issue 39
oct/nov 2018
Southern Trout
www.southerntrout.com
www.southerntrout.com
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Publisher's message
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Six years ago Southern Trout Magazine launched with little fanfare at Troutfest in Townsend, Tennessee. The mission statement was not to get rich but to fill a niche in the sporting literature with a passion for fishing hereto unaddressed in a region dominated by black bass and crappie and surround on all side by great saltwater fishing. Despite the odds stacked against this little “mom and pop” startup, we continue on. We’ve yet to declare victory, but steady progress continues to b made. If there is a secret to our survival, it is the steadfast support that we have enjoyed
since our inception from the finest fly fishing writers in the South. To say their support is humbling is a gross understatement. Growth has been a crossfire of good luck hampered by poor decisions. The six-year ride has had a couple of years where we dealt with health issues that included a tumble in the Hiwassee River that almost cost me leg. While I am slower than I was six years ago, I still maintain that I am as robust as ever. You may have noticed the story byline of Soc Clay in recent issues. I currently have a few more in inventory. Longtime readers probably know this Kentucky writer is one of my dearest friends in the entire world. We met when Moby Dick was a minnow. Soc is not only a writer of much acclaim (he was once the Poet Laureate of the state of Kentucky), but he is also perhaps one of the most resourceful fishing writers and photographers. I might add to the latter was mastered in the days of film and darkrooms. As talented as Soc is, these talents pale in his ability to tell about this or that in such epic terms as to put Mother Goose and Playboy’s Annie Fannie to shame. Armed with moonshine whiskey, I go spellbound hearing his yarns of adventure. He was collecting the various fragments
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Anderson Creek Retreat Anderson Creek Retreat is your basecamp for a healthy outdoor lifestyle on 1,200 acres next to the National Forest, less than ninety minutes from Atlanta near the historic mountain towns of Ellijay and Blue Ridge. We’re in outdoor recreation country known for trout fishing, hiking, whitewater rivers, horseback riding, mountain biking and cycling. Amicalola Falls State Park and the Appalachian Trail are just over the ridge. The 4,000-foot ridges of Rich Mountain Wilderness are across the Cartecay River Valley. Home sites average more than four acres and offer backdoor access to twelve miles of trails through a landscape of springs, trout streams, high mountain ridges, hardwood forests, pastures, meadows and the 19th century homestead ruins. Conservation easements with the Georgia Land Trust protect a mile of Anderson Creek and Anderson Lake for catch and release fly fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Check us out on the web at www.andersoncreekretreat.com. Call 706-635-5124 or email land@andersoncreekretreat.com.
www.anders
soncreekretreat.com
Southern Trout Publisher Managing Editor Special Projects Dir. Photographer/Writer Editorial Consultant
Don Kirk Leah Kirk Loryn Lathem Adam Patterson Olive K. Nynne
Contributors Beau Beasley Alec Blaine Soc Clay Son Tao Anthony Smith FIELD STAFF
Jimmy Jacobs, Georgia Editor Roger Lowe Columnist Rocky Cox Columnist Steve Moore Columnist Columnist Polly Dean Columnist Bob Mallard
Southern Trout is a publication of Southern Unlimited, LLC. Copyright 2018 Southern Unlimited LLC. All rights reserved.
of southern fishing lore while I was a kid dipping girls pigtails into inkwells. I know that the more mature readers of Southern Trout Magazines appreciate Soc and me occasionally pulling an old tale out of our pockets. It’s big fun. A lot of the talented current generation of gunslingers do not realize the gifts being given to them by us old-timers. Years ago, we were like many of them, thinking of little beyond how to catch more and bigger trout and looking for water yet to be fouled by the masses. Soc Clay and I had the trout bug so bad that odds are we’ll never get caught up with our sleepless nights. In those days, every cast mattered just like it does for many now. At the Battle of Gatlinburg last month, another seasoned sage, John Reinhardt, and I watched the contestants haul hundreds of feet of trout out of a small section of the West Prong in Gatlinburg. Big fun. I’m going to keep on going. In a couple of weeks, three of us have arranged to go to Blackhawk Fly Fishing on the Soque River in North Georgia. BIGGER FUN. It’s not my first trip to the Soque River, but I am so excited about it. Over the last six years, I have gone on precious few and far between, but no more. It’s time to FISH more and smell the flowerS again. I supposed this all seems a little trite and redundant, and to be honest, it is. Nevertheless, it is a truthful explanation of just how busy it has been here.
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THIS ISSUE Publisher's Message
3
Solarez World Tour
12
Rock Creek Surprises
14
Pro Wading Staff
28
PHOTO ESSAY Bird's Eye View of the Clinch
34
In Search of Brookies
54
Dillsboro Inn
66
Sunburst Trout Chowder
80
New Fly Guy Tips on Tippets
84
Reilly Rod Crafters
92
Memories on the Cranberry
14
34
48
102
Black Wing Olive Chronicles 114 Mailbag Featured Artist Zan Thompson
118
Fins, Feathers, and a Good Night Sleep
132
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66
THIS ISSUE
54
28
Jeff Durniak: Georgia’s “Go To” Trout Guy
144
BOOK REVIEW 152 Fly Fishing North Carolina Once in a Blue Moon
160
Battle of Gatlinburg
168
12
84
102
92
40 118
170
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experience counts for everything Meet Brian Lynch, one of the most innovative anglers and best guides in the business. Professionals like Brian are our first call when we need boots on the ground (and in the water), and our go-to team when it comes to understanding what truly makes a great rod. Their knowledge, their expertise, their understanding is passed on to our craftsmen who strive for perfection and uncompromising performance in every rod we make. To us, Brian and his fellow professionals are our unsung heros. We salute you. Brian calls Western Massachusetts home and can be found working the Deerfield river virtually all year round.
introducing the new avantt and exocett series from t&t. remarkably light. extraordinarily strong.
est
19 6 9
T H E R O D YO U W I L L E V E N T UA L LY OW N
www.thomasandthomas.com HANDMADE IN AMERICA
On September 30, 2018, Solarez, in partnership with Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing Magazines, Dr. Slick Fly Tying Tools and FlyTyer Magazine launched The Solarez UV Revolution World Tour. Rock Concerts? NO. Instead, an awareness program exploring all of the different types of flies that can be tied with Solarez UV Resins. So, just what is this Solarez UV Revolution World Tour? It is a contest and social media tour directed at the fly tying and fly fishing world that will generate awareness and the unique application value of using Solarez in constructing flies. This program runs through April 1, 2019, and will create an opportunity for fly ters from all over the world to showcase their fly tying abilities. REQUIREMENTS: Tyers will be required to post a photo of their fly with an accompanying Solarez UV Product and pattern ingredients for the fly on one of the four Solarez Facebook pages: North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand. Entrants should select the Facebook page that geographically represents them. Posts that do not include the Solarez product with fly and pattern will be deleted immediately. Only those posts meeting the requirements will remain.
So, what happens next?
The top 5 contributors with the most Facebook ‘likes’ at the end of each month will receive a t-shirt and an additional 5 t-shirts will be awarded via a random drawing from those who posted likes. Drawings will be held on last day 12 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
SOLA
UV Rev World Tou
AREZ
volution ur Contest
of each month and winners will be announced during the first week of the following month. (All t-shirts will be size XL to manage inventory) On October 1, the first drawing was from individuals who “liked” the Solarez Page from September 19 - September 30. This contest was announced “softly” via Solarez Facebook pages, shares, Pro Team Members, and partner posts. For the final drawing in April, we will start the whole process over again. October will set the stage for November, December, January, February, and the last on in March, for a total of 7 months in each geographical area. TWO (2) GRAND PRIZES, will be randomly drawn from tyers who have submitted flies for the World Tour and all those who have provided likes. Votes will only be collected for flies posted on Solarez Facebook pages. Contributor flies will be shared with Partner Facebook pages. Partners will also be encouraged to offer monthly prizes from random drawings from monthly ‘likers’ of their own individual Facebook pages. Winners will be shared/posted on all Solarez Facebook pages. Southern Trout and Southern Saltwater Fly Fishing magazines will be featuring some Pro Team and consumer flies in each issue over the next 6 months. Of course, they will be respective of either trout or saltwater patterns. Dr. Slick will provide fly-tying tools monthly. Flytyer Magazine will be supporting this tour program by highlighting flies.
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A
fter more than a half-century of exploring the trout waters of northern Georgia, it is a rare treat to stumble across a stream that is new to me and offers some interesting angling options. But a combination of factors recently produced just such a situation on Rock Creek in the Peach State’s northwest corner in Murray County.
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ROCK CREEK SURPRISES By Jimmy Jacobs
U.S. Highway 411 is a historic roadway leading to northwest Georgia’s trout country.
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The rainbow trout taken from Bearpen Branch.
To begin with, our forbearers in the highlands quite often were literal in naming streams and rivers. For that reason, a number of flows in the mountains ended up with the moniker of Rock Creek. As a result, this one in Murray County has been overshadowed by the betterknown ones in neighboring Gilmer and Fannin counties. I had noticed it in the past on the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division’s list of stocked trout waters. But, since it only received fish twice a year in March and May, I assumed it had marginal water temperatures and probably consisted of just a couple of roadside fishing holes that were open to the public. Thus, I’d never really pursued checking it out. That changed when I saw a notice that the Coosa Valley and Cohutta Trout Unlimited chapters had joined with the U.S. Forest Service during a work day on Rock Creek. The object had been putting instream structures in the creek to improve the holding water for trout. Also, in the spring a kid’s fishing day was planned for the site. Based on that, I decided to check it out. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 17
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The Peeples Lake Road culvert over Rock Creek.
One problem with fishing such lesser-known waters often is finding them. Fortunately, the TU chapters had provided directions to their volunteers. A copy of those proved very helpful. Rock Creek flows from northeast to southwest through lands of the Chattahoochee National Forest, just southeast of Fort Mountain State Park. Formed at the junction Bearpen and Baker Branches, it still rates as just a small to medium-sized creek along its public land course. Eventually, it feeds into Holly Creek and from there the water flows to the Conasauga River farther to the west. On a hot August morning, I headed up U.S. Highway 411into northwest Georgia. This road itself is sort of a historic landmark. It has been named the “Pathway to the Smokies� and for many years was the route Georgians followed on the way to Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, and Rock City. Today it is a bypassed, but scenic thoroughfare. Once on the creek, it was a surprise to discover it offered a long stretch of public access from the culvert on Peeples Lake Road, upstream to the
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One of the Trout Unlimited stream structures on Rock Creek.
fork where it formed. In the lower section near the culvert, there were several log barriers resulting from the TU stream work. Each of these offered a deeper pool with plenty of holding water. Because it had been a couple of months since the stream was stocked and with the late summer heat, I didn’t expect a lot of action. Tying on a No. 12 Royal Wulff, I fell back on my usual approach to the Peach State’s smaller streams. Big, buoyant and easily visible attractor flies have always proven easiest and most productive to fish on such waters. Because these freestone streams are quite infertile, the fish ordinarily won’t pass up a big morsel of food floating past them. The second of the plunge pool I approached at the foot of a log dam produced a splashy rise, as the Wulff coursed through it. When the small trout was brought to hand, I was surprised to see a colorful body and a fish that showed no signs of ever having been in a hatchery. And, at just over 6 inches, it was smaller than usual stockers. It appeared to be a wild rainbow.
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The Royal Wulff is a goto fly for small Georgia streams.
