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.


Chuck Vance