I was joined yesterday on the water by @northgeorgiasportsman: The man, the myth, the legend. Hillbilly philosopher, fly fisherman par excellence, appreciator of good music, searer of scallops, and all-around vermin extraordinaire. And one of the few people on this planet that this old hillbilly curmudgeon will share a trout stream with.
We headed back into a couple of my favorite local wild trout streams back on the national forest and wilderness lands. The first stream is a sizeable creek for its elevation that holds only native southern Appalachian-strain specks, thanks to a big waterfall downstream. It heads up off mountains like this:
We jogged up and down the side of that mountain a couple times to get warmed up (not.)
We started fishing at nearly 5,000' elevation up among the spruces and firs. The temp was in the 40s at that elevation yesterday morning, so that first step into the creek was refreshing, to say the least.
Catawba rhododendrons were in full bloom:
Creeping bluets carpeted the streamside rocks:
Along with miniature forests of haircap and sphagnum moss:
Huge old yellow birch tree growing on a rock cliff:
We headed back into a couple of my favorite local wild trout streams back on the national forest and wilderness lands. The first stream is a sizeable creek for its elevation that holds only native southern Appalachian-strain specks, thanks to a big waterfall downstream. It heads up off mountains like this:
We jogged up and down the side of that mountain a couple times to get warmed up (not.)
We started fishing at nearly 5,000' elevation up among the spruces and firs. The temp was in the 40s at that elevation yesterday morning, so that first step into the creek was refreshing, to say the least.
Catawba rhododendrons were in full bloom:
Creeping bluets carpeted the streamside rocks:
Along with miniature forests of haircap and sphagnum moss:
Huge old yellow birch tree growing on a rock cliff: