I was fishing the other day trying out some new nymph patterns, dredging through some deep areas and lifting the fly slowly to the surface to try and get a reaction.

I felt a tug and thought "Fish On," but the initial tug was replaced with lifeless weight. Bringing it in closer I could see it was a shoe.

I grabbed the wet sneaker no doubt lost by some floater in a raft accidentally. As I unhooked my fly from the laces, a brown, scaly, croaking, cold blooded thing scuttled out into my hand, evoking scenes from Alien.

I almost fell over I was so startled. Inside the shoe was the biggest crawdad I've ever seen! I think it was just short of hauling that shoe around on its back like a hermit crab.

Not what I was expecting, but a lot of fun.

the critter needed a house. the shoe worked in a pinch...