AAA Trout

This is what we woke up to this morning. Started last night and is suppose to continue till tonight. Hope we can make it home tomorrow.

Our own Palin girls.

Bro and I headed up after church Sunday to make sure no damage had been done from the severe weather. Found everything in good shape but still cold. Things are warming up a bit now and we hope to go fishing tomorrow. This is what things looked like when we got here.

We had a great pre-Christmas bash at our house in MS. All of our family (Gail and I all the “children” and all the grandchildren.) was together the Monday evening before the Big Day. More family came over for Christmas day and we had another great day.

The day after some of us headed for AR. and were blessed by low water and great fishing.

Came home on Wed. and headed for Jacksonville, FL and the Gator Bowl on Thursday.   Up early Friday for the game and it was raining and cold! We made it to the stadium for Bobby’s last walk to the stadium with the team. Got into the stadium about noon with the game starting at 1 p.m. We were in a “mixed congregation” about half WV and half FSU fans. The WV fans were pretty rough on us early but ”he who laughs last laughs best.” 

It was great to be a part of football history as we watched Bobby coach his last game. I have been an FSU fan for a long time and Brent grew up rooting for the Noles. Winning while being the underdogs made it that much better!

Here are a few pics.

We are just wrapping up our latest two week stint here in Arkansas. It has been one of our best “visits” to date. The weather has been great (except for the last two days).  Saved the best for last as far as fishing goes. Have been fishing the confluence mostly with moderate success. Today the Fork was off from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. I got there right as they shut off and headed to the “Long Hole.” Made a couple of drifts while the water fell out without any success. Started wading about 9:30 and it was pretty much non-stop action the rest of the day. Started out with one of  Jack’s new San Juan Worms and killed right off the bat. Switched over to the Alaska “egg pattern” and the action continued, bugger next they tore it up, tried a midge, Peabody, and took a couple. Finished the day with the wooly and 34 fish brought to hand, a bunch more pulled off, and a ton of misses. The weather was cold, windy and rainy just the way we like it!.

No prediction for water releases for tomorrow yet so don’t know what I will do. Head back to MS Thursday.

Gail and I headed to Arkansas just after we got back from NC. We were hoping to see the leaves “turning” like in NC. We thought we had just missed “it” but came to find out, according to one foliage site, that it was the least amount of color in ten years! (Apparently not enough sunshine and too much rain.) It was still pretty nice.

We took a Sunday drive after church up Push Mt. We took a side tour to Cartney access  on the White river but found our way blocked (we were in the car.)

We came back to AR on Wed. Nov. 4. Fished the Fork on Thursday and did fair.

Got this” brownie” on Friday up at the confluence.

This guy is form last trip.

Nice Brookie

Early fall here in Western Carolina brings with it crisp weather, amazing forest reds, yellows and oranges, and wouldn’t you know, pretty good trout fishing. Dad and Miss Gail showed up early this week as I was on fall break, sort of, with a few days off from school. Though rainy and brisk, we have all had a delightful time enjoying the fall colors here in the mountains. As per my previous trip to Wilson Creek, Dad and I rose early Wednesday morning and made for the creek, about an hour’s drive away. We were a little early, thankfully were able to navigate a treacherous mountain road in thick, soupy fog, and before light broke over the mountains, took a swell nap in the truck as the rain pounded on the roof, an ominous start to the day. My second or third cast produced a little rainbow on the PT, and several more followed. I stayed with the nymph most of the day, and Dad used it some, along with the (surprise) olive wooly, and we had fairly decent success. Since I had class that night, we packed up early, but not before nailing a bunch in a row on the ole egg pattern. We guessed that we probably landed somewhere around 25 to 30 (remember we are fishermen.
We were so pleased with the fishing Wed, that we got up early Thursday to do it again. We left a little later, and that didn’t make much difference, only we were able to see the deadly drop offs on the edge of the mountain road. We started out with the egg, and soon found ourselves into some pretty good fishing. I dropped the egg quickly in favor of the olive wooly, which I used most of the day. There is nothing as exciting as a bump on the swing. Dad used the egg most of the day, and we figured that we probably caught 40 to 50 fish, and missed many more than that. The two biguns of the day were a brookie that was about 16 inches or so caught midmorning, and a nice brown that was a little bigger, both hung on the wooly. Overall, we had a fantastic time. WNC is full of tiny creeks, ditches really, that are difficult to fish and as far as reward for fishing, the little guys are small. It is nice to find a bit of a larger river with decent fish, and most importantly NO OTHER FISHERMEN.
Rosemary, of course, had a great time with Papaw and Marmie, and they enjoyed spending time with our little Frog. She didn’t get to go fishing like I know she wanted to, but she did go all over the High Country with Momma and Marmie. I hear she was sweet on the rides, and I believe it.

Brown on Wilson Creek

BroD on Wilson

Rosemary in her new hat

Rosemary and Marmie at Valle Crucis Park

Well, I finally found a nice fishing hole.  Wilson Creek, which was about an hour drive, is big enough to make a nice cast, and holds some nice fish.  Fish and Game had just stocked here, so it was kind of like shooting fish in a barrel.  This little guy is probably one of the biggest fish I have caught here, and he was probably the smallest of the day, but he was the first.  I camped out close by, and took a pretty hike to the pictured falls.  I planned on fishing some more this afternoon, but after probably 10 miles or so on the trail, I was wiped out and ready for the couch.

Little Brookie

South Harper’s Falls (maybe?)

Grandfather Mountain

We have been spending some time in AR this month working and fishing. The work has been going better than the fishing.

Had the family reunion two weeks ago and it was great. My brother Don caught his first trout on the fly rod none the less.

Came back this week 15th with the prospect of some low water. Hoping to fish at Steamboat shoals. As the usual the prediction schedule was not to be trusted. Pulled in yesterday and everything was as scheduled unfortunately it did not hols true today. water was low to begin with but as soon as I hit the shoal it began a slow rise. Caught a few decent bows and a a bunch of small browns on the midge.

Had to settle on drifting and did pretty good. Got one real nice bow (see pic.)

A beautiful day. They say they are going to be off tonight we will see!