivers.
But, getting rained on in a canoe seldom goes over well. If it is raining this side of Hood, we will head east in search of drier weather, and the possibility of getting intimate with some salmonid friends. The opportunity for a long drive with the boy is usually all the incentive I need.
I guess you can say that I have definitely become a "fair weather angler". Unfortunately, I may be teaching this trait to the boy.