may/june fishing

just returned from a week in graham county...posted a few pics on abpf.
not as much fishing this trip as i had some stuff to attend to that
interrupted fishing, and i was lazy - enjoying the sounds of birds and
the creeks.

in may, i visited penns creek for the 10th annual gathering. good to
see the penns folks, though i didn't fish with as many of them as i had
hoped. caught fish every day, and hiked some of the old well-worn paths
by the stream. mike makela, joe, and i found the "spot" near weikert
one day, lots of sulphurs and then the green drakes. caught fish all
day long on dry flies...and it didn't get crowded until about 5 pm. that
was fun...

graham county roads were much more crowded than i recall during any
other june visit, which doesn't bode well for october. the county is
obviously increasing its tourist trade, esp. motorcyclists desiring to
ride the tail of the dragon and cherohala skyway. still, i fished my
favorite creeks without ever seeing another fisherman...though i did see
two as i was leaving each time, but they were in areas behind my
starting points and seen only on the walk out, so i didn't begrudge them
their presence in my universe of the moment.

unlike penns creek and the other pennsylvania streams i have visited,
our nc mountain trout waters...at least the unstocked or "wild" fish
areas of nc...are not easy fishing and don't yield the bounty available
in fertile limestone streams of pa. however, stalking trout here gives
me a special appreciation for our unspoiled fish. nc wild trout don't
have the bounty of bugs bursting from and spiraling back into the waters
like those boastful browns of penns; nc trout remain small, a
consequence of having to scrap and work hard to make a living from
sterile freestone streams and a habitat contaminated by acidity gathered
from the rains and rocks. even the few bugs we have are smaller, also
struggling for their brief moments of survival in a harsh environment.
still, the fish and bugs are there, fewer in numbers and size, fish
unwilling to rise except in a scared scurry hoping for a rare sip or
splash focused on that infrequent buggy treat floating by. ...they
remain a rare and special treasure for those of us who know how and
where to prospect. ...and, the places they live are among the most
soul-deep enriching spots i know on this earth.

i love seeing a fertile water like penns...it makes me appreciate and
value our wild nc trout that much more...and the gift of being able to
participate in the great mystery i know will never be answered...

jeff

On Jun 22, 8:57*am, jeff wrote:
just returned from a week in graham county...posted a few pics on abpf.
* not as much fishing this trip as i had some stuff to attend to that
interrupted fishing, and i was lazy - enjoying the sounds of birds and
the creeks.
snip
a marvelous explanation of the reason my time in our lovely little
waters has been so valuable.

thanks, jefe

yfitp
wayno

Thanks Jeff for an insite to the N.C. streams and creeks....... Was a
pleasure see you and Joe this year........How do you like my little
perch at Doc Allbrights.........I heard Joe caught quite a few fish
this year also......

"jeff" wrote in message
...

well written reports and observations. One of these years, I'll either get
up early enough, or you will sleep in late, and we can fish together.......
Tom
.....who just returned from a week in VA, on the Shore. The ocean fishing was
pretty slow, but the beauty of the place is that the Bay is but 14 miles in
the other direction, and seldom are both fishing poorly. Thus is was spot,
tautog and croakers, frequently enough hunted down by stripers, that kept
the fishing interesting.

"jeff" wrote in message
...
just returned from a week in graham county...posted a few pics on abpf.
not as much fishing this trip as i had some stuff to attend to that
interrupted fishing, and i was lazy - enjoying the sounds of birds and the
creeks.

in may, i visited penns creek for the 10th annual gathering. good to see
the penns folks, though i didn't fish with as many of them as i had hoped.
caught fish every day, and hiked some of the old well-worn paths by the
stream. mike makela, joe, and i found the "spot" near weikert one day,
lots of sulphurs and then the green drakes. caught fish all day long on
dry flies...and it didn't get crowded until about 5 pm. that was fun...

graham county roads were much more crowded than i recall during any other
june visit, which doesn't bode well for october. the county is obviously
increasing its tourist trade, esp. motorcyclists desiring to ride the tail
of the dragon and cherohala skyway. still, i fished my favorite creeks
without ever seeing another fisherman...though i did see two as i was
leaving each time, but they were in areas behind my starting points and
seen only on the walk out, so i didn't begrudge them their presence in my
universe of the moment.

unlike penns creek and the other pennsylvania streams i have visited, our
nc mountain trout waters...at least the unstocked or "wild" fish areas of
nc...are not easy fishing and don't yield the bounty available in fertile
limestone streams of pa. however, stalking trout here gives me a special
appreciation for our unspoiled fish. nc wild trout don't have the bounty
of bugs bursting from and spiraling back into the waters like those
boastful browns of penns; nc trout remain small, a consequence of having
to scrap and work hard to make a living from sterile freestone streams and
a habitat contaminated by acidity gathered from the rains and rocks. even
the few bugs we have are smaller, also struggling for their brief moments
of survival in a harsh environment. still, the fish and bugs are there,
fewer in numbers and size, fish unwilling to rise except in a scared
scurry hoping for a rare sip or splash focused on that infrequent buggy
treat floating by. ...they remain a rare and special treasure for those of
us who know how and where to prospect. ...and, the places they live are
among the most soul-deep enriching spots i know on this earth.

i love seeing a fertile water like penns...it makes me appreciate and
value our wild nc trout that much more...and the gift of being able to
participate in the great mystery i know will never be answered...

jeff

Yeah, it's nice going to a stream and five minutes later catching the
biggest rainbow of you life...but hiking those mountains, having a subway
sandwich you've been saving for two days and catching those beautiful - if
somewhat smallish fish...well...you can't beat it.

John

On Jun 22, 7:57 am, jeff wrote:

[snip of great stuff about NC trout]

they
remain a rare and special treasure for those of us who know how and
where to prospect. ...and, the places they live are among the most
soul-deep enriching spots i know on this earth.

Amen, my Nawth Cackalacky friend. I find that long after my (all
too infrequent) trips to that area of the world, I am taken back to a
particular moment; a sight, a sound or a smell of the mountains, trees
and rivers. Many times I go to sleep with that being the last thing
on my mind.

i love seeing a fertile water like penns...it makes me appreciate and
value our wild nc trout that much more...and the gift of being able to
participate in the great mystery i know will never be answered...

And you wouldn't have it any other way, no?

Thanks, Jeff. As always, you say a lot in a few words.


Chuck Vance

they
remain a rare and special treasure for those of us who know how and
where to prospect. *...and, the places they live are among the most
soul-deep enriching spots i know on this earth.

*Joe the Elder adds---well said Jeff (as usual )
I'm busy catching Redfish in N.C. (using spinning gear and shrimp}
Kayak over to ocean inlet-park kayak and stand in surf up to belt.
Big school of redfish has been feeding there for ten days. Only
problem is the sharks have found them -7 ft blacktip within four feet
of my leg-----daughter of my fishing buddy {11 years old } caught a
33 inch red fish last evening ---she was kneeling in surf by time she
got it in after 30 minute fight !

Looking forward to Graham co in fall --might even try climbing down
to Slickrock Creek now that doctors have put some plumbing in my chest
and given me some nitro pills.! Have never caught the BIG browns
Middleton found there !

Penn's was good trip but man can those yankees snore !

it's nice traveling to a beck and 5 account after communicable the biggest bubble of you life...but hiking those mountains, accepting a subway sandwich you've been extenuative for two canicule and communicable those admirable - if somewhat baby fish, well you can't exhausted it.