D espite the air temperature being in the high 80s, a quick check of the midafternoon water temperature showed 68 degrees. While not optimal for trout, that is tolerable, and these were about the worst summer conditions that you get in the Georgia mountains. There seemed no reason that wild fish could not hold over here. Working upstream, the next three trout also appeared to be stream-bred fish in the 7- to 8-inch range. In fact, none of the fish taken looked like planted trout, and I would expect them to have been bigger if they were holdovers from the spring stockings. Another surprise regarding the creek was the relatively easy wading it provided. Although it is surrounded by the southern fringes of the Cohutta Mountains that reach heights of more than 3,500 feet, the Rock Creek valley was quite level. Most of the good holding water was in the form of deeper cuts on the outsides of bends, or at the foot of mild ripples. Continuing upstream the creek skirted an open grassy wildlife clearing, and reached a parking and primitive camping
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The rainbow taken from Rock Creek appeared to be streambred.
area at the end of a steep, but short, single-lane track off of Peeples Lake Road. At the upper end of the camping area was the head of the stream. Looking to the left up tiny Bearpen Branch offered a view of a small, flat pool beside a campfire ring. It just begged to have at least one cast sent its way. The Wulff had barely alit on the surface when it disappeared in a swirl. At the net, the rainbow was yet another wild fish but measured more than 9 inches, which is a respectable trout from such a small headwater. While Rock Creek does not offer an angling destination that can handle a lot of fishermen and pressure, it is representative of many of the state’s small streams and rivulets that are available to fishermen who enjoy studying maps and going “blue lining.” The bottom line from this trip was that regardless of how long you spend targeting any region, there always is the possibility of discovering a jewel in the North Georgia mountains. And, it is just such situations that keep many of us heading deeper into the valleys in search of such surprises. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 25
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thought for years that wading staffs were made for those foolish enough to venture into currents where they had no business being or by older trout fishermen who no longer had a lot of faith in their balance, footing, or leg strength. I suppose to a certain degree I was correct, but after finally getting my hands upon a good wading staff, it occurred to me that a lot of the slips and tumbles and downright frightening situations experienced over the years could have been avoided had my haste and pride not gotten in my way and I had had a wading staff.
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Pro Wading Staff www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 29
Depending on where you fly fish in the South, doubtless, you see these wading tools to some degree. Prior to parting with money for a real wading staff, I pressed many different items into service to serve as wading staffs. Ski poles, shovel handles, and beaver sticks are a few that come to mind. Tie a length of cord to a stick to act as a tether, and you have a wading staff of sorts. Anything that helps you wade safe and upright seemed to me to be a cheap alternative to spending greenbacks.
My first wading staff was an Orvis Black Diamond Trail Back Staff. After the second trip out with it, I chucked it into the trash. Next, I tried a Simms' Pro Wading Staff. It performed to my expectations and will probably outlive me. Simms says of the wading staff, “Become a wading wizard sourcing steelhead across the roiling waters of Washington's Olympic Peninsula is easier with an ally at your side. Simms' Pro Wading Staff excels against the push and pulls thanks to the lightweight, high-strength capabilities of bestin-class carbon tubing.� As fun as it might be to sample the waters of Olympic Peninsula 30 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
casting to steelhead, I can’t find it on my bucket list. Nevertheless, I decided to give the Simms' Pro Wading Staff a try (plus strict orders from Mrs. Kirk that I could not go back to the creeks and rivers without being accompanied by a wading staff.) The Simms' P r o Wading Staff is a four-section staff that feat u r e s the company’s FastLock system. The staff is constructed of lightweight, rigid carbon fiber tubing that is extremely lightweight. The Fastlock system similar to those found quality touring-style ski poles. It enables you to customize lengths between
51 and 56 inches. A contoured cork handle delivers non-slip grip. And the ergonomic strap is quick-release enabled for enhanced safety in the field. The handy belt worm neoprene sheath comes standard. Contoured cork around handle allows for a secure grip. The approximate weight of the wading staff is merely 11.2 ounces. The Simms design has a few advantages like not pulling apart in the mud, not using shock cord and IMHO a better guarantee from Simms. Simms recently changed the design of their wading staff and added a few new features and options like a “Pro” carbon fiber version which is lighter and comes with a cork grip, along with a lower cost aluminum version with a molded rubber grip. Both staffs feature a swappable tip that can be either aluminum or rubber. The staff requires three extra steps when deploying. The FastLock clip must be undone first, then the staff pulled open until the locking button pops into the hole. The
staff length then is adjusted and the FastLock clip re-secured. The locking button that keeps the staff from collapsing now protrudes through a hole on the upper section as opposed to just sticking out below the adjacent section. The new FastLock clip requires for the adjustable length feature necessitated a redesign of the case so the collapsed staff goes in easily. The aluminum tip of the wading staff can be swapped with a rubber tip (an additional charge) which is a nice feature. However, to get it off you most likely need a pair of pliers which sort of means you couldn’t easily swap out from metal to rubber streamside. All and all, I give the Simms Pro Wading Staff an A-. I lost it in camp last weekend and it took me an hour to find it. Otherwise, it would grade out at a solid A. It gets management off my ass which is pretty sweet too. For more information visit www.simmsfishing. com. Sooner or later you’ll need a get out of jail pass. Prepare now.
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10th Annu
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Learn to fly fish from certified instructors, try out tons of gear on the indoor casting pond and get great deals on gear from many fly shops, guide services and manufacturers.
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Bird’s Eye Vie
Bird’s Eye V Clinch
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ew of the Clinch
View of the
Have you ever wondered what overhead birds see and think when they pass overhead when we’re floating a river? Drones have made it possible for us to literally have a fowl’s perspective of a river and fishermen. A couple of weeks ago we received an email with a group of photos taken by Alec Blaine. A Knoxville native, he recently flew a camera rigged drone over the Clinch River. He was almost as eager to share them with the Southern Trout readership as we were to publish them. To us his work is stunning, and we’re confident that you will agree. Thank to you Alec for generous sharing your efforts with all of us terrestrial bound casters. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 35
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M
any consider fly anglers an eccentric lot: after all, why not use a perfectly good spinning rod? These armchair quarterbacks, however, are misguided; your run-ofthe-mill fly angler, whether pursuing farm pond bass or saltwater stripers, is almost boringly normal. If you’re looking for eccentric, I present Exhibit A: the brook trout angler! The dedicated brook trout angler is simply a breed apart. Several miles of densely wooded hillside stand between him and his quarry? No matter--he needs to stretch his legs anyway after that winding, hourslong drive to get here. Brook trout are notoriously finicky and elusive? That makes the catch--when one is not altogether skunked--all the more satisfying. The typical brookie can fit in the palm of your hand? Pffft! To the brook trout angler, less is more! Before my own foray into eccentricity on Virginia’s Rapidan River, I’d confined myself to normal fly fishing: bluegill, shad, smallies, and largemouth bass--that sort of thing. Even as a rookie I knew that trout were what fly fishing was “about.” And although all trout are created equal, some are more equal than others: Rainbows and browns will do in a pinch, but brookies are the trout purist’s Holy Grail.
In Sear Beau Beasley
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rch of Brookies
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My Rapidan River guide was an older gentleman, dapper and distinguished in his own way; his addiction to drink was second only to his obsession with brookies. Despite the fact that I was wholly ignorant of the ways and means of trout fishing, he was patient with and kind to me. When I asked him what he thought of a particular recovery project underway in the Old Dominion, he responded, “I don’t give a damn what they do. I just don’t want people screwing up the brookies’ habitat.” To be honest, I hadn’t expected all that much when I set out for the Rapidan. I came prepared as I always did with chest waders and enough flies--nearly all of which were far too large--that I could have opened my own fly shop. The guide by contrast was outfitted simply with ¾-hip boots, a vest, and a small box of flies. He spoke not a word about my gear overload, but his patient smile said, “Another day, another rookie.” I don’t mean to suggest that he was arrogant or smug; on the contrary, the closer we got to the water, the more childlike excitement and charming animation he displayed. Now, I was a young(ish) firefighter at the time of this trip, so of course I knew that his admonition to “stay low” and “walk carefully and quietly” were merely attempts to get the young buck to slow down so that grandpa could keep pace. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 57
I realized my mistake when he took off like a shot upstream. The man scrambled up the banks and over fallen logs and underbrush like nothing I’d ever seen. He moved so nimbly and quietly over the wooded terrain, hopscotching from one pool to the next, that I almost could have believed he was part billygoat. He’d occasionally stop and invite me to cast in an inviting pool, but invariably my line would snag in the tree limbs behind me or crash land in the water to effectively terrify any brookie that might’ve chanced my way. With the patience of Job he kept up the encouragement until I eventually began to get the hang of it, my casts improved, and I began to wade more carefully. My guide helped me see that brook trout fishing is a bit of a chess game, against an expert player: planning one’s moves in advance is essential. Rather than fish the best part of the pool first, my guide suggested “fishing up” to the best
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water with an aim to landing a few smaller fish in the shallower, less desirable part of the pool. He demonstrated the importance of rock ledges and undercut banks, which the brookies prefer for cover; the canopy cover of the trees above us, which kept the water cool; and how and why to use certain flies at certain times of the year, depending on what was hatching. Tying on #20 Adams, he whipped a hot pink Sharpie out of his pocket and colored in the white post on top of the fly. Hallelujah--I could see my fly! “You know, Beau,” he said, “all that foam on the stream makes the fly nearly impossible to see. Color it a contrasting color, and....” And right there was the difference experience makes. By midday, I was exhausted. The Rapidan is 6 to 18 inches deep, so I was soaked to my knees--but wearing chest waders. We had scaled two miles of mountain
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stream, which I distinctly recall went straight up. I quickly lost my one good fly to a hungry tree limb, and I then took it upon myself to throw a half dozen more of my guide’s flies after my own. Even when I managed to cast my fly in the right place, which was seldom, I couldn’t react fast enough to set the hook. I was tired and sticky and frustrated and ready to throw in the towel. Obviously brookie fishing was not for me. And then my guide’s instruction finally paid off, and the magic happened. I made the right cast to the right spot. My fly floated lazily downstream past a large rock. A shadow darted from the depths of the stream. Between one breath and the next I set the hook. The trout said left while my rod said right--and before long a beautiful olive green brookie came to hand. Dappled on his flank in black, dark green, purple, orange, and red flecks, I could have sworn at that moment that the Lord Himself had painted my brookie by hand. By day’s end I was worn out--and content. I’d taken on the Rapidan, and though she’d only given up one fish, and I’d only held that fish for one moment, that brookie was perhaps the most important trout I’d ever caught. He was born wild and lived in a wild place--and for the moment I held him, I was a creature of that wild place, too. Now that I’m older and have a few more catches under my belt, I have come to understand that the really important work my guide did was introduce me to the world of the brook trout. And make no mistake: that world is threatened--by poor timber management, a shrinking habitat, and not enough clear cold water, among other concerns. Hats off to nonprofits like Trout Unlimited, whose members volunteer to stand in the gap and protect brookies. Here in Virginia, for example, TU has www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 61
partnered with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to improve brook trout habitat for brookies all over the state; one such project is underway on Virginia’s Passage Creek. For those interested in learning more about the looming threats to brookies and other trout, I recommend a short documentary film by Albemarle County high school students Lily Casteen and Wyatt Minor titled Angling for the Future. The future of American trout may depend upon our teaching ourselves to preserve their habitat. And if you’ll allow my opining on your next fly fishing trip: a farm pond is fantastic--but it’s actually pretty normal. Embrace your inner eccentric. Bring on the brookies! Beau Beasley is the author Fly Fishing Virginia and serves as the Director of the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival and the Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival. 62 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Yep, it’s just that easy with Western North Carolina’s premier fly shop and guide service. Kevin Howell and his experienced staff have been fishing the surrounding 500 miles of prime trout waters so long, they know all the fish on first name basis. And they’ll be more than happy to make a few introductions.
