Had one of the best days of native trout fishing yesterday that I've had in a long time. Went way back into the Smokies and hit a couple-three creeks. Two of them I'd never fished before, and one I haven't fished in a long time. The first creek was remote, to say the least. It also was teeming with specks. I caught an eight-inch speck on both of my first two casts, in the same hole. The next couple of hours were a speckfest of epic proportions, caught probably 50-60, with most of them being over 7 inches.
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera on that creek. And after hiking a couple miles and climbing down into a deep gorge, I wasn't going back to get it. I would have loved to have had some pics of those specks, though.
After climbing back up out of the gorge, I went on to another creek. I was catching mostly rainbows and browns at first, then started getting into the specks.
You gotta stop and admire the sights sometimes.
Elk tracks on the creekbank. This is many, many miles from anywhere I've seen elk sign before, they're apparently spreading out all the time.
Back to the truck tired and hungry. Time for lunch.
After I ate, I hiked back into another remote little creek and caught plenty of nice specks until both the sun and my energy levels were sinking low.
Had a great day, and quitting time came way too soon.
Unfortunately, I forgot my camera on that creek. And after hiking a couple miles and climbing down into a deep gorge, I wasn't going back to get it. I would have loved to have had some pics of those specks, though.
After climbing back up out of the gorge, I went on to another creek. I was catching mostly rainbows and browns at first, then started getting into the specks.
You gotta stop and admire the sights sometimes.
Elk tracks on the creekbank. This is many, many miles from anywhere I've seen elk sign before, they're apparently spreading out all the time.
Back to the truck tired and hungry. Time for lunch.
After I ate, I hiked back into another remote little creek and caught plenty of nice specks until both the sun and my energy levels were sinking low.
Had a great day, and quitting time came way too soon.