Partial TR: Deep Creek

Well, I survived my latest excursion to the Smokies. I spent
almost a week there camped at Elkmont and re-visited lots of familiar
streams as well as exploring some new ones. I'll post something later
that touches on various bits and pieces of the trip, but for now, I
have a new love, and it's Deep Creek on the North Carolina side of the
park just outside of Bryson City.

It was almost a two-hour drive from my campsite to the creek, what
with road construction at 3 separate spots in the park plus driving
through Cherokee and Bryson City. But I am extremely glad I made the
decision to check it out.

Deep Creek is simply stunning in its beauty. It's also reluctant
to give up its fish (or at least it was for me). This was my first
full "combat fishing" of the trip. All of the other streams I'd been
on were fairly easy to access as you could stay on the trail and just
hop down to the stream whenever it looked nice.

Deep Creek is a different beast. With the exception of one huge
pool at a major bend in the river (http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/
deepcreekpool.jpg), which was possibly the fishiest water I saw all
trip, you had to commit to the water and wade/crawl/slither/slide to
do justice to the creek. (It may be my imagination, but it seemed
that the grabber/biter/eaters are bigger and more aggressive on the
North Carolina side. The trails are also steeper.)

I sacrificed my first flies of the trip to the tree gods, as well
as just generally making a fool of myself, but I absolutely loved it.
I worked hard for 6+ hours, between the steep trail, the slippery
streambed, the rhodos grabbing at me and my flies and line, and I came
away with two small rainbows, several halfhearted strikes, one nice
rainbow who I watched rise and sneer at my fly, plus some warpaint
shiners who slashed at my fly like it was a toy.

Was it worth it? Oh yes ... and I plan to return there and when I
do, I'll fish this long open pocket water stretch (http://
uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/deepcreekrun.jpg) which I passed by while
exploring upstream, and returned to later only to find another
fisherman just starting to fish.

Deep Creek is a special place, from its history (Kephart and
Cathey), to its beauty (http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/
indiancreekfalls.jpg), it ruggedness, and the absolutely gorgeous
stretches of fishable water (http://uweb.txstate.edu/~cv01/
deepcreekbridge.jpg). I think I understand a little bit of why it is
so revered.

There are other interesting things about it too. I saw more
joggers on the trail than anywhere else on my trip, although they were
all in the lower stretches of the creek before the trail gets steep.
I even saw one guy who was fully wired up listening to his mp3 player
while running. What the hell?! As if the stream didn't provide
enough music for any semi-aware individual. I wondered what he was
listening to. Maybe new age music ... something like "Water Songs To
Jog To".

The last and final clinching glory to the place was when I returned
to my car to enjoy a cold beer (Blanco, Texas' own Real Ale Company's
Fireman's 4 Blonde Ale thankyewverymuch, and bite me, Ken :-) When I
opened the door to the driver's side, there was a perfectly formed
(and I mean *perfect* ... it almost didn't look real), huge sulfur dun
(at least a #14) sitting in my seat. I don't know how or when he got
there, but I gently picked him up and set him on the roof of my car,
where he stumbled about for a couple of secinds, raised and dried his
wings and flew off.

I think next time I'll fish more sulfurs on Deep Creek. Maybe I'll
even tie some really big ones.


Chuck Vance