Day 2

[Onslow]

I had planned on thrashing around at Keith and Neil's playpen, but after checking the temps, I was like nah.  I checked the temps in Jefferson and they were in the mid 30s.

Off to Ashe county.

It was chilly in the bottomland.  29 degrees.  There was an old fella on the SF fishing at the Rt. 163 bridge.  He didn't give a shit about the cold.  He looked about 80 years old.

I was wanting to know if there a decent population of trout below the hatchery section on the NF. The hatchery section is pounded hard as well as the area just below Sharp Dam. I naively thought an undesignated reach would see less pressure. 

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I pulled off at Campbell Rd low water bridge and started wading upstream with the canoe tethered to my wader belt. It didn't take long before I stung a 16 incher, then one about 12 inches that was wild as hell.
After a bit, I landed this one. The gut on this thing was massive. Probably three inches wide.

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There was a considerable amount of garbage and shallow riffle water between the good spots.

This one took a streamer.

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I saw several other fish, one of which was well below stocker catchable size.

As I approached the intersection of Teaberry Rd & Campbell, I saw footprints in the river.  Damn. Fishing had died as well. Then I saw this.

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Four rods locked and loaded on a rack by the river.  Territory flag in the ground as well.

It was 12:08 and I got in the canoe and threw a streamer along the way. I had covered 1.7 miles. I spooked up several fish on the way back.

I explored a bit below Campbell, but ended in lost rigs, knots, snags.  I should've called it a day earlier.

I went up to Sharp dam and there were two fly bros up there.

Ashe County fishing vibe reminds me of the Crooked Creek below the WMA.  Crooked Creek has a few pellet pig venues and the locals will stop at nothing to round up the 3-4 bows that have gone astray. Clankin metal stringers with big ole bows on them.  That's it.

[Sedition and Pockets]

Headwaters are bangin tho