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