Short Father's Day Morning Foray Into the Smokies

Started by Yallerhammer, June 21, 2020, 16:33:01 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Yallerhammer





Headed out at daylight this morning. Hit the creek while the fog still lay thick, and air temp was in the 50s. I was tight-lining nymphs, and good fish were hitting regularly. Brilliantly-colored fat rainbows, and sullen, buttery browns.

You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.

You cannot view this attachment.

In this hole, a vividly-colored 13" rainbow that the pics don't do justice to. Pure Columbia Basin Redband trout like were stocked here over a hundred years ago, then left to their own devices. Red belly, red gill plates, and bright orange-red cut marks under the chin like a cutthroat trout. He jumped multiple times, launching high into the air, spraying water and color. These fish are so fast and strong that it's spooky. Pure electric life on the end of a 5x tippet.

You cannot view this attachment.



You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.

to be continued....​
 
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Yallerhammer


Then, the ones that didn't make it to hand.

In this hole, hard against the log jam, I hooked into a fish that I first thought was a stick or log, from the serious, immovable weight. Then, it shook its head several times, and started swimming slowly, powerfully. I never saw it. After about ten seconds, my fly came loose. I just stood there in awe. These are the fish that haunt you. I know it was a monster.

You cannot view this attachment.

Then, soon after, in this hole, I hooked about a 16" brown. He was wide, deep-bodied, with vivid scarlet spots. I fought him for several minutes, and got excited and tried to net him in the swift run just downstream of the hole I hooked him in. As I slid the net under him as he floundered on the surface, he just flipped over and was gone. Just gone. I stood there for several minutes, just staring at the last spot I saw him, wondering if he was ever really there. In retrospect, I should have let him run to the wide, shallow hole below and netted him there. But I didn't. I'll be back after him.

You cannot view this attachment.


By noon, I had caught all the fish I wanted to. My legs were tired from fighting the current and slick rocks and log jams.

Father's Day. This creek has nurtured me like a parent over the years. It was a good morning. Life, death, predator and prey. Water, shadow, sunlight. Evaporation. Condensation. Photosynthesis. Saprophytism. It all is a cycle, and a circle. We are all participants, whether we know it or not. I am glad that I know it, and am an active participant.

You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.


You cannot view this attachment.
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Phil

Incredibly beautiful fish. The colors are like fire and stars.  :bow

Yallerhammer

#3
Quote from: Phil on June 21, 2020, 16:43:25 PMIncredibly beautiful fish. The colors are like fire and stars.  :bow

Yeah, and the pics don't do them justice. This creek, I think, holds one one of the purest strains of Colombia Basin Redband Trout in the southern Appalachians. They were stocked early in the 20th century, direct from CA, and not much at all if any since then.

You need to get back over there. And we need to burn a steak, drink a beer, and pick a git-tar there. If they ever open camping back up.
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Phil


Yallerhammer

Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Onslow

Thanks for the GSMNP tours.  Awesome stuff there!

Dougfish

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Stone-Man

What a bunch of pretty trout.
Thanks for passing this trip on to us. I am sure that those two stream born bows will eat really well

  JT