PISGAH FOREST, NC
GUIDE SERVICES | ONLINE & RETAIL STORE | LESSONS
Discovery:
Dillsboro I N
orth Carolina has more than its fair share of mountainous getaways that are perfect for a trout fishing trip or romantic getaway. Dillsboro Inn on the Tuckasegee River is one of those magical places that time appears to have bypassed. It’s the property of TJ and Terry Walker, who care for it tenderly. “I bought the inn in June of ‘95, so we are in our 24th year,” says TJ. “At the time, I was a bachelor. Terry came as a guest 14 years ago this summer. She called back in the late fall and visited later at Christmas and did not leave…” “My roots for the inn go back to when I was a boy and came to summer Camp to Flat Rock There are many camps in Flat Rock. I spent a full month during five summers starting when I was eight years old. The Mountains grew on me I guess,” explains TJ. “Growing up on the water in Florida, I was an avid fisherman, and my first job was cleaning deep sea fishing boats when they came into Bahia Mar on Ft. Lauderdale Beach. I had a 20year carrier as a landscaper and knew these mountains and the tourism industry, so I started looking around here. As soon as I found this little bed and breakfast directly on the Tuckasegee River, I fell in love with the location.
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Inn Trout
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“I moved to Ft Lauderdale when I was 4 years old and was soon fishing some of the best saltwater canals imaginable that were teaming with fish through the 1960s and 1970s. I later started freshwater fishing along the dikes of the Everglades in Broward County and at times would swim across gator infested canals to get better access to wetlands. In my early twenties, I was also a diver for a local water theme park, and once I was called to save/catch a small gator that swam into the salt water intercoastal waterway. I grew up along the waterways of a town known as the Venice of America.” Dillsboro Inn was originally built as a single family lodge in the mid-1960s and converted into a bed and breakfast in the mid-1980s. It was barely a bed and breakfast when TJ founded it. By today's standards, it wasn’t in great shape. TJ added a couple of stars to the complex with a lot of sweat equity. Today he and Terry have added a lot of outdoor features, built a few timber frame Cabins, and renovated the entire structure extensively. Dillsboro Inn has a 250-feet wide shallow, bedrock riverbed bottom (with lots of pools) and a whitewater river in our front yard. The Tuchasegee River is a marvelous tailrace river and watershed just east of the Eastern Continental Divide with two forks that run out of high mountains to its south and east through Jackson County. Its streams that are tributaries are full of native brook trout as are several hydro lakes up in the higher elevations around Cashiers, Saphire, and Toxaway areas. The state manages several fish hatcheries in the mountains and stocks around 50K more trout into this watershed. In an 11-mile 70 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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stretch of the Tuckasegee River from just above Cullowhee through Dillsboro is a delayed harvest fishery. In Dillsboro and right in front of the inn is a ledge known as Dillsboro Drop. That is where the designation changes to hatcherysupported for locals to catch and keep some since Dillsboro has long been a stretch where locals have fished. TJ and Terry have a mission statement of the inn: to provide the first-class service to nature lovers and great access to our wonderful river that we face and feature from every porch, balcony, and multiple terraces along their 500foot riverfront. 72 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
“The Dillsboro Dam was removed in 2011 and Duke Energy did a marvelous job with river restoration when they took the dam out. They dredged eightythousand cubic yards of sediment and installed some shoreline armoring and stabilization, with some encouragement from us,” says TJ. “Now we have nine suites, four are two-room apartment suites and five are efficiencies. Depending on if people share beds, we can accommodate from 15 to 25 people. “With the comprehensive renovations we have done for over 20 years, the inspiration has come with the perspiration. Being a horticulturist is a bit like being an artist. So, I am trained somewhat in design and have brought the outdoors www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 73
indoors, with the decor and rustic charm down to the natural teak and aspen wood furniture. We have recently installed king beds in many of the rooms and built a resort conference room on top of the Inn as well. “We don’t offer meals, but we do offer a continental breakfast in the suites that includes Starbucks coffee, oatmeal, granola bars, and muffins. We refer to ourselves as a ‘bed and biscuit,’” says TJ. “Dillsboro is a small mountain crossroads town but just a few miles from Sylva. We are surrounded by national forests and the inn is surrounded by county and city parks along the river. Dillsboro has a small town feel with craft shops and a variety of good restaurants.” The fishing in the Tuck is excellent in the cooler months. Trout are coldwater fish, and the state starts stocking the Tuck in mid-September, all fall, and then continue in late winter and early spring. People catch trout here on the Tuchasegee thru the month of June. As a matter of fact, this summer, because of the cooler waters on account of intermittent rain, trout are being caught later in the summer than they have ever seen. “It’s part of my job to help guests as much as I can with the local knowledge, and I try. I pay attention to trends and local guides who work with our customers, listening to what they say and what rivers they fish besides the Tuck. There are several rivers in the region. Also, I watch what bait and lures are being used where and when. Monteith Park at the other end of Dillsboro has Scotts Creek flowing through it from a different watershed and has trails going along that good size creek that I helped install. That’s brook trout fishing on upper and lower Scotts Creek that flows into the Tuchasegee river next to the Inn. So, we actually have delayed 74 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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harvest, hatchery supported waters on the Tuck and Brook fishing in Scotts Creek all within a short walking distance from the Dillsboro Inn. “Every season has charm in the mountains. Spring is proving to be one of the best times to come fish in the Dillsboro Inn neighborhood. In the spring, late fall after leaf season, and in the winter months, Dillsboro gets more fishing men and women than it has in years past. The Tuck is really starting to become better managed as a fishery. I am pleased with the growth with the trout fishing customers in recent years. It’s tough being a seasonal business, and we should have much better numbers in winter and early spring with the Tuchasegee River being a destination point. Our location on the river should be attractive for fishermen to fish, bring their family maybe, walk to town to shop, and eat at fine restaurants,” says TJ. Come relax, fish, and sit by the fire at night, all directly on the river where you can hear the whitewater and smell the fresh mountain air. Let your troubles flow down our whitewater river...Dillsboroinn.com 76 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
Riverfront suites at the
Dillsboro Inn www.dillsboroinn.com
146 North River Road, Dillsboro, North Carolina 28725 TJ & Terry Walker welcome you to the Dillsboro Inn and invite you to join them on a whitewater river, where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Smokies. Whether you are looking to spend a relaxing time on your riverside deck or boating on the river, the Dillsboro Inn is the place for you!
info@dillsboroinn.com
866.586.3898
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Don’t go home empty handed! www.sunbursttrout.com
Sunburst Trout Farms Is located below the Shining Rock National Wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest. Since 1948 they have been growing rainbow trout, and the farm is now run by third generation brothers Wes and Ben Eason.
Sunburst has a long standing commitment to quality. Their fish are hormone and antibiotic free, and the feed is made especially for them containing no mammalian by-products. All trout are cut to order in small bathces, mostly by hand, thus ensuring all products are of the highest standard. In addition to Sunburst’s flagship fillets you can also find their award winning caviar, as well as trout jerky, hickory smoked trout, cold smoked trout, smoked trout dip, trout sausage, and even some non trout products, pimento goat cheese and smoked tomato jam. Be sure to stock up on their Original Jennings Jerky! It’s shelf stable and perfect for those long days fly fishing. To order go online to www.sunbursttrout.com
314 Industrial Park Drive Waynesville, NC 28786 828-648-3010 • 800-673-3051
Sunburst Tr Chowder
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rout
Ingredients 1 tablespoon butter 2 ribs celery, chopped 6 scallions, white bulbs and green tops chopped and reserved separately 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound baking potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 cups water 1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 bay leaf 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1 cup half-and-half 2 fillets Sunburst smoked trout, skin removed, fish flaked How to Make It Step 1 In a large pot, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the celery, the chopped scallion bulbs, and the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Step 2 Add the potatoes, wine, water, broth, thyme, bay leaf, and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Step 3 Stir the half-and-half into the soup. Simmer until the soup starts to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the trout and the scallion tops. Remove the bay leaf from the soup. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 83
new fly guy
Tips on A s a new fly angler, you’ve already learned what tippet is. You know, it’s the stuff that breaks when you have a beautiful fish on. Thankfully, once you learn the ins and outs of matching the right type and size to your conditions, you will lose less fish. To understand how to select the perfect tippet, trace the value chain. Many people start the value chain at the wrong end and focus on the rod and reel. Instead, start at the fish and move backward a few steps. The species of fish, and where it lives, dictates the fly. The fly drives the tippet. The wrong combination of fly and tippet will create drag and produce in unnatural, fishrepelling drift. The quest for the perfect drift might lead you to extremes where you put exceptionally light tippet on a very heavy fly – that
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Tippets
new fly guy
is a recipe for break off when casting. Fly and tippet have to be compatible! Your starting point in matching fly to tippet should be the Orvis table for their Superstrong Plus brand. It matches tippet to the fly size to achieve a good drift. Even though the pound test ratings are specific to the Superstrong Plus, the tippet sizes/diameters are industry standard and show the right diameter for the fly size.
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new fly guy
As you can see, very light tippet goes with tiny flies. However, judgment comes into play at the edge of the stream. If the water is gin clear with spooky fish, drop down a size. With cloudy or dirty water, you can move up a notch on the scale since the dirt mutes an unnatural drift and you can take advantage of the higher pound test to reduce the chance of a break-off. If you expect to run into stronger fish on very light flies, it’s better to reset the drag on your reel and be very gentle when fighting the fish before dropping two sizes to a riskier, more lightweight tippet. The chart shows these situationally driven variations by reflecting the same size fly against different tippet diameters. It is best not to go outside those windows, i.e., do not put 4X tippet on a size 22 fly. You do not need much tippet – 2 to 4 feet at most. Remember, it attaches to the end of your leader, and the leader provides the standoff from the thick, fishspooking fly line. Since leaders are expensive, always tie a surgeon’s loop at the end of the leader and attach the tippet using another surgeon’s loop for a loop 86 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
new fly guy to loop connection. Caveat – purists demand you tie the tippet firmly to the leader's surgeon’s loop to achieve a better turn over of the fly. However, as a new fly angler, the difference in your presentation will be negligible, and it is better to be able to leverage the loop to loop connection to quickly change tippet as the length erodes with each fly change. One point that always comes up is the expense of tippet. I know, it seems like everything associated with fly fishing has a cost premium. Some folks try and cut costs by using 100-yard spools of monofilament or fluorocarbon. However, while cheaper, it will not perform the same. All you need to do is compare the diameter of the bulk line to the width of equivalent pound test tippet. For example, a $5.99/110 yard spool of 2 lb test Berkeley Vanish fluorocarbon has a diameter of 0.006 inches which is equal to 5X tippet. Sounds like a bargain at 5 cents per yard! The same diameter Orvis Superstrong Plus breaks at 4.75 lbs ($5/32.8 yards or $0.15 per yard) and Rio’s Powerflex Plus breaks at 6 lbs ($10/50 yards or $0.20 per yard). So, it’s a case of buyer beware; don't be lulled into make a decision based on false economy. Go with the strongest tippet you can afford. So… monofilament or fluorocarbon? First, disregard the idea that fluorocarbon is totally transparent under water. Yes, the refractive index is more closely matched to water than mono, but fish, as well as humans, can still see it according to tests done by many experts. The good news is that, just like the big, nasty hook hanging from the bottom of the fly, fish do not know what tippet is and will hit anything they believe matches real food as they make split second decisions when the current pushes the fly into their field of view. Mono and flouro both stretch and mono recovers better, allowing it to retain more of its strength. On the other hand, flouro turns a fly over a little better. What’s the bottom line to you as a new angler? Feel free to go with the less expensive mono since the casting performance improvements of flouro will be lost until your cast improves. Check out Steve’s YouTube channel at KayakHacksFishing for more on this topic.
