"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message
...
Friday:

//snip//

What a serial! Wonderful TR! Thanks much.

I don't know why, but every time I get on those streams by myself I worry
about banging up my legs or spraining an ankle. Also, it can get pretty
tough at dark - you can find yourself in the middle of a canyon with rhodos
and laurel on both sides and no way to get out except to bushwhack through
the jungle. And that assumes you know where you are and where you're going!

Last fall on Sassafras I felt like it was time to get out. I thought I knew
there was a trail uphill from the creek, toward the ridge top. Spent
probably half an hour pulling myself hand-over-hand up the hill only to find
no trail and no sign of one, so had to slide all the way back down and make
my way back down the creek in the gathering dusk.

The images are marvelous - especially those of the mountains. There's a lush
sensuousness there that you just can't find in any other mountains. Thanks
for taking the time to post.

By the way, there are some very nice fish in BS, especially if you
slide/roll/crawl down the slopes into one of those inaccessible canyons. I
spent probably three hours last fall casting to a trout that must have been
18 inches (got a pitcher of 'im!). While working the pool I noticed a
humongous yellowjacket nest on a vertical wall of rock about four feet away
from me, head-high. Fortunately, we negotiated a live-and-let-live
arrangement and they didn't bother me. But the next day there was a spin
fisherman standing in that very spot throwing hardware into the pool. Hmmm .
.. . ethical dilemma. Do I tell the guy about the bees? Do I ignore him? Or
do I fling a rock at the nest? (I guess that's a trilemma?)

Bob

Charlie Choc wrote:

If you just keep going on the trail you will end up right next to the water
above Big Falls. I've seen the path you dropped in on but haven't ever fished
down there, I'll have to try it next time.

It puts you right above one set of falls and below another. The
good news is that it gives you two nice pools to fish. The bad news is
that then you're left to either scale the upper falls or work your way
back down to the pool below the lower one. Neither one looked
particularly easy, but my attitude may have been influenced by the fact
that I was alone and had a sore knee. :-}

One thing I didn't do was check to see if there was an easier way
down on the opposite side of the creek. I'll have to remember to try
that next time. :-)


Chuck Vance

Jeff Miller wrote:

thanks for the fine story and photos chuck!

You're welcome, Jeff. And thanks for all your good advice.

Which reminds me of something I forgot to include in my TR. (Yeah,
I know ... how could I have left *anything* out? ;-) I wound up
approaching likely looking water by being as stealthy as I could, and
when I got into decent position, I would wait a bit before casting. I'd
take a cig break or take some photos; resting the pool for 5 minutes or
so before even making my first cast. I didn't do it consciously at
first, but I caught my biggest 'bow that way and then did it
intentionally after that. I don't know if it made any difference to the
fish, but it made me slow down a bit so I could get a good long look at
the water and plan my cast instead of just flailing away.

you did right good on your
first visit...better than most. it's a fine and wondrous place, and
it'll be near bout the same on your next visit. (btw, you climb up the
left side of the lower falls...and, wait til you see middle falls)

Is the lower falls actually a whole set of mini-falls, or was it
just the two that I saw from where I got down to the water? (I came in
with a large falls below me and the one in my photo above.) I'm just
wondering because the falls that was above where I came in didn't look
like it had a lot in the way of foot or handholds.

I look forward to exploring some of that water with you in the
future, Jeff.


Chuck Vance

Bob Patton wrote:

Last fall on Sassafras I felt like it was time to get out. I thought I knew
there was a trail uphill from the creek, toward the ridge top. Spent
probably half an hour pulling myself hand-over-hand up the hill only to find
no trail and no sign of one, so had to slide all the way back down and make
my way back down the creek in the gathering dusk.

That reminds me ... I passed the S*ss*fr*ss Trail on my second time
out there, and it seemed a long way from the creek. :-) Do folks use
that trail for accessing the creek, or do you just rock-hop. I didn't
know the trail was there when I hit the creek, and I wound up just
crawling and wading my way up.

The images are marvelous - especially those of the mountains. There's a lush
sensuousness there that you just can't find in any other mountains. Thanks
for taking the time to post.

