short trip to the SoHO

[Woolly Bugger]

I talked my son into leaving early in hope that his friends would be at the trail head early. We arrived on VA 606 30 minutes early, they came 38 minutes late. The AT crosses a smallie river here, and there is a brookie stream nearby, but I wasn't prepared to crawl around a creek in hunting season, so I got off to a late start to the SoHo. When I arrived I started to rig up but I had cleaned out the trunk for thanksgiving travels and neglected to pack my reel. I got bank in the car and called Black, he was home and agreed to lone me one. Blake was busy tying up flies by the dozen, it looked like he was getting ready to open a fly shop.

By that time the water was down on Big Springs and I was nyphing the runs there by 3:30. Caught a few, mostly bows, hooked a few more. Played some leaping browns that ended up spitting the hook. This is what they were taking:


#20s

The wind was blowing cold and I broke out the gloves for the first time this fall. I was hesitant to get my hands wet and didn't take many photos. When I did remove my glove and pick up a fish I discovered that the water was warmer than the air! I watched a fish flash in the bottom of a deep run and went to set the hook, pinching down on the line, but my numb finger didn't apply enough pressure the the line slipped. Feeble attempts were made to strip the line and hook the fish but it was too late. Another brown was lost while playing the fish, keeping out of the log jams, I went from right to left and the #20 just popped out.







Six fish to hand in two hours with four or five l.d.r.s. not too shabby and it made all of the driving worth while.

Fished till dark and stopped by Blake's to return the loaner reel and then headed back over the bump and home.

Stats:
410+ miles
6 fish caught
2 hrs fishing

[Trout Chaser]

Sounds like a good day was slavaged.  It's good to have friends that live by the river  -0-

How far is your son hiking?

TC

[Woolly Bugger]

His friends left on Wed morning and they are finishing up Sunday. They are doing 14 to 20 miles a day.

There are doing the entire AT in sections....

[diaz dassie]

There are doing the entire AT in sections....

This time of the year? Man, thats pretty insane, did you give him a bottie of wizzo to stay warm?

[Woolly Bugger]

There are doing the entire AT in sections....

This time of the year? Man, thats pretty insane, did you give him a bottie of wizzo to stay warm?

no Tranny, just a small section over Turkey Day Vacation.. they'll hit it again in the spring. While I was waiting I talked to a hunter who saw and spoke to a Southbound thru hiker the other day. He said that the hiker hoped to be in GA before the new year. Tough time to try and get through the Smokies if you ask me..

[MuddlerMan]

, they came 38 minutes late.

Man, you must have been watching your watch like a hawk.  Although, I have to say I do the same thing if someone is fucking with my fishing time.  Good lookin fish tho. Crossed over the Holston today, first time I've ever seen it.  Sittin in a Hampton Inn in Columbia, MO.  Won't be gettin in any trout time for a while I don't think  :(