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Outdoor Adventure
# 63
Fish so big, they hook you. Cherokee Fisheries and Wildlife Management makes sure our trout grow up big, strong, and ready to fight. For tournament schedules, licenses, and more: VisitCherokeeNC.com | 828.359.6110
Don Kirk
I
own a lot of fly rods –far more than I probably need. At last count, I had closer to twenty-five than twenty. Admittedly, that is a tad excessive. I just can’t help myself; I love fly rods. Yet, I don’t just collect them; I use them. Some of my fly rods are used tens of days a year, others a few days a year, and most at least once a year.
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I am also a bit of a fly rod snob, using pretty much exclusively what are referred to as “premium” rods. Most of my fly rods are made in Montana, Washington, and Colorado. I have one rod that was made in Vermont and another in upstate New York, both of which would be considered “specialty” products. Fly rods are one of the few consumer products where “Made in America” is still an option, and the good old USA still dominates the market – at least when it comes to quality. While rods made in other countries work, and some quite well, there is something special about the USA made fly rods. This is probably due to the fact that we have a lot of trout water and a lot of fly fishers. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 91
After buying my first fly rod not made by one of the big players in years, I developed a new appreciation for and interest in small company, American made fly rods. Interestingly, one of the most prominent ones is located south of the Mason-Dixon Line in Palmyra, Virginia: Reilly Rod Crafters. I first came onto Reilly Rod Crafters through the internet where I saw some product posts. Then, I started reading about them in print. Writing peer and friend Beau Beasley, a southern fly fishing fixture, talked them up as well. With all that noise, I felt I needed to take a look for myself. How it All Started Reilly Rod Crafters is the brainchild of Chris Reilly. Chris has fly fished for over 40 years. He is the father of guide and fly fishing writer Matt Reilly. Chris has been involved in fly rod design
since 1990 and employed in the industry since 2014. He launched the company in 2016. Reilly Rod Crafters set out to make a line of fly rods that felt more natural than today’s typical production rod and that would cast easily over a broad range of distances and with a wide range of flies. To help fulfill his vision, Chris partnered with some of the biggest names in the industry. The combined field-hours and experience of his signature series fly rod designers are off the charts. And, like his rods, the people Chris recruited to help him are specialists. Part of what Reilly Rod Crafters did was to go back in order to go forward. They looked at what used to work and the things that in fact still do. They resurrected that “feel” that made classic fly rods fun to fish, effortless to cast, and versatile. They refused to accept the “faster is better” mantra. Field Testing After speaking with owner Chris Reilly about his rods, he said he would send me some products to try out. We decided on four rods: a 9-foot 8-weight Stu Apt Signature Series, 9-foot 7-weight Chuck Kraft Signature Series, 9-foot 5-weight Kildare, and a 6-foot 9-inch 4-weight Mountain Midge. Suffice to say, he sent a broad range of rods and provided a great way to see what the company was all about. In general, I found the Reilly rods to be “soulful.” What I mean by that is I could feel them load which is not always the case with today's fast-action rods. While I was once in the “faster-the-better” camp, I learned that feeling trumps timing, especially regarding accuracy. I also learned that slower rods are more fun, and less tiring, to cast and fish.
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The Reilly rods are handsome and well wrapped. The cork and components are what you would expect in a mid-to-high price rod. They come with a cloth sock and metal tube, as well as with a registration card and decal. They are as professionally finished and packaged as products you would get from the big dogs in the fly rod market. Stu Apte Signature Series Stu Apte is one of the best-known names in fly fishing. He is a hall-of-fame angler, writer, and the author of six or so books on fly fishing. He is also a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot and Pan Am captain. To stay Mr. Apte knows a thing or two about fly rods would be a gross understatement. The Stu Apte series is marketed as a “Western Trout/Streamer/Bass/ Light Saltwater” rod. The 9-foot 8-weight, 3-piece I field-tested can be used for light
salt such as redfish or schoolie stripers, bass – largemouth or smallmouth – or for throwing big streamers for trout on one of the Tennessee or Arkansas tailwaters. At $629 to $699, they're not as expensive as most of today's socalled “premium rods” that now run around $900 or so, the Stu Apte series fly rods are not an inexpensive rod. I’d call them an upper mid-price rod, but quite reasonably priced for a top end American-made product.
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The Stu Apte series rods are all 9-feet in three pieces and come in 4-13 weights, with 8-9 weights representing the mid-point. The dark blue blank is what you’d expect from a big game rod – green and black just don’t seem right for salt. The 4-5 weight come with a reverse half wells grip, and the rest with a full wells and fighting butt. All come with three stripping guides-a rarity. The guides are large to help pass line. Chuck Kraft Signature Series Chuck Kraft is an accomplished fly designer and tyer and one of the best-known smallmouth guides in the country. He has guided some of the biggest names in fly fishing such as Lefty Kreh, Bob Clouser, and Flip Pallot, which speaks volumes. The Chuck Kraft series is marketed as a “Trout Streamer/Bass” rod. The 9-foot, 7- weight, 4-piece I field-tested can be used for large trout streamers and mouse patterns or largemouth or smallmouth bass. Its action lends itself to accurate casts at a range of distances and was especially adept at throwing bulky mouse patterns which is no easy task. At $459.99, the Chuck Kraft series is a true midprice rod now that so-called “premium” rods run $900 or more. It is quite fairly priced for an American made product of its quality. The Chuck Kraft series rods are all 9-feet in four pieces and come in 5-8 weights. The 7-weight I fished represented the mid-point in the series. It did everything I asked it to do. The brown blank with reddish brown wrappings is aesthetically pleasing. The full wells grip on all models is quite comfortable – especially when throwing streamers. The 6-8 weights have a fighting butt. Like the Stu Apte rods, the Chuck Kraft rods have three stripping guides which seemed to help push the line, especially my bulky mouse line.
Kildare The Kildare series is marketed as an “Eastern Trout” rod. The 9-foot, 5-weight, 4-piece, I fieldtested was exactly that. I fished dries, nymphs, and small streamer, all of which the rod easily handled. I found the action of the Kildare to be moderate, comfortable to cast, and easy to fish. Tippet protection was good. It mended did well with a roll-cast. I also had no problem getting fifty or so feet of line out there. As I said earlier, I prefer a somewhat slower action and the Kildare fit the bill. At $479 to $549, the Kildare is a true midprice rod now that socalled “premium” rods run $900 or more. It is quite reasonably priced for an American made product of its quality. The emerald green blank is quite attractive, and the gold-trimmed dark green wraps work well. The Kildare series comes in 3-8 weights with
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no 7-weight. All except the 3-weight are 9-feet in four pieces. The 3-weight is a 7-feet 6-inches in three pieces. All have full wells grips except for the 3-weight which has a reverse half wells. The 6-weight and 8-weight have a fighting butt. Mountain Midge The Mountain Midge is a new series. It is a “retro” glass rod, and part of a small but highly visible back-to-basics movement in fly fishing. It is said to mimic Paul Young’s “Midge” bamboo taper. While I have not gone to glass for general use, I’ve admittedly become quite partial to it for small streams. It’s the perfect tool for small water and small fish, and much better than many of today's “too fast for me” short light-line graphite rods. If you are over 40 you probably grew up fishing glass. If so, fishing glass takes you back to a time and place when
fishing, and life in general, was simpler and less “techy.” While much of the glass I fished when I was young was too fast or too slow, some were just right. The same holds true today, and the Mountain Midge is the latter. The Mountain Midge I fished was a 6-foot 4-weight in three pieces that fished best with a 3-weight line IMHO. It had a great taper for small stream use and was a pleasure to fish. It’s somewhat rough blank, standard ferrules, goldish blank, and nofrills hardware made it look and feel like the better glass rods I fished when I was young. Retailing at $429, the Mountain Midge like most Reilly products is a high mid-price rod. I’ve fished cheaper glass and I’ve fished more expensive glass – and in some cases much more. The rod does everything you’d expect from a higher end glass product but without a $650+ price tag. While the rest of the rods will be raffled off by the magazine, I’m keeping this one for myself… Warranty All Reilly Rod Crafters rod are warranted for the lifetime of the original owner. The warranty covers material defects and workmanship. Rods must be registered on their website within 60 days of purchase. There is a $40 fee which covers shipping and processing. Non-warranty repair, damage resulting from accidents, are repaired at a fair cost. You will be contacted with a repair cost estimate upon receipt of a broken rod. Turnaround time typically runs from 2-3 weeks of receipt.
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Where to Find Them Reilly Rod Crafters has dealers in Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, and Virginia. They are also available direct from the manufacturer. Go to reillyrods. com/dealers/ or reillyrods.com/shop/ to learn more. Summary Reilly rods are clearly a “niche product,” and I don’t mean that in a negative way – niche means “specialized” and that is good. While general products do a lot of things pretty well, they often don’t do anything really well. What Reilly rods do, they do well. Reilly rods are designed for fishing not casting, and there is a big difference. What works in the yard doesn’t always work on the water, but what works on the water usually works in the yard. I found all the products to be fun to fish and comfortable and efficient to cast. While I wish I could have kept all the Reilly rods I tested, I agreed to raffle them off when I was done field testing them. But I did keep one, the Mountain Midge, and it is now part of my personal arsenal, which as anyone who knows me can attest to is no easy nut to crack as I am quite picky. BOB MALLARD has fly fished for over 40 years. He is a former fly shop owner, Registered Maine Guide, blogger, writer, author, fly designer, and National Vide Chair for Native Fish Coalition. Look for his books 50 Best Places Fly Fishing the Northeast and 25 Best Towns Fly Fishing for Trout (Stonefly Press). He can be reached at www.bobmallard.com, info@ bobmallard.com or 207-399-6270.
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new fly guy
Wade Trips Float Trips Trout
Smallmouth Fly Shop
• And Falconry Great Guides and Great Customer Service!
www.curtiswrightoutfitters.com
828-645-8700
Make a loop of tippet and hold it between the thumb and forefinger. Insert a forceps into the loop
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Cranberry Memories
by Soc Clay
W
est Virginia’s 41-mile-long Cranberry River was judged by Outdoor Life as one of the 100 best trout streams in America as far back as they kept records. Today, many fly fishermen pick this piece of fly fishing water as the finest in the East when the whole picture of the fishery and the ambiance of its surroundings are considered. Authorities are convinced that American fly fishermen from east to west, from south to north should sample the Cranberry some time during their travels. Here’s some of this old angler’s recollection of this stream. “Don’t know if this old crate’s going to make it over the ridge,” I said to Don Groh as the aging ’48 Chevy pickup grunted and rattled its way up the steep incline of the narrow road leading up the face of the mountain out of the picturesque valley community of Richwood. “Hell, I’m more worried about those slick tires than I am the motor. By the way, when was the last time I checked the brake pads on this heap? The road, you know, is just as dangerous going down to the river, my long-time road partner and steel mill chum added with a slight chuckle.
