Trout. Finally.

It's been 2 months since I cast to a trout. Too long. I got a chance to fish a stream that has always looked promising.  It's lack of access due to the miles of private homes that sparsely lined its banks made it down right legendary in my mind. Oh the wild giants it could hold. But I've never had a way to enter it's swift runs and deep holes...till Saturday.  I pulled into a short driveway, and five feet behind the house I faced, flowed a sizable trout stream by North Carolina standards.  I already new, the drive was worth it.

My four hours on the water only brought 3 fish to hand, but I KNOW there are some monsters in those water, calling my name.  Apparently 3 years ago, there was a fish kill in the river, and I think this rainbow sipped some of the poison the farm-hand dumped.

Muted colors and stubby tail

Weird skin, but white on the fins suggesting its a wild fish

Saw these grey crane flies that were in the size #16 range, and some dun mayfly's, but I didn't see any rises.

A quick passing storm muddied the water with the runoff from the recently plowed fields.  I tossed some streamers with hopes of sticking a 20 plus inch brown with no avail.  I set foot in the water at 11, and didn't have a bite after 12:30. I was glad to finally test these waters. Perhaps the best part of the day was listening to two older local man tell tales of trophy browns that hang from the walls of many homes up and down the road, while they teetered in rocking chairs on the front porch where they had taken refuge during a spring thunderstorm. It seems that most people around keep their catch, but only a handful even fish, and none fish their regularly.  The fishing lore was seemingly endless, and with some crude genealogy, I think we figured me and one of the fellas rockin' may be kin. Howdy distant cousin, kin I call you to fish this stream another day?

Air Temp- low 70's
Weather- Partly sunny with T-storms
Flies that caught fish- Mocha girdle bug, HE Birds Nest
Flies that didn't catch fish- swinging caddis, black copper john, blood worm, flashy streamer, Foxy Red Minnow
Time on the water- 11-3