SEEKING TROUT IN UNTAMED WATERS

The sun beat down on the pristine surface of the lake, a shimmering mirror reflecting the towering pines that fringed its edges. The air was thick with the scent of sun-warmed grass, and a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, whispering secrets only the old forest knew. I stood at the water's bank, my wader-clad feet sunk into the soft soil, a