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Hell, I thought, Groh, who was a displaced cowboy, yearning for the Black Hills of South Dakota, but stuck in the Ohio Valley because of the good paying job at the mill’s blast furnace, would have considered a no-brake run from the mountaintop down to the river would be as much fun as trying to ride one of the Holstein bulls he raised on his farm! But it all held together and shortly we were crossing the Cranberry on an iron bridge that had turned to rust many years before we cross it on our venture. From the bridge, we could see the magnificently beautiful mountain river winding its way out of the mountains the huge Monongalia National Forest that spreads across a million acres of the high country of the Mountaineer State. The year was 1958 and Groh and I had already picked up the flyrod and learned to fish it with whatever was available in the hill country of southern Ohio and northeastern Kentucky where we roamed on our days off from the mill trying to catch anything that would bite. Groh had mentioned that he’d read a story in Field & Stream that fly fishermen who were to become adept at catching wild brookies, should test their skills against rock bass of which we had plenty of in our neck of the woods. We also picked Kentucky spotted bass out of their rocky and wood hangouts using Arbogast flyrod Hula Poppers. But smallmouth was the real challenge. Several streams close to us, offered some of the best smallie fishing in the country, like the famed Kinniconick Creek and upper Tygart on the Kentucky side of the Ohio and Scioto and the Ohio Brush creeks just across the Ohio River on the north side. 102 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Gradually build our skills by reading everything we could find by the early fly fishing writers, we deduced that we were really to try on the much-heralded trout that swam not too far distant in West Virginia. The guides pointed us to the Cranberry, the Williams, the upper Elk, Cheat River and especially its famed Shaver’s Fork. These rivers, in the beginning, were all brook trout, carried into the favorable habitat by the last great Ice Age some 10,000 or more years ago. Then a young guy name Ted Fernow entered the fish management section of the West Virginia DNR. Ted, a young fisheries biologist began surveying brook trout waters in the state and decided that many of the streams and rivers were suitable for the more-desired rainbow and brown trout fisheries (they were larger). Brown trout were kind of looked down upon by many fly fishers at the time. Some considered then nearly as low as the German carp! Fernow felt differently and begin to obtain browns for his fledgling hatcheries. Rainbows were a different matter. Sea-run steelheads were available from the US Fish and Wild Service and Ted discovered they could be successfully ship by rail cars in 10-gallon milk can cooked with chunk ice. The fingerling arrived, and Ted used a multitude of narrow track rail lines used in logging and mining in the mountains. He hijacked some of the flatbed cars and ferried the rainbows to the most suitable habitat he could find alongside the rail tracks. Suddenly, West Virginia supported a fast-growing rainbow prize with the vigor of its saltwater relations.
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With all this history running through our heads, Groh and I drove off the old bridge and turned upstream for several miles before we reached the national forest boundary where the Forest Service had established a campground and had a service road, trail, backpack, bicycle trail constructed along the west side of the river. When we arrived there, there was a dreadful stink in the air. Surely, someone was burning some god-awful trash! Parking the pickup in an allotted space, we started through the camp area to investigate. There was no way we were going to travel this far and stay in a place that smelled of a garbage dump. “We’re havin’ ah messoframps, a salty looking old mountain man wearing a fades and patched pair of bib overalls, said as we inquired about the odor. Hell, ever ‘one comes here for trout ‘n ramps,” the old man said grinning past traces of brown amber that was dribbling from both sides of his mouth. Later, he invited into his camp and fed us a mess of ramps fried up in diced potatoes well-season with back grease. Nowadays, the smell of frying, boiling ramps sends my spirit crying for a return to the Cranberry in April. There’s a trout waiting for every fisherman in the quiet pools, the energetic runs and numerous plunge pools found throughout the 41 miles stretch of the river, plus up every fork and tributary. Groh and I figured we could fish a lifetime on this rive and never come close to cover all the exciting water. Other than special regulations that must be checked annually, trout fishing on the Cranberry is free-wheeling. For bait, you see a lot of canned corn, balls of light bread, 106 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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night crawlers, red worms, cheese balls and commercial products available for trout bait. Ya, I know, Puke time for the fancy dancers of the magical fly, but that’s the way it is. There are three catch and release sections, one a four-mile flow that is recommended by veteran flyers from this region. For the avid fly man, the secret to finding fish that have not been disturbed by the banksetters, the standard rule is to go deeper into the Cranberry Wilderness. Five miles eliminates all day trippers, ten miles eliminates all but the most determined. Twenty to thirty-milepost finds only those who have found a trail down (and back up) the mountain from the Cranberry Scenic Highway. Smart anglers search the pages of a copy of West Virginia Atlas and gazetteer to find patches and timber road that lead into the headwaters where some of the finest brook trout awaits the true avidity of the challenge. For brookies, two fly patterns are needed- a dry in 12-14 size and a similar size bead-headed nymph. After several trips to the Cranberry over the years, Groh, who was a steelworker and a free-lance writer, and I had different assignments and went our separate ways. When there was time, he and I would share a bourbon or three and relieve those special events and retell stories we gleaned from our ventures. After our last visit to the Cranberry together, he made one final journey to his beloved Black Hills. Shortly afterword’s my friend, my miss placed cowboy fishing partner was diagnosed with a rare form of aggressive lung cancer. As was his nature, he refused all medical help and with his family and loved one present, he died peacefully at his southern Ohio farm.
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black wing olive chronicles
B
efore embarking on the latest literary contribution of this outstanding fly fishing journal, please allow me to apologize for the immature puppy-like behavior displayed in my column the last issue. It was a very embarrassing incident, especially by a lady of my years. Finn was funny, but I allowed my emotions to get in the way of clear thinking. Even Ole Daddyboy commented that my hormones needed checking. I was unaware he read my column (or, for that matter could even read at all). Summer was pretty hot. We had a lot of rain as did much of the South. Trips were rained out, but the creeks ran well and fished well. Insofar as I do not make a living as a guide, it seems like an evenSteven swap, but cash not going into the till because of cancellation is tough to make up during this sort of seasonal businesses. Going through my mailbag, I found a few letters received this summer that I’d like to share with you.
Hey Olive, When fly fishing the medium size mountain streams of the South, do you use a strike indicator, and if so, what sort? Also, how do you tolerate DK? P.J. Asheville, NC Dear P.J. Thank you for your inquiry. Regarding strike indicators, I have tried them all including simple plastic bubbles, turfs of fur, and the always reliable Yellow Stimulator. At last, I discovered a bone shaped strike indicator the works like a charm. One inch long, it rides high and the bone appearance of the strike indicator helps me focus on it. Pet Smart carries them in their fly fishing section, six indicators for $5. I especially like the natural colored ones that available in three flavors. Ole Daddyboys is not so bad so long as the “likker” cabinet is well-stocked and no one prowls around in his humidor. Mommygirl keeps both well stocked (most of the time). By the time he gets up at noon, all of the chores are done at the compound so he can enjoy a pleasant perch in his throne room. Olive
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black wing olive chronicles
Cleaning out the Mailbag Hi Olive, My dog, Ajax, and I are planning to backpack fly fishing Slickrock Creek on the NC/TN line. Ajax’s mother was killed by a black bear four years ago. Are there bears in the Slickrock vicinity? Ajax is a big-boned Airedale that I think can hold his own. Do you recommend any special training for him or defensive gear? I really like your column and hope to see you on a stream soon. Tight lines Roscoe Ridley Columbia, SC
Dear Roscoe, An Airedale, eh? For starters please send me a couple of good photos of him. Oh yeah, has he been neutered? My guess is that ole curly headed Ajax can hold his own and understands which end of a bear has teeth, and apparently, Ajax didn’t get that from his mother. In a fair fight, Ajax will hold his own against an average, underweight bear from South Carolina. To be sure though, invest in a good Puma pocket knife and running shoes for the pup. The afore noted advice does not apply to black bear from Tennessee or North Carolina. Hillbilly bruins (damned street fighters) are tough adversaries. I recommend a trio of Plotts. Olive Dear Olive, Mr, Kirk is so lucky to have a great dog of your caliber and talents. Do you know of any cousins you have? I am looking for a fly shop dog. Our present fly shop cannot even tie a decent looking Woolybooger, and the present dog ate all of the deer hair, including the bucktail that was dyed green. Any suggestions? Larry Wagner, Charlestown, WV Dear Larry, You are indeed a shrewd judge of dogs. Insofar as Daddyboy rescued me from the streets of Anniston, Alabama, I am completely unaware of my family. For Daddyboy, it was just dumb luck and fate. Regarding your present shop dog, perhaps a little drive to Bone Hill might be in order. Daddyboy and I have taken several cats there and none returned. (Too much lead in the water.) The title of Shop Dog has to be earned, and the canine in question must at least be qualified to tie a dozen Parachute Adams lickety-split. Olive
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Dear Olive, This is Waldo. I meet you have the Blue Ridge Fly Fishing Festival two years ago. (I’m the German shorthair that was causing the ruckus at the brewery that evening before the fight broke out.) It has become apparent to me that my behavior that night has become a habit. I am not too concerned about myself (9 years old, but 72 the way time is reckoned by bipeds). The problem is my supposed caregiver who has a problem with the John Barley-Corn family. Have you any advice for dealing with the proverbial wayward master? Waldo, East Reburn, GA Although I never set out to become an expert in such matters, as fate happens, I now consider myself as quite the authority on such matters. First of all, heaven forbid that this may sound like I’m throwing ole Daddyboy under the bus. Everything I say is factual, and I have the police records to back it up. You see, when I arrived at the Kirk compound, I was preceded by a string of other canines that all made one-way trips to Bone Hill. My predecessor was a skinny Lab name Slim Chances. Only by sensing what was in the works for Slim Chances did he escape a trip to Bone Hill. One night he bolted in the direction of Bean Station and was never seen or heard from again. It became quite apparent upon my arrival here that at the Compound that “likker” rations were a high priority. My suggestion is you either join the caregiver in imbibing (as has become my custom) or you do like you want. Incidentally, I do recall you from the incident at the bar that night in Blue Ridge, Georgia. There were a lot of dogs there that weekend, but your loud mouth and unruly behavior were a little over the top. The way you were jumping around like your ass was on fire, one might have guessed every grouse in Fannin County was dropping scent with hog calling range. How uncouth. Olive
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FEATURED ARTIST
ZAN THOM
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MPSON
A
lthough his traditional studies in artwork and technique didn’t start until high school, professional artist Zan Thompson was surrounded by art from birth. Born into a family of professional artists, Thompson found himself greatly and HDVLO\ LQÀXHQFHG +LV ³SDVVLRQ IRU SDLQWLQJ ´ DV KH GHVFULEHV LW ÀRXULVKHG ³%RWK RI P\ SDUHQWV SULPDULO\ SDLQWHG LQ ZDWHUFRORU DOWKRXJK a variety of art had a place in our home. I grew up playing and experimenting with art LQ P\ SDUHQWV¶ VWXGLRV , ZDV SUREDEO\ GUDZLQJ DQG SDLQWLQJ EHIRUH , FRXOG ZDON ´ www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 117
