shaky start to 2010

[troutphisher]

Glass and I decided to fish new years day, and wanted to fish big waters. Since the soho and Tauga were out of the question, we decided to go west to in'gin country and fish the reservation waters.

We fished the Oconoluftee first, the moved up river tot he ravens fork. The luftee was flowing high, and it was a little rough wading out to the middle searching for good runs and seams, but with a little lead we managed to get down to the fish. We fished until around 3:00pm then stopped for a beer break.
Glass had the fore-site to sink the beers near the bank, in a pocket of tangled roots. The beer was a perfect break.

We moved up stream to the ravens fork, and the water was still running high, and wading was still difficult. The fish were spread out in this section and we started catching fish in the fast water and slower seams, working both sides of the seams,we were soon into fish. Glass had them dialed in with midges and was hooking into some nice fish, one in particular went all of 24" it jumped out of the water during a run, and had the hardy reel screaming. When it body was clear of the water it spit the hook, but what a way to start 2010.

The temps were dropping fast and I was fighting ice in the guides as the sun set. I moved up river while casting, and was so focused on a spot to land the fly, I hooked my foot under a ledge rock, and my forward momentum carried me onto a jagged edged rock, that smashed my knee, Holy Mudda fukka...that hurt!
I kept the rod in the air out of harms way and sacrificed the knee, the rod never hit the water, but my left arm got soaked. I knew some thing was amiss and could feel a warm sensation on my leg. Glass had asked me if I was ready to leave a few minutes prior to the fall and I hollered back in a minute, now I said Lets Leave I'm done.

The walk out was excruciating, crossing the high water and climbing out on the bank was painful. In the last week and a half of fishing, I have managed to smashed both knees., but this was the most painful in a long time.

when we arrived at my car, glass opened a coupe of cold beers, home brew, some Belgian ale, that some how made the pain subside, even if it was just temporary.

When I arrived home, I inspected the waders and notices a tear about 2" long on the left knee, when I pulled them down, I could see the cause of the warm sensation, a big blood patch.......

Here are some pics of the day.

[rjs123]

Ouch.... to the knee and the waders.

[Woolly Bugger]

now you got an excuse to by a new pair of waders :)

what happened to the Banana Trouts?

[Shane]

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[kylemc]

Brutal!

[Trout Maharishi]

Looks like the curse of the canned beer to me

[Gofisher]

Sorry about the injury. Glad you included the pic of it!  0--0

[cypresstrout]

That looks like that would hurt!  I have already had all of the cold weather I want.