Post by Petey on Nov 13, 2006 13:36:16 GMT -5
Saturday night after the football game, I turned to Marmot to see where he wanted to fish. I was looking to wash away any memory or thought of what I had just witnessed on TV from Fayetteville, Ark.
Marmot hit me with a stream I had never fished and one that I wasn't sure I was wanting to fish. But he was certain it was going to be good. Though he had never been there before himself. He had been in the area several times but had never ventured up this trail to this stream and I was kind of uncertain of the whole situation. I am always looking for something new and possibly a new place to play and explore. I figured why not, the worse that could happend is we would get skunked, fall in the water and drown. So I figured anything short of dying would be bonus.
I got to Marmot's at 6:00 am there abouts. He was up watching Shaft, the movie. He had whipped up a couple of Canadian Bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. He turned and handed me one. Said he knew I wouldn't have time to make one myself. I let him know how much it was appreciated and that it help me from having to eat that cold chewy oatmeal square. He threw his gear in the Jeep and off we went.
We got to where we needed to be, rigged up and hiked a mile in (roughly). It was still cloudy but at least there was no rain. We had hiked by a lot of nice water already and my apprehension was starting to lesson. It was time to fish. It started out slow but picked up as the day wore on. We took lunch about noon and we had each landed a few bows. The entire time I was amazed as to the beauty of the river and why I had never heard much of it before. Marmot and I discussed this very fact during lunch before coming to the conclusion we wouldn't break the trend of silence.
After lunch, which consisted of the chicken of the sea, beef jerky so salty that your mouth was a dry as a desert and a snickers bar we were at it again. This time we took turns sharing runs instead of playing leap frog. Somebody had officially flipped the switch. The fishing was getting the better and classic run followed classic run. I was amazed at the casting lanes we had on such a high mountain stream, but who am I to complain. Sure rhodo's had their place, but for the most part there was always an alley for something other than a roll cast.
We fished till 3 pm before finally turning back. We had gone straight up the river, never back tracking once. Fished for a solid 6 hours and pulled sometimes as many as 8 rainbows out of a single run. Each spill held at least one eager rainbow. If there wasn't one, there would be two the next hole for sure. It was simply awesome. I mean awesome to point of being giddy. Thats right, I said giddy. Absolutely freaking giddy. Giddy of all giddyness. And we were giddy as hell to be in the middle of it.
We took pictures, plotted our next adventure back and talked of multiday back packing trips up into this area.
This is not some hidden stream or high dollar stream private land. It isn't hidden on maps nor does it go unmarked. But it is one that receives very little fanfare. One that gets by passed for the more famous water. One, until yesterday, I had given very little thought when trying to figure out where to fish and had dismissed in the past. Now that has changed.
Thanks Marmot, it was a blast my friend.
Here are some photos from yesterday!
First fish of the day, came on a size 16 Zug Bug
Marmot high-stickin' a run
A shot upstream
A classic Southern Applachia boulder field
OK, so I am probably getting a little carried away with the photo effects... So sue me!
Marmot picking the next hot fly!
Check out the Alley of Rhodo... I couldn't help myself got up in there and came out fustrated and one fly less than when I went in.
Marmot fishing a classic set of steps.
You know that saying a bird in hand is better than two in the bush... Well I am pretty sure that applies to trout fishing!
A view from the end of the day.
Petey
Marmot hit me with a stream I had never fished and one that I wasn't sure I was wanting to fish. But he was certain it was going to be good. Though he had never been there before himself. He had been in the area several times but had never ventured up this trail to this stream and I was kind of uncertain of the whole situation. I am always looking for something new and possibly a new place to play and explore. I figured why not, the worse that could happend is we would get skunked, fall in the water and drown. So I figured anything short of dying would be bonus.
I got to Marmot's at 6:00 am there abouts. He was up watching Shaft, the movie. He had whipped up a couple of Canadian Bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. He turned and handed me one. Said he knew I wouldn't have time to make one myself. I let him know how much it was appreciated and that it help me from having to eat that cold chewy oatmeal square. He threw his gear in the Jeep and off we went.
We got to where we needed to be, rigged up and hiked a mile in (roughly). It was still cloudy but at least there was no rain. We had hiked by a lot of nice water already and my apprehension was starting to lesson. It was time to fish. It started out slow but picked up as the day wore on. We took lunch about noon and we had each landed a few bows. The entire time I was amazed as to the beauty of the river and why I had never heard much of it before. Marmot and I discussed this very fact during lunch before coming to the conclusion we wouldn't break the trend of silence.
After lunch, which consisted of the chicken of the sea, beef jerky so salty that your mouth was a dry as a desert and a snickers bar we were at it again. This time we took turns sharing runs instead of playing leap frog. Somebody had officially flipped the switch. The fishing was getting the better and classic run followed classic run. I was amazed at the casting lanes we had on such a high mountain stream, but who am I to complain. Sure rhodo's had their place, but for the most part there was always an alley for something other than a roll cast.
We fished till 3 pm before finally turning back. We had gone straight up the river, never back tracking once. Fished for a solid 6 hours and pulled sometimes as many as 8 rainbows out of a single run. Each spill held at least one eager rainbow. If there wasn't one, there would be two the next hole for sure. It was simply awesome. I mean awesome to point of being giddy. Thats right, I said giddy. Absolutely freaking giddy. Giddy of all giddyness. And we were giddy as hell to be in the middle of it.
We took pictures, plotted our next adventure back and talked of multiday back packing trips up into this area.
This is not some hidden stream or high dollar stream private land. It isn't hidden on maps nor does it go unmarked. But it is one that receives very little fanfare. One that gets by passed for the more famous water. One, until yesterday, I had given very little thought when trying to figure out where to fish and had dismissed in the past. Now that has changed.
Thanks Marmot, it was a blast my friend.
Here are some photos from yesterday!
First fish of the day, came on a size 16 Zug Bug
Marmot high-stickin' a run
A shot upstream
A classic Southern Applachia boulder field
OK, so I am probably getting a little carried away with the photo effects... So sue me!
Marmot picking the next hot fly!
Check out the Alley of Rhodo... I couldn't help myself got up in there and came out fustrated and one fly less than when I went in.
Marmot fishing a classic set of steps.
You know that saying a bird in hand is better than two in the bush... Well I am pretty sure that applies to trout fishing!
A view from the end of the day.
Petey