Thanks for taking the time to read the whole thing. :-) "Lush
sensuousness" is an apt description.

By the way, there are some very nice fish in BS, especially if you
slide/roll/crawl down the slopes into one of those inaccessible canyons. I
spent probably three hours last fall casting to a trout that must have been
18 inches (got a pitcher of 'im!). While working the pool I noticed a
humongous yellowjacket nest on a vertical wall of rock about four feet away
from me, head-high. Fortunately, we negotiated a live-and-let-live
arrangement and they didn't bother me. But the next day there was a spin
fisherman standing in that very spot throwing hardware into the pool. Hmmm .
. . ethical dilemma. Do I tell the guy about the bees? Do I ignore him? Or
do I fling a rock at the nest? (I guess that's a trilemma?)

Check to see if he's packing and if not, throw the rock. If he is
packing, warn him about the yellowjackets. :-)


Chuck Vance

On Tue, 28 Jun 2005 06:53:14 -0500, Conan The Librarian
wrote:

One thing I didn't do was check to see if there was an easier way
down on the opposite side of the creek. I'll have to remember to try
that next time. :-)

Above Big Falls the access is a *lot* easier and the brookies were very
cooperative when I was there last.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Do folks use
that trail for accessing the creek, or do you just rock-hop.

That trail goes to a waterfall quite a ways upstream of
the confluence with Snowbird. The trail doesn't get close
to the creek until it reaches the falls. You can hike to
the falls, scramble downstream then fish back to the falls,
but that's a lot of work for 6" fish.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message
...
Friday:

My last day, and since I've caught fish everywhere I've been except
for B*g Sn*wb*rd (and since I'm a stubborn *******), I decided to give
it another try. The knee was holding up fine, so the plan was to hike
up to the lower falls and fish that area.

Passed three flyfishers on the way. One was the toothless guy from
Deliverance (and packing a pistol), and the others looked fairly normal.
They must have thought I knew something abou the area, because they
asked me where the best fishing was. (I told them it was below Junction
;-). We exchanged pleasnatries and I continued on, keeping an eye on
my back until I was out of gunshot range. ;-)

Up to S*ss*fr*ss in about 55 minutes, and in another 20 heard what
sounded like a real waterfall. I found a really obvious path down to
the water, and slid my way down, coming out at the top of a nice falls
and just below two pretty pools and another smaller falls.
(http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/snowbirdfalls01.jpg) Without giving too
much more detail (Jeffy already knows where this is, I'm sure ... and
Wayno too), I fished the lower pool and despite screwing up a couple of
casts (immediate drag in the eddies), I was fortunate enough to have a
nice brown (12"+) jump all over my offering. He was a bulldog, but was
kind enough to pose for a photo: http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/brown.jpg

I fished the next pool with no luck and thought about scaling the
falls, but figured I'd wait and do that when there's someone with me to
scrape my remains up off the rocks below. (Do you guys just go up the
face of the rocks on the left there or what?)

Returned to the car, drank the best beer I've ever had, scoped out
the Little Sn*b*rd a bit and was back at the house to pack up for my
flight out on Saturday.

On my way out on Saturday I snapped one last shot:
http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/cove.jpg

Thanks to all who gave me advice, and tolerated my dumb questions.
It was the fishing trip of a lifetime for this old liberrian, and I hope
to do it again soon. :-) It's beautiful country with lovely, strong
fish, and I hope to explore much more of it.


Great recount Mr Vance, thanks for sharing. I'm glad you enjoyed our little
mountainous region, come on back, anytime. (And just a hint, it's not the
Deliverance-looking folks you really need to worry about here... ;-)
Seriously though, we do have legal CCPs available here (Concealed Carry
Permits) so seeing someone "strapped", especially a sportsman, isn't really
that big of call for concern. Well, that is if you aren't in Durham at the
time...but you didn't hear that from me...


Chuck Vance

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Is the lower falls actually a whole set of mini-falls, or was it just
the two that I saw from where I got down to the water? (I came in with
a large falls below me and the one in my photo above.) I'm just
wondering because the falls that was above where I came in didn't look
like it had a lot in the way of foot or handholds.

lower falls or big falls is actually below the cascade mini-falls shown
in your photo, i think. the lower falls is a single large one about
20-30 feet high, with the major falls over on the right side (looking
upstream). there is a big pool at the bottom of the falls. forty did a
good job of fishing it in 1999...and Middleton has a nice description of
it and his meeting with arby mcd. in "On the Spine of Time". over to the
left are the rocks and ledges you scramble and pull yourself up and
over. nice water at the top too. foot or handholds??? um, well,
....hahahahahahah!!!

I look forward to exploring some of that water with you in the
future, Jeff.

perhaps in october? ...although i'm thinking of going to my 30-year
class reunion in Miami that month to see the Tar Heels and Hurricanes
play a bit of football....

jeff


Chuck Vance

Jeff wrote:

lower falls or big falls is actually below the cascade mini-falls shown
in your photo, i think. the lower falls is a single large one about
20-30 feet high, with the major falls over on the right side (looking
upstream). there is a big pool at the bottom of the falls. forty did a
good job of fishing it in 1999...and Middleton has a nice description of
it and his meeting with arby mcd. in "On the Spine of Time". over to the
left are the rocks and ledges you scramble and pull yourself up and
over. nice water at the top too. foot or handholds??? um, well,
...hahahahahahah!!!

Yeah, OK ... silly me. :-) Thanks for the description. I came in
at the head of big falls then. And that pool at the base of it did look
awfully inviting. If I hadn't caught that nice brown from the pool
above it I would have definitely looked for a way down to it. Maybe
next time.

I look forward to exploring some of that water with you in the
future, Jeff.

perhaps in october? ...although i'm thinking of going to my 30-year
class reunion in Miami that month to see the Tar Heels and Hurricanes
play a bit of football....

I'm thinking this year is out of the question for me. We're going
to have a lot of expenses in August as the youngest SWMBO'ette is going
off to school then. So it'll probably be next year before I go on any
more major trips. But the next time I go, I'm hoping to get either/both
you and Wayno to meet up with me for a bit. I still have to do Hazel,
Noland, etc.

Thanks again for all your valuable advice. I almost felt like I had
already been to some of the spots I fished, and had a good idea of where
to start fishing when I got to the water.


Chuck Vance

Conan The Librarian wrote:

Jeff wrote:

lower falls or big falls is actually below the cascade mini-falls
shown in your photo, i think. the lower falls is a single large one
about 20-30 feet high, with the major falls over on the right side
(looking upstream). there is a big pool at the bottom of the falls.
forty did a good job of fishing it in 1999...and Middleton has a nice
description of it and his meeting with arby mcd. in "On the Spine of
Time". over to the left are the rocks and ledges you scramble and pull
yourself up and over. nice water at the top too. foot or
handholds??? um, well, ...hahahahahahah!!!


Yeah, OK ... silly me. :-) Thanks for the description. I came in
at the head of big falls then. And that pool at the base of it did look
awfully inviting. If I hadn't caught that nice brown from the pool
above it I would have definitely looked for a way down to it. Maybe
next time.

I look forward to exploring some of that water with you in the
future, Jeff.


perhaps in october? ...although i'm thinking of going to my 30-year
class reunion in Miami that month to see the Tar Heels and Hurricanes
play a bit of football....


I'm thinking this year is out of the question for me. We're going to
have a lot of expenses in August as the youngest SWMBO'ette is going off
to school then. So it'll probably be next year before I go on any more
major trips. But the next time I go, I'm hoping to get either/both you
and Wayno to meet up with me for a bit. I still have to do Hazel,
Noland, etc.

Thanks again for all your valuable advice. I almost felt like I had
already been to some of the spots I fished, and had a good idea of where
to start fishing when I got to the water.


Chuck Vance

my current idea for next year (hell, i'm still workin on ideas for this
year) is to spend more time in my home waters - mountain and sea - so,
let me know your plans as soon as you can. april/may and october are
always good times for graham county. the middle of summer is hit or
miss, but there is never a bad month to be up there.


jeff