Bridges! (by Montana Grant)
By angelamontana

Posted: May 19, 2015

grantmmmmtBridges are always great places to fish. The structure and shade seem to provide sanctuary and security for both fish and fishermen. It is rare when there is not a good fishing pool near a bridge.

River access is almost always available by most bridges. When you explore beneath the bridges, you can discover many things. Insects love to shelter under bridges. They provide fast food for the birds and fish that eat them. Swallows build their mud nests nearby so they can quickly feed their nestlings. Bats also cling to the dark nooks and crannies so that they too can feast on the abundant food source.

Echos are also a reality of being under a bridge. Sound and vibrations are amplified. Be careful of what you are saying so that folks nearby don’t hear you. No one can resist making goofy noises when near an echo zone.

Bridges are sanctuaries for us all. The sights and sounds soothe us. I am amazed how cars and hikers stop along bridges to talk and share stories. The bridges offer security and opportunity. Looking off of a bridge causes us to think about passing time and our mortality.

Big fish seem to live near these old structures. Many feed at night and simply take cover under bridges during the day. Raptors and other predators are kept at bay due the bridge’s shelter.

It is amazing at the junk we find near bridges. Midnight dumpers get rid of all kinds of stuff at remote bridge sites. I have found garbage bags full of drowned puppies and cats. Once I found several taxidermy big game trophies discarded by an angry spouse. Beer bottles, cans, shopping carts, butchered critters, building debris, and general junk seem to collect at bridge sites. These lazy litterbugs just seem to not care as long as the junk is not in their back yards.

Life ends and begins near bridges. Church groups seem to perform baptisms near bridges and disheartened people often end their lives near bridges. Many guided fishing trips begin and end at bridges. State and county lines are often crossed at these bridge landmarks.

Bridges frame our days and our lives. Many are labeled with dates and graffiti that identify heritage, romances, or opinions. I often imagine the stories of the history and lives that are attached to these places. What big fish were caught near them and the waters that passed beneath?

People also spit off of bridges! Remember to be aware of falling debris while fishing under a bridge.

Enjoy the day and cross safely!

Montana Grant

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