Trout Fishing Memories

[BrokenolMarine]

Several years ago, the wife and I took a guided day trip trout fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains outside of Gatlinburg, TN. We spent several days after that, fishing the mountain on our own. I learned a lot during that week, and it was a trip not to be forgotten. The memories will last a lifetime.

I took my three weight fly rod and was happy to get a chance to throw it. It's really too small for anything around here, even the panfish need at least a four weight. I had heard the native rainbows were small.

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Miss Tina has always been a great fly tyer but was a late starter to fly casting due to a bad shoulder. She has fished since she was small child, but reluctant to try fly fishing due to a range of motion issue. One day fishing a large reservoir, I was catching panfish all day, and she hadn't had a bite.
I rigged a light four weight fly rod and showed her a basic cast, and she started catching small bream. I taught her to cast without involving her shoulder. We worked on technique, and now she has a beautiful long cast with her elbow and shoulder tucked tight... This trip was a joy to her and really hooked her on the trout aspect of fly fishing as well.

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I have never been into the Hippie Culture, even though I grew up in the middle of that period, and a lot of my aunts and uncles were all about it... but I understand the ZEN of fly fishing... all you have to do is stand in the middle of the trout stream, and look around you.

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These days, I still hear the water call... but gimpy can't come... LOL.
I still feel the pull, but the kayaks won't navigate those waters.

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Back then though, I learned a lot of lessons, and tried to remember them, as I fished for trout the next ten years or so... I'll share them, so maybe they help a few of you guys if you decide to give 'er a try.

1. Mountain trout stream water is fed by snow covered mountains... it's cold. Even in MAY.
2. If it runs down your waders, it'll find your goodies.
3. The river looks slow and calm in the wider spots. Running between rocks it's got power. The river runs DOWN stream, it's got power. When you step out from behind a River Rock, you'll discover the power.
4. River rocks are covered in green snot.
5. Green river rock snot is slicker than bearing grease on glass.
6. If you slip and fall back onto a River Rock.. the combination of RIVER power and River Rock snot, is NOT a good combination.
7. See #2
8. Digital Cameras, even a $900 DSLR, can't swim, even if they look like they are doing a dolphin kick underwater.
9. Memory Cards, however, are waterproof if you dry them out.
10. Native trout, strike like diamondback rattlers. The first few (twenty five or so) strikes you'll likely miss.
11. Missing trout strikes improves your vocabulary.

I so enjoyed the trip. I couldn't wait to go back. We didn't get back to Gatlinburg for a good while, but we managed to get to the South River in Waynesboro, Va several times over the years and had a very nice time. The rod in this picture is a bamboo rod Miss Tina built for me for a birthday, father's day, Christmas, birthday, present. (It took her a lot longer than she thought it would.) It turned out to be worth the wait.

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[BrokenolMarine]

The funniest part of the slip and fall in this story is I was downstream of Miss Tina when I slipped. The water wasn't deep, but it WAS cold enough to take your breath away. She was a hundred yards UP stream and looking UP stream. I stepped out from behind a big boulder and moved toward an open pool to cast, and the weight of twenty miles of River hit my knees. I was a goner. I got my wading staff behind me... and SAVED. Oh, Oh, Oh.... maybe not. I started being pushed backwards by the current.....

It was like slow motion.... I ... was... going... down.
Then, leaning backwards at a 45 degree angle... I came up against a large rock behind me. Whew... saved again. Uh oh... Maybe not. IN addition, the River was rushing UP my waders and going over the front and running DOWN... Have I mentioned somewhere that the water is .... cold.

Slowly, like molasses in Winter, I could feel myself sliding sideways. I was trapped against the rock by the current, my staff behind me. My feet upstream, and it was like time stood still... but not still enough. I was going and I knew it. This was going to suck.
As soon as I hit the water, I turned downstream, and pulled my feet UP in the float position, I steered for a clear area where I could see sand... then I stabbed my feet down, and stood. I sloshed to the side, and walked to the truck and unlocked the doors. The keys were in a waterproof box in a zippered pocket. (Thankfully.) Water was draining from the Nikon.

I was cold, but I had a dip pack in the truck. (Dry clothing and towels, in case you take a "dip" )

I stripped my waders outside the truck and hung them on the mirror, and climbed in to change. Tina was still fishing.

[CT_Shooter]

You handle a pen as well as you handle a chisel, Marine. Thanks for sharing this story and for telling it so well.

[White Squirrel]

Thanks for the story, brings back memories. Not gimpy, but arthritis in my hands does not leave me enough dexterity to tie on a fly.

Still, I have some great memories of fly fishing, especially standing in a stream in northern Michigan in a late spring snow storm watching an eagle making lazy circles in the sky. Just a beautiful sight.

[Cofisher]

Time spent standing in a river does not count against your life span. It is free time. And yes those rocks are covered in snot.

[JEBar]

your words and pictures brought back memories of fishing the streams in my home area of the NC mountains .... yep, even the cold mountain water getting into my waders .. .. I've really tried to get into fly fishing, bought the equipment and the whole 9 yards .... I've still got it but have never enjoyed using it .... give me a spinning rod and I'm right there with you

[North Country Gal]

Nothing more beautiful than a clear, cold trout stream. Even if I never fished, again, I would love to be near one. Thanks for a GREAT report and, I agree, you are a gifted writer.

[BrokenolMarine]

Thank you all for the compliments. I appreciate them. Having a way with words... has been my gift. My wife says I am a Bull... ah. She says I am an "artist." I can't help but to inject humor in most of the things I write... you'll have to forgive me... it's just me.

[ditchparrot]

This stretch of the North Fork of the Feather River is less than a half-hour from my house, and sadly, I haven't been there all year. I've had lots and lots of family and work stuff going on and, truth be told, I've spent too much time and money propelling tiny lead projectiles through a shotgun at clay targets.

It's a beautiful place with beautiful fish, but the wading is absolutely brutal. I probably fall in every other time I go and I'm an extremely cautious wader.

I've got until Nov. 15 to get up there – that's when the season closes. I have to get it done at least once!

BTW, the fish up there seem to love that size 12 Pheasant Tail nymph, which I tie with a reddish-colored wire and olive-hued feathers from wild Montana birds.

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[BrokenolMarine]

I went with Healing Waters to fish a couple years ago. I was able to fish a few areas of a beautiful trout stream. The day was one i'll never forget. We were usually Volunteers with the group, teaching fly tying and Fly Casting, or Coaching other vets on the trips. This time, a premium trip came up and the director of the chapter came to me and said they had a slot and wanted me to take the slot as a vet and enjoy the trip. Miss T could still go as a coach. I always declined and gave the trips to the younger Service Members, but he insisted. I was glad in the long run that he did. This was a beautiful trip, donated by a sponsor... Escatawba Farms Fly Fishing.
https://www.escatawba.com/

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