Thompson’s studies in high school, and later college, further nurtured KLV WDOHQWV ³, VWXGLHG DUW LQ KLJK VFKRRO DQG DW FROOHJH EHIRUH VZLWFKLQJ WR WKH University of Georgia and switching majors to landscape architecture and later urban planning which also required an art skill to draw and demonstrate plans for a project. Through my forty plus years in planning and design, I treated art more as a hobby until I started making plans for retirement. Then I GHFLGHG , ZDQWHG WR JHW EDFN WR DUW EXW PRUH VSHFL¿FDOO\ ZDWHUFRORU SDLQWLQJ ´
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Thompson grew up in the southeastern United States, surrounded by lush forests, rolling green hills and mountainous skylines that sloped down into rivers whose babbling brooks eventually led to sandy beaches and salty oceans. Thompson stresses that the early experiences in his life were the ones that helped VWHHU KLP LQ WKH GLUHFWLRQ RI EHFRPLQJ D SURIHVVLRQDO DUWLVW ³$JDLQ ´ 7KRPSVRQ VDLG ³LW LV WKH IDFW WKDW , ZDV VXUURXQGHG E\ DUW JURZLQJ XS ´ 3HUKDSV LW¶V QRW just that he was surrounded by his parent’s painting, sculpting, and drawing, but also the fact that he was surrounded by natural art: the dodging lines or the incredible juxtapositions of softness and harshness on the southeastern ODQGVFDSH ³$UW ´ KH WHOOV 6RXWKHUQ 7URXW VLPSO\ ³DUW LV LQ P\ EORRG DQG LQ P\ VRXO ´ www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 119
Thompson’s clear appreciation for landscapes only manifests as one of his IDYRULWH VXEMHFWV ³, KDYH WKUHH IDYRULWHV ´ 7KRPSVRQ VD\V )O\ ¿VKLQJ VFHQHV DQG ¿VKLQJ WDFNOH IDOO LQWR RQH FDWHJRU\ DV D IDYRULWH EHFDXVH RI KLV ORYH IRU WKH VSRUW $QG DV KH SRLQWV RXW ³/HW¶V QRW IRUJHW WURXW QHYHU OLYH LQ XJO\ SODFHV 0\ IRUW\ SOXV \HDUV LQ XUEDQ SODQQLQJ DQG ODQG SODQQLQJ LV DQRWKHU , SDLQW D ORW RI ODQGVFDSHV PDQ\ GHDOLQJ ZLWK FLW\ VWUHHWV DQG WRSLFV VXFK DV DOOH\V ´ VDLG 7KRPSVRQ +LV WKLUG IDYRULWH WRSLF KDV WR GR ZLWK ZDWHUFUDIW IURP ND\DNV to ships—particularly, shrimp boats. Although all of his works receive praise DQG DUH DSSUHFLDWHG E\ KLV DXGLHQFH WKH SDLQWHG ÀLHV DUH ZKDW KH UHJDUGV DV VRPH RI KLV EHVW UHFHLYHG ZRUNV DORQJ ZLWK KLV UHQGHULQJV RI ERDWV DQG VKLSV
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Every artist, Thompson included, has a preferred medium that they feel brings their art to life. When it comes to his work, Thompson is partial to watercolors. ³:KLOH , FRXOG SDLQW ZLWK RLOV DQG DFU\OLFV , DOZD\V VWUXJJOHG ZLWK ZDWHUFRORU <HW it was my favorite medium. I loved the looseness and transparency that other artists achieved with watercolor. I was making another attempt to learn to control the medium in 2010 when my father passed away. That motivated me to become PRUH VHULRXV DERXW P\ VNLOOV LQ ZDWHUFRORU 6RRQ DIWHU , ZDV ¿QDOO\ KDYLQJ VXFFHVV with the mediumâ&#x20AC;¦. Watercolor has always been my favorite. It is the hardest medium to use but provides the most satisfaction for me. It requires more planning and prep before starting a painting, but the end results are just fantastic. I have JLYHQ DZD\ DOO P\ RWKHU PHGLXP HTXLSPHQW 7RGD\ LW LV RQO\ ZDWHUFRORU IRU PH ´
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Typically producing upwards of 120 pieces of art annually, including commissioned work and standard artwork, Thompson also works through demonstrations and SUDFWLFH SDLQWLQJV 7KH QXPEHU RI ZRUNV SURGXFHG \HDUO\ LV FOLPELQJ DV KH LV ¿QGLQJ PRUH DQG PRUH VXFFHVV 3OXV DV KH VD\V KH PDQDJHV WR DOORFDWH WLPH PRUH Há&#x201A;&#x2C6;FLHQWO\ LQ UHJDUGV WR KLV DUW EXVLQHVV %XW LW¶V WKLV KLJKO\ PRWLYDWHG SURGXFWLRQ WKDW KDV UHVXOWHG LQ SUDLVH IURP WKH DUW FRPPXQLW\ ³, KDYHQ¶W VHULRXVO\ SXUVXHG DZDUGV until the last couple of years. I currently have work that has been accepted to the Watercolor Societies of North Carolina and Georgia with awards announced in October. I have received everything IURP )LUVW WR +RQRUDEOH 0HQWLRQ LQ VHYHUDO VKRZV ranging from regional to local exhibitions. I have my second solo exhibition currently running from September 1 to October DW WKH +LGGHQLWH $UWV +HULWDJH &HQWHU LQ +LGGHQLWH 1RUWK &DUROLQD I invite all your readers to attend the reception which will be Saturday, 2FWREHU IURP QRRQ WLOO 30 LQ WKH /XFDV *DOOHU\ DW WKH FHQWHU ´
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³, SDLQW ZKDW LQWHUHVWV PH ´ 7KRPSVRQ says about the most challenging part of his ZRUN ³, SDLQW ZKDW FDWFKHV P\ H\H 7KH ELJJHVW LVVXH SDLQWLQJ D ¿VKLQJ VFHQH LV WKH FKDQJLQJ FRQGLWLRQV IURP VXQOLJKW DQG VKDGRZV WR WKH SRVLWLRQ RI WKH ¿VKHUPDQ RU ¿VKHUZRPHQ WR ZDWHU levels. I have learned to take a photo so that with my phone I can preserve what initially caught my attention and motivated me to paint. I can then refer EDFN WR WKH SKRWR WR JHW WKH VKDGRZV DQG RWKHU HOHPHQWV FRUUHFW DV , SDLQW ´ )RU WKRVH ZKR DVSLUH WR EH D WKULYLQJ DUWLVW 7KRPSVRQ HPSKDWLFDOO\ VD\V ³3UDFWLFH , tell my students the most important thing is practice. Sound familiar? Anything worth doing and doing well requires practice. I tell my students you should paint every day HYHQ LI LW LV RQO\ RU PLQXWHV 2YHU WLPH LW ZLOO JUHDWO\ LPSDFW \RXU VNLOO OHYHO ³ www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 125
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³2YHU WKH \HDUV WKH WZR DFWLYLWLHV I have always enjoyed is painting DQG Ã&#x20AC;\ ¿VKLQJ«´ 7KRPSVRQ WHOOV Southern Trout, wrapping up his LQWHUYLHZ ³7KH WZR PDNH D JUHDW pair of activities together. One inspiring and embracing the other. Over the years I have been involved ZLWK WKUHH GLá&#x201A;&#x2021;HUHQW FKDSWHUV RI 7URXW Unlimited as I moved about. With my FXUUHQW FKDSWHU +LFNRU\ , GRQDWH D painting and a giclee print to the chapter for the annual fundraiser each year. Several of my chapter friends are now collectors of my art. I will be donating again for our spring fundraising banquet, so it is a good opportunity to get some nice DUW DQG KHOS D YHU\ ZRUWK\ RUJDQL]DWLRQ DW WKH VDPH WLPH ´ <RX FDQ YLVLW =DQ 7KRPSVRQ¶V ZHEVLWH DW ZZZ ]DQWKRPSVRQ com to view his artwork or contact him through zan@zanthompson.com. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 127
Others have streams,
we have a trail.
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Fins, Feathers and a By Son Tao US Army, Master Sergeant
I
began my journey into the fly fishing and tying world 39 years ago. While I definitely was not fly fishing yet, the life experiences from my childhood developed me into the person I am today. My family immigrated to the United States from war-torn Vietnam when I was a child. The difficult journey from Ho Chi Minh City to a refugee camp in Malaysia took place when I was five years old. During the journey across the South China Sea, I saw horrors that no five year old should ever have to experience. When a refugee passed away from dehydration, starvation or illness, they were thrown overboard and into the sea. Fortunately, my entire family (father, mother and sister) all the survived the harrowing ordeal. From days of struggling for meals in the refugee camp to learning a new language and way of life in America, the resiliency I learned from those events will eventually become a strength for my fly tying. It also led me to leave a cushy job as an engineer at RCA and enlisting in the US Army after the events of September 11, 2001. By enlisting, it was my family’s way of paying back the United States for the new life that was given to us. During my 18 years in the service, I deployed numerous times to Iraq, Afghanistan, Southern Philippines, and Bosnia. As an infantryman, I was on the front lines and saw the horrors of war firsthand. Conducting raids, being part of numerous firefights, dealing with death, hardship and time away from my family, e military lifestyle became the “norm.” After repeatedly seeing my fellow Soldiers die on the battlefields and being injured myself, I became a
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a Good Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sleep
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different man. I was in a dark place and suffered daily restless nights. Nightmares, waking up in a cold sweat to being jumpy in crowds or noisy places, that was my life after all those combat deployments. Suffering from anxiety and the guilt of being alive, I was saved through the introduction of fly fishing. A retired Korean War Veteran saw me drinking heavily one night at a local bar and bugged me until I began to open up. The topic that did the trick was fishing. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania as a poor immigrant kid, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the luxury of new toys or video games. What I did have was a beat up spinning rod and a secondhand BMX bike. With that old beat up rod and my bike, I wreaked havoc upon every species of fish within a 5-mile radius of my home, Brownstown, Pennsylvania. Although I had not fished in years since joining the service, the topic of fishing brought back fond memories of my childhood and I began opening up to the old Korean vet. Without too much persuasion, he convinced me to join him for a day of fly fishing. I had never fly fished before and was taught the basics of casting a fly rod and hooked onto a bonefish that weighed approximately 10 pounds. Little did I realize at the time, it was a trophy size fish. There was no superhero photo or social media. The feeling was just pure bliss. It was just pure exhilaration to feel that tug again. That evening, I had my first peaceful night sleep in years. The anxiety, migraines, and nightmares disappeared. I was completely at peace. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize the healing powers of fly fishing at that time but the introduction to the sport would never be forgotten. Sadly, my short-lived experience to fly fishing came to an abrupt end due to a permanent change of station from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii to Indianapolis, Indiana. The fishing took a year hiatus because of the busy schedule at my new assignment until I attended a Sports and Outdoors Show in Indianapolis. There, I stopped at the Project Healing Waters booth and talked to the volunteers. The volunteers convinced me to sign up for the email newsletter and the desire for fly fishing was sparked once again. 132 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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I met Derrick Filkens at Flymasters of Indianapolis shortly after attending the Sports and Outdoors Show. Derrick and I have since developed a strong friendship over the years. He is the store manager at Flymasters and donated me a vise, tools and numerous materials to begin tying. My wife blames him for getting me into this obsessive, compulsive hobby! With the support of Flymasters, it paved the way for my entry into the fly tying world. Since my introduction to fly fishing and tying 2.5 years ago, I began posting photos and videos on social media. The reception was overwhelming. In a year and a half, my Instagram account grew to 20,000 followers. Photography was a hobby of mine long before I started tying. One of the difficulties many tyers have with posting flies is the ability to capture all the details of a small object with a phone or digital camera. I utilize a Canon SLR with a dedicated macro lens, lights, tripod etc. The equipment allows me to capture macro photos of flies to great detail. Those photos became a major hit. Due to the macro photos and a large following on social media, I received offers from Whiting Farms, J. Stockard Fly Fishing, Simms Fishing, Semperfli, Regal Vise and Solarez. With the support of those sponsors, my tying really took off and I began tying at numerous shows across the United States. In November of 2017, I was informed that out of the hundreds of entries, I had won the 2017 Project Healing Waters National Fly Tying Competition. The presentation of the award coincided with the International Fly Tying Symposium in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. While at the symposium, my friend John Collins introduced me to Bruce Corwin, pro team manager for Solarez UV Resins. Once I used the Solarez products, I was sold on its quality and joined the team. The prize pack from winning the national fly tying competition, which consisted of a Regal Vise, full set of tying tools and materials, was donated to a veteran. The veteran was a force recon Marine from Pennsylvania that was taking monthly classes at the Donegal Chapter of 134 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Trout Unlimited Veterans Services. Since I already owned a Regal, I felt it was important to pay it forward to another veteran who could benefit from the healing powers of fly tying. Many people call me a perfectionist. While I tie numerous patterns, the one pattern that I’m probably best known for is the Stimulator. I began tying Stimulators due to the complexity of the pattern which utilizes hair (elk or deer), dubbing, hackle and can be tied in numerous size ranges to mimic various insects. Since I’m still relatively new to tying, the pattern gave me an opportunity to practice numerous using numerous materials on one fly. My variations of the Stimulators evolved to utilizing floss, flash, tinsel, and quills. I thoroughly enjoy fine-tuning the proportions, flaring of hair