Seeing a muskrat sends shivers down my spine.  It’s “freshwater Taliban” whose yen for burrows and tunneling are the source of hyperextended knees, unstable footing, and cursing fishermen.

I’d seen a couple last week and made every effort to move slow near the waters edge – and even slower in the water, but the little bastards got me…

I’m easing into position all sneaky like – can’t see my feet due to an oil slick and brown water, and then the bottom fell out.

Ten inches of water turned into five feet of coffee colored, cigar destroying, lukewarm  goo – compliments of a Muskrat tunnel whose roof collapsed, sending me down the muddy slope into the deep end.

On the one hand it was a welcome dip on a mighty hot day – but on the other – calling it water was being generous.

The path less trodden means you skinny out of your clothing without fear. A suitable rock to park your laundry for ten minutes and let the 103° temperatures work their magic. The eye-scorching whiteness of all that exposed flab likely fried some muskrat retina – so we’re even.

I’d been thinking it was time to get out of the sun anyways – but as I was testing out a new rod and a “hot weather” vest-prototype, I had lingered a bit longer.

The above Echo Classic is what that Redington RS4 should have been. I’m becoming a huge fan of Tim Rajeff’s Echo rods – and it’s not surprising, both of us spent our youth learning from them mean old guys at the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club.

… we share the same school of Kung fu ..

As I was “squelching” my way back to the car I located the Largemouth Bass nursery, and took out my remaining ire on stuff smaller’n me.

These little guys were responsible for baitfish spraying out of the water like leaping frogs. I had hoped it was something bigger chasing them – my best was about five inches long.

Tags: Largemouth Bass, Muskrat, Echo Classic 790, Echo Rod Company, Redington RS4, Taliban