Post by Petey on Dec 25, 2007 22:57:30 GMT -5
Well, at least that is how it started. I took out this past Sunday, 12/23/07 in a slight rain and a heavy wind. Was meeting a friend of mine from work after he got out of church, figured I would get a jump on him and get up there in the AM.
After arriving a little after 11:00, it take long to get rigged up. Finally I was getting to fish a little 3wt that I had picked up over the summer but had yet gotten wet. (Sweet little rod McDaddy). The big long pool at the end of the picnic area had been calling my name, so that is where the day started. I quickly picked up about 4 bows in clear shin to waste deep water, depending on where one was standing. Seconds after releasing my last fish, which was a sweet fat female, I returned to the shin deep part of the river from which I was standing. The only way to get there though was to wade back through the waste deep hole I had just crossed to land this fine rainbow.
As I stood there, in shin deep water, dressing my flies and getting everything back in proper working order something quite strange occurred. Or troublesome depending on your view point. In a matter of seconds what had been clear had turned brown, what had been a smooth moving current had turned a white capped rapid and what had been shin deep water was now just above my knee cap.
Ever gotten that creepy little voice in the back of your head that goes Uh Oh! Or sometimes says things much worse. Well, lets just say all of those sirens were going off and then some. I had heard of people talk about being swept away by a wall of water, deluges, cascading currents, flash floods.... whatever you want to call it. I was in the middle of one. Not a bad enough one to knock me off my feet with the initial push, but the log that cracked me on the knee cap that was about 8" in diameter and 5 feet long just about did. The water had rose a foot or more in what seemed to be seconds. It was at that time the only signal my melon was sending my feet was "It is time to go!" And that is just what I did, I took 4 steps, went about 10 yards down river, grabbed a overhanging tree and pulled myself out of the river. Once on the bank, I regained composure and turned to gaze upon where I had once been casting. What had been clear and meandering had become mud brown and turbulent.
I stood there for few just taking in the moment, and the more I thought about it the more I got pumped up. By the time I was had scurried back up to the road, I was just about beside myself. I couldn't stop mumbling to myself as I walked back towards my car. As I crossed the bridge I looked down see half a tree or more come floating down. All I could do was giggle to myself.
I returned back to my car for lunch and a little decompression while waiting on my friend to arrive. He comes pulling up a little after 1:00, looks at me and says "How's the fishing?"
I said "Let me tell you....."
After arriving a little after 11:00, it take long to get rigged up. Finally I was getting to fish a little 3wt that I had picked up over the summer but had yet gotten wet. (Sweet little rod McDaddy). The big long pool at the end of the picnic area had been calling my name, so that is where the day started. I quickly picked up about 4 bows in clear shin to waste deep water, depending on where one was standing. Seconds after releasing my last fish, which was a sweet fat female, I returned to the shin deep part of the river from which I was standing. The only way to get there though was to wade back through the waste deep hole I had just crossed to land this fine rainbow.
As I stood there, in shin deep water, dressing my flies and getting everything back in proper working order something quite strange occurred. Or troublesome depending on your view point. In a matter of seconds what had been clear had turned brown, what had been a smooth moving current had turned a white capped rapid and what had been shin deep water was now just above my knee cap.
Ever gotten that creepy little voice in the back of your head that goes Uh Oh! Or sometimes says things much worse. Well, lets just say all of those sirens were going off and then some. I had heard of people talk about being swept away by a wall of water, deluges, cascading currents, flash floods.... whatever you want to call it. I was in the middle of one. Not a bad enough one to knock me off my feet with the initial push, but the log that cracked me on the knee cap that was about 8" in diameter and 5 feet long just about did. The water had rose a foot or more in what seemed to be seconds. It was at that time the only signal my melon was sending my feet was "It is time to go!" And that is just what I did, I took 4 steps, went about 10 yards down river, grabbed a overhanging tree and pulled myself out of the river. Once on the bank, I regained composure and turned to gaze upon where I had once been casting. What had been clear and meandering had become mud brown and turbulent.
I stood there for few just taking in the moment, and the more I thought about it the more I got pumped up. By the time I was had scurried back up to the road, I was just about beside myself. I couldn't stop mumbling to myself as I walked back towards my car. As I crossed the bridge I looked down see half a tree or more come floating down. All I could do was giggle to myself.
I returned back to my car for lunch and a little decompression while waiting on my friend to arrive. He comes pulling up a little after 1:00, looks at me and says "How's the fishing?"
I said "Let me tell you....."
Guess there must of been one of them "Gully Washers" on up the mtn.. Suppose fishin prob wasnt so good after that.. Glad ya were able to get out for a day and from the sound of it, glad ya made it out alive.. 
? 
I've had a similar experience just below elkmont. Though I had the warning of some rain showers in minutes the water turned to mud and current was rolling in minutes with branches going by...little unerving to say the least...luckliy I was already about to leave and was on my side of the exit.