and most of all, utilizing a wide assortment of Whiting Farms dry fly hackle colors. While I’m best known for tying dry flies, I also love tying nymphs and streamers. Joining forces with Solarez UV Resins tremendously enhanced my flies. From replacing head cement with the “Bone Dry” to building up wingcases with the thin and thick resins, I use Solarez UV Resins with just about every fly. I have tried just about every brand of UV resin and fell in love with Solarez due to it being tack free and the company’s amazing support of pro team members. Being an immigrant and having a military background, has helped me tremendously with tying flies. As a child, I was humbled with hunger, death, and poverty. In the Army, quitting was never an option and I learned to tackle everything with a plan, speed, and precision. Those endured hardships and traits from the service laid a foundation to tackling a fly. I was trained to never quit and always tackled everything with 100% effort. Tying flies just became another mission and in no way was I going to let a bunch of feathers, thread, and tinsel beat me. My background in art and engineering also played a major role with my tying. While in high school, I won numerous scholastic awards for painting and sketching. If I could have chosen any career path, it would have been 136 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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in the art industry but in the early 1990s, that field did not pay well so I focused on engineering. The engineering background helps me reverse tie flies in my head and the art background provided hand, eye coordination along with proper proportions and colors. In a way, fly tying is just another version of the arts and crafts I thoroughly enjoyed in school. My favorite species to target is trout. My current assignment in Indiana isn’t well known for trout fishing but I travel a lot to chase after my favorite species. I regularly head to Michigan to chase steelhead and the famous Au Sable River for brown and brook trout. I also travel back home to Pennsylvania several times a year and fish the famous Cumberland Valley limestone rivers and the freestone rivers near State College. Other states I have fished over the past 2 years are Montana, Colorado, Arkansas, and Missouri. By December, I’ll be reassigned to Fort Carson, Colorado and will be chasing trout all over the state on a regular basis. Although my preference is dry fly fishing, I’ll fish to the river’s conditions versus one particular style. I utilize the same flies I tie during fishing outings. My personal best trout, a 44 inch Great Lakes steelhead, was caught on a size 10 quill body nymph that I jokingly dubbed the “30 inches.” It’s a variation of the 20-inch pattern but has a quill over the tinsel body. It has caught so many steelheads over 30 inches; hence the dubbed 30 incher name. My journey into the wonderful sport of fly fishing and tying is just in its infancy. During that short time, I have met so many wonderful people and have traveled to amazing places. From doing a 58-mile float down the Smith River in Montana to meeting amazing tyers from all over the world at fly tying shows, fly fishing has become an integral part of my life. I would hate to know what would have become of me if I had not learned to tackle some feathers, spin thread, chase after beautiful fish and finally getting a good night’s sleep. 138 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Authorized Concessioner
Jeff Durniak: W
hen nominations came rolling in recently for the 2019 Southern Trout Legends of the Fly Hall of Fame voting, we were surprised to see the concerted effort for Jeff Durniak. An officer for the Georgia department of natural resources and all round great guy, I meet him at the Rabun Rendezvous three years ago and immediately knew he we one of the tribe. Oddly, this articled was planned last year, and tying this bury guy down for an interview was tough.
Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go
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“ Thanks for the love of my job and fishing for trout goes back to raising by my parents,” says Durniak. “ I was addicted to the fishing bug very early in life, and I’ve never been cured, thankfully. At the age of 2 1/2, I landed a stunted pumpkinseed sunfish from the city park pond near my folks’ apartment in Plainfield, NJ, and that was all she wrote.” “Fishing kept us tight as a family, and we followed the monthly “runs” in both fresh and salt water, from March pickerel and flounder to April white suckers and trout, to summer fluke, and fall stripers and blues from the beaches and jetties. From fly rods to surf sticks and stout boat poles, we had an arsenal in our basement!” Durniak still considers his Mom as his best fishing buddy in the world. Although dementia has detoured her now, he retains decades of wonderful memories of his Christmas gifts and especially his fishing trips with her, from Ken Lockwood Gorge to Sandy Hook. Durniak’s fishing addiction followed his to colleges in Virginia and Tennessee and then to his current position in Georgia. It has even forced him to travel afar Wyoming and Montana and even Argentina in unsuccessful attempts at a cure. This July, Durniak celebrated his 33rd year with Georgia’s Wildlife Resources Division (GAWRD). He plans to go for one more. The first ten were spent as the agency trout biologist. He spent the remainder as the north Georgia region fisheries supervisor. (He likes living in the mountains and don’t want to leave). In that position, he has helped guide the state’s trout program, including 144 l August October2018 2018 l l Southern SouthernTrout Trout l l www.SouthernTrout.com www.SouthernTrout.com
three hatcheries, and Georgia’s stream, river, and reservoir research and management in 38 counties from Atlanta airport to the state’s northern border. He answers to a great state Fisheries Chief and a supportive Director of GAWRD. “My small administrative staff (3) and I support staff of five overachieving biologists and about 20 awesome technicians who run the trout hatcheries, sample the big reservoirs, coordinate with other agencies on fish issues, provide aquatic education, and collect walleye and striper broodstocks for the statewide stocking program,” says Durniak. “They are the real heroes, along with our great partners at Chattahoochee Forest National Hatchery and the biologists with the Chattahoochee National Forest.” “I rate Georgia trout fishing as pretty darn good,” continues Durniak. “ When you look at this state’s natural limitations of soft water, lower elevations, and low latitude, our fisheries are very good for what Mother Nature has provided here.” Of course, Durniak admits to being biased, but he does not hesitate to rate Georgia’s trout management as good. The goal is to serve all of the state’s anglers, from those who enjoy a trout supper to those who strictly release trout. It’s very important to identify, understand, and serve our entire range of trout fishing groups, and not simply respond to vocal minorities, especially at the expense of other legitimate anglers. There are no underrated trout here in JoJa. They’re all loved, from tiny headwater specks to truckloads of stocker rainbows to wild tailwater browns measured in pounds. Like all ball teams, each has its own loyal fan base. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 145
Jeff Durniak might be referred to as the daddy of Georgia’s highly successful Delayed Harvest trout stocking/management program. The real question is: what do our trout anglers desire (the demand side) and what opportunities are we providing (supply). He and his team contracted with the University of Georgia to assess the supply and demand for trout fishing. When those studies are done, our agency will use that information to optimize our management of the resource. “The biggest challenges are ignorance and apathy,” says Durniak. “We need more folks fishing, and then caring enough to get engaged on trout management and habitat issues. The internet has simply made it too easy for anglers to snatch some intel and go fishing, so they just fish. Our next generation of anglers also has to “give back” to the resource by getting involved and protecting their sport and their cold water habitat for their kids. I challenge them to “give” as much as they “take” from their trout fisheries to preserve them. At the very least, they should take a kid or new angler fishing and strengthen their conservation army!” “too many people trout fishing is rarely a problem,” continues Durniak “It might seem to be the case during some sunny Saturdays in April and November or on the day the stocking truck has made a hefty deposit. It isn’t for the rest of the year, based on my observations while working and also fishing (“Dredger” is known to wet a line rather often). Not enough people can be a problem when folks want to see their conservation agendas enacted. After all, public input helps steer government actions. How many anglers are standing up and speaking out for conservation? 146 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
“Thanks for your Southern Trout inquiry, Don,” says Durniak. “but in this day and age of folks begging for attention, let’s get one thing straight: it isn’t the ME, it’s the WE. We have been blessed in GA with true trout partnerships, from the state to the feds to tackle shops and to our various angler groups like Trout Unlimited, the GA Women Flyfishers, and North GA Trout Online. While we never agree on everything, we don’t get hung up on our differences. Rather, we respect our differences and then focus our collective efforts on the abundant common ground among us. As a result, our resource and our user groups benefit from our cooperation. I want to dearly thank all of our partners for this selflessness. As a result, we have a wild brown trout fishery in Atlanta, a million stockers a year for the frying pan crowd, more national forest acreage acquired, hundreds of little wild trout streams for blueline fans, several nice, big DH streams, and smiling faces at kids fishing rodeos, Casting for Recovery retreats, and Wounded Warriors gatherings. It’s a respectable report card on our trout management co-op. “Personally, it has been a blessing to have had this career in a state with neat natural resources and a selfless citizenry,” says Durniak. “I do hope that our upand-coming generation of trousers will continue this legacy of fishing, fellowship, cooperation, and ultimately - -conservation. The trout are counting on Y'all!!!” www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 147
A Museum for the Southern Fly Fisherman
The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians — originally
located in Cherokee, NC — has a new home in neighboring Bryson City where it shares a building with the Bryson City / Swain County Chamber of Commerce. It’s centrally located on the town square across the street from the visitor center. The Museum is open Monday thru Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm and admission is free.
The scope of the museum covers an
area with more than 14,700 miles of accessible trout streams — the nine Southern Appalachian States of North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama; the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Bryson City, NC
PHOTO BY JIM HEAFNER
Through exhibits and videos you’ll
learn about legendary “Stream Blazers,” the evolution of rods and reels, basic knots, fly-tying, types of gear, types of gamefish, regional fishing waters, and the history of fly fishing in the Southeast. Whether you are a long-time fly fisherman, or have only attempted or never tried fly fishing, you will find something to enjoy and to learn from in the museum.
FLY FISHING MUSEUM
OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians 210 Main Street Bryson City, NC 28713 800-867-9241
FlyFishingMuseum.org
Fly Fishing North Carolina By Anthony Vinson Smith
Review
"Bowfin Blast from Quiet Blackwater!" "Big Blacktip Bends 12-weight under Stormy Skies!" "Little Tunny Rip Line from Reel into Backing!"
R
ead these stories and more down in “the Old North state.” From coast to mountains, the state offers a stunning abundance of diverse waters. It is one of the things that makes North Carolina a wonderful place to explore with a fly rod. The decision to write FLY FISHING NORTH CAROLINA was a “no-brainer.” Angling, exploring streams and wild places has always been a passion of mine. The book is loaded with 33 chapters, each covering a different fly fish scenario. As a guide book it is very informative, supplying the reader with the types of fish, known hatches, gear, effective flies, accommodations and services, helpful web sites and even a rating at the end. Each chapter tells a story so that the reader can get a feel for the mood or tenor of the environment. Near the front of the book are numerous immaculate color plates that identify many of the most effective flies, both standard and local. I did most of the photography with help from many enthusiastic friends and anglers. At the back of the book you will find a handy knot guide. The maps may have been the biggest challenge but with today’s technology, Pete Chadwell’s illustrative touch and Howard Fisher’s professional patience, together, we made it happen.
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I earned my writing chops during the days I spent behind a microphone, writing radio commercials or in Greenville and Fayetteville, NC. Later I became a reporter and produced stories that aired on national public radio from Boston. In Oregon, Scott Ripley, a former assistant editor with Trout Magazine befriended me, became my mentor and helped me get published in magazines such as Northwest Fishing Holes, Fly Fish America and the Steelhead Fly Fishing Journal. After I moved back to NC, I wrote many Outdoors Page features for the Greensboro News & Record and a few for the Winston Salem Journal. I like to think that I write as we talk, often with a sense of humor and immediacy. Of the favorite fly-fishing experiences in the book, the Cape Fear River chapter, was especially memorable. My old buddy Joseph flew in from Portland and joined me there near Fort Fisher. He was the guy that introduced me to flyfishing in 1990 on the Deschutes River in Oregon. We charted a skiff with Captain Matt Wirt and had a great time stripping flies for flounder and sea trout along the salt marshes on the lower river below Wilmington. The Captain had also put me into a frenzy of intense shark activity under dark, stormy skies. It was my first time wielding a 12-weight, with a heaving monster blacktip on the other end. You can learn the Captain’s secret to attracting sharks in the chapter titled Carolina Beach. Another destination that I found fascinating was the incredible spring and fall runs of false albacore. These tuna family fish, aka “fat alberts”, “albies” or “little tunnys” go nuts around the shoals of the Cape Lookout “Bight” and just off the Morehead City Beaches. The fly-fisher must exercise extreme caution if you hook one. Strict line control is crucial to your health and you will be into your backing in no time. Imagine the ride you will get in a kayak! Of course fly-fishing is not always about line ripping, trout leaping action. Sometimes it is more of a state of mind. Every fly-fisher loves standing in a trickling trout stream, reading the riffle, watching for tell-tail signs, being in nature. They do not call it the quiet sport for nothing. One of the more sentimental chapters I wrote about was the Nantahala River. While casting from under shady trees in the lush mountain gorge, an unexpected train horn blasted, announcing itself. Snaking through the trees, the colorful cars were emblazed with the words: Smoky Mountain Scenic Railroad. Wow, that image was like a time machine. It brought back deeply recessed and fond childhood memories. It was a scene that dated back to the 60s. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 153
A unique place I am prone to opine about is in a Chapter titled Merchant’s Millpond. You can hunt the prehistoric three here: bowfin, gar and chain pickerel, the “pike of the South.” I discovered the old logging “pond” when I was a student at East Carolina University. On the northeast coastal plain, the millpond is reminiscent of the Great Dismal Swamp. The dominant feature of this State Park is blackwater and southern Spanish moss-covered bald cypress trees. Spring, preferably on a weekday, is best for the fly-fisher. In a canoe or kayak you can feel isolated yet totally surrounded by wildlife. The list includes bullfrogs, owls, eagles, warblers, deer, dragonflies, beaver, otter, snakes and three gators. I will never forget being lulled by the rhythm of the place, into a meditative state on quiet dark water. The fishing style is all surface. After my umpteenth cast, I landed a fake dragonfly in a likely spot beside a log… BLAAAM! A writhing, twisting explosion of prehistoric fish nearly landed in the bow of my boat. It was my first toothy bowfin and I was glad I remembered my net. The Linville River Gorge was the physically most intense destination to negotiate. The deepest gorge east of the Mississippi is a ruggedly steep wilderness area. While cautiously backpacking down the dramatic terrain, we glimpsed a pair of peregrines on some nearby cliff rocks. I was glad to be with an experienced group on that trip. Some close encounters from field and stream include the presence of a black bear with cub, only a stone’s throw from me on the North Mills River, near Asheville. Then there was the Roanoke River where we fished for anadromous shad and stripers. One time I used my canoe there and fought the strong current with only an electric trolling motor. The stripers tend to hug the bottom so I learned to use a full sinking line. As I was returning to the docks at Weldon, near Roanoke Rapids, there are deep, swirling eddies. One such whirlpool quickly sucked my boat sideways and down to within an inch of two of disaster. Fortunately my trusty old flat bottomed “Duck Hunter” was just buoyant enough to keep us afloat. So I hope you will join me in the book for each chapter. I hope my adventures on these top waters can help guide you and give you a heads up for what to use and expect. Remember, even if you have previously fly-fished a stream, a lake or a pond, it is never exactly the same water that it was before. 154 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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Please be a p
part...
Expansion of our Fly Fishing Museum of Southern Appalaciansand needs a helping hand from the fans of Southern Trout. Please do your part by contributing $10 to $50 on their gofundme page. Be it an individual or TU or FFF Chapter, pledge what you can to the Museum . Lets save what we can of our great fly fishing history.
CLICK HERE TO HELP
Once in a B
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Blue Moon Once in a blue moon a prime bit of property along an outstanding southern trout streams becomes available to purchase. As the saying goes, real estate in any form is expensive because they just arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t making anymore. Tis a pity, because the demand is considerable. This summer I was approached by Sarah Van Steenis, a lady hailing from Asheville, North Carolina regarding a family river estate she wants to sell. Normally property being offered is of limited interest to me, but this parcel is quite different and unique; a dream come true for the right buyer.
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The farm is located on the South Holston River tailwaters. It is fronted by the river and is surrounded on three sides by TVA federal land. The property features 13.63 acres of mostly wooded acreage, with 540 feet of exceptional river frontage and fabulous fly fishing. *My property is located 1.9 miles downriver from the South Holston Dam,” says Van Steenis. “It is the first privately owned property downriver and adjacent to TVA federal land. It is surrounded on three sides by TVA federal woodlands. Also, TVA federal wooded land is directly across from my river frontage, and TVA is a wonderful neighbor! I never have to worry about what will go in across the river from me. It’s wooded and unspoiled.” The river estate has been in Van Stennis’s family for 38 years. Her mother and stepfather, Otto and Bettina Menzel were retired doctors who purchased the property in 1980. They loved this river estate and named it “Woodside”. They made it their home for many years. Otto was a retired audiologist and enjoyed working from his home office at “Woodside” as editor for then magazine, “Life after Deafness”. Bettina was a psychologist, and in her retirement, she fixed up two cabins on the property. She wanted to provide lodging and hospitality to fly fishers visiting the area, and she really enjoyed their friendship. They, in turn, loved her spark and personality, and they enjoyed fishing the incredible frontage when they lodged at the cabins. “The property consists of 13.63 acres of mostly forested land, with 540 feet of prime and unspoiled river frontage.” Says Van Steenis. “The mountain views from the river frontage are stunning. Directly across the river from my frontage is TVA wooded land, so I am well insulated. No junky views. 160 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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The property consists of a charming country home, reminiscent of a country inn. Two cabins and a Bunk house. There is a detached two car garage for boat / vehicle / gator storage. The property is zoned Agricultural Recreational, so the home may be used as a B&B, Country Inn, or lodge, or it may remain as a private river estate for oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal enjoyment. The cabins may be utilized as personal use, or as rentals for an income stream. The property has a very unique topography and is not in a flood plain. It is tiered. The home and cabins are level with the road frontage. Then, there is upper wooded acreage, which is a natural privacy buffer of beautiful forest land, the western part overlooks the river. This upper acreage can remain as is for privacy, or used for future building. With a little selective clearing, the land overlooking the river provides stunning views, with the mountains in the distance, as a backdrop to the river. This would be a great place for a pavilion or deck overlooking the river for personal use, or entertaining. Then, there is a lower tier of the property that spans the river frontage. The lower tier of the river frontage includes a very picturesque spot that may be used for a pavilion, as well as a designated area to create parking for a vehicle or gator. The frontage is not closed during the spawning season. That area is down river from the property. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 163
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Worth mentioning, a public boat access is just minutes away at the weir dams. Within a 3 or 4 minute drive, you will find yourself at the top of the South Holston Dam, with gorgeous lake and mountain views. So this idyllic property has prime river frontage, with very easy access to the lake as well. For those that enjoy lake boating, there is a public lake access nearby. Property is conveniently located to shopping, restaurants, coffee shop/bakery and brewery in downtown Bristol VA-TN. An easy country drive will lead to charming Abingdon Virginia, where folks can enjoy the small town charm of historic Abingdon, with its Main Street shopping, restaurants and Barter Theater. Van Steenis knows what a plus this is as well. When lodging is a family affair, the wives who may not fish want something enjoyable to do in town, while their husbands are on the river, or for evenings out with family and friends. Nice. If this makes you want to know more, go to http://www. southholstonriverpropertyforsale. com. Even if you are a day dreamer like me is fun to explore and wonder about. www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 165
BATTLE OF GAT ONE FLY
“They came…they fish
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TLINBURG 2018 Y ROYALE
hed… they conquered”
T
he “Battle of Gatlinburg 2018” was held on September 22, 2018 in the center of downtown Gatlinburg, TN on sections of the West Prong which flows out of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is one of the most unique fast-paced fly fishing tournaments in existence as the competitors have just three hours to complete their mission. The Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited chapter, Tennessee’s oldest Trout Unlimited chapter presented the “One Fly Royale” for the second year. This is a competition where not only total inches of trout caught and released is part of the event but only one fly of their choice is allowed. You can imagine the pressure of time, accuracy, and the ability to maintain your one chosen fly as the contestants try to catch the maximum amount of fish possible as the volunteer stream monitors record every trout landed. It was truly a “lightning in a bottle” day with stream conditions, weather and the sheer number of trout caught and released. Last year’s low water was soon forgotten as the day’s stream flow was text book perfect and the trout were more than willing to be brought to hand.
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Congratulations to the 2018 winners, 1st Place-Roger Wilson, 2nd Place-Peyton Bodo, 3rd Place-Josh Stinnett and 4th Place-Brian Pendergrass the top four finishers and to all the participants. The ages of the anglers covered the spectrum as well as depth of experience. Some were competing for the first time in a competition and others making a repeat performance to the “Battle of Gatlinburg”. This year brought for the first time a father and son who not only competed but excelled, taking home both 1st & 2nd place. Peyton Bodo also represented our youngest ever angler at 13 years old, I can now say I have seen the future twice and both times it was named Peyton. The older competitors could not help but notice his angling skills and acknowledged him with a round of applause at the awards presentation. A special thanks goes out to the City of Gatlinburg Parks Department for stocking the stream with some great fish again this year. The total number of fish in inches caught was 1,975 inches of rainbow trout, that is 164.62 feet of trout; an astounding number in a threehour time limit! The anglers caught a 17 inch, a 16.5 inch and a 13.5 incher, all beautiful trout that were caught and released to give someone their chance at fishing for trout right in the center of Gatlinburg, TN. A big shout out of course also has to go to the sponsors who make this all possible through their contributions. Southern Trout Magazine was represented in person by Don & Leah Kirk who have been a part of the “Battle of Gatlinburg” since day one. Sponsors 168 l October 2018 l Southern Trout l www.SouthernTrout.com
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also included Smoky Mountain Angler, Little River Outfitters, 3 Rivers Angler, and Rivers Edge Outfitters, all local and regional fly shops who have always been strong supporters of the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited chapter and the sport of fly fishing. The “Battle of Gatlinburg 2018” was not only a success this year but an opportunity for many who have never seen fly fishing up close. When you add in the ability of spectators to watch the anglers form overhead bridges and sidewalks it helps accomplish part of the vision of the Great Smoky Mountain Trout Unlimited. Cold water conservation and protection of trout is the main focus of Trout Unlimited but exposure and expansion of fly fishing and the work Trout Unlimited does to anglers and non-anglers alike is just as important. Many people may never be able to take that bucket list trip to exotic destinations or even a back country trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park fishing for wild trout. Gatlinburg, TN however offers everyone from children to people with physical limitations a chance to catch fish in one of the most unique fishing destinations in the world right in the center of town, no matter what their skill level. The planning has already begun for next year’s “Battle of Gatlinburg 2019” and everyone has an open invitation to attend and compete in this one of a kind event here in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains! www.SouthernTrout.com l Southern Trout l October 2018 l 171
Trophy Fly Fishing Stream Blackhawkflyfishing.com
PO Box 2555
Clarksville, GA 30523
706.947.3474