rc51sport
Well-known member
My first few fish of 2018 came to me on an unplanned fishing trip/casting lessons with my cousin while in FL a couple weeks ago. A small bass and a few bluegill. It was my first time fly fishing in some wind and I badly needed the lessons. I just picked up fly fishing last fall and haven't had much practice casting on the small North Carolina streams. I have been itching to get some cold water trout back on my line!
Armed with some newly acquired casting skills (or some kind of idea of what I'm trying to do), I headed out to Stone Mountain State Park.
I arrived about an hour later than I wanted to, I expected the place to be packed the first Saturday after stocking. It was fairly empty, when I stepped out of my car I find out why. It's cold and windy! 20-25mph winds 30-40mph gusts.
I find that one of my favorite, more quiet spots on the delayed harvest river was empty so I set myself up and got to work. I tied on a parachute Adams with a small red midge dropper. The fish were hungry. First cast I caught a small brown that released himself right at my feet. A couple casts later I had a pretty brookie roll and take the dry fly but as I lifted to set the hook the fly pulled from his mouth but he got snagged by the dropper.
The wind really started blowing and I really needed to remember what my cousin taught me. As I remember his lessons bit by bit, my casts are getting better. Straighter, more accurate, farther, I can now feel that line shooting out and just wanting more! Even against this wind, I am very impressed and satisfied with this 4wt BVK my cousin sold me!
Now I am able to reach new water standing my rock and I catch a few more browns and brookies each. I was finally able to manage a chunky little rainbow.
After about eight or so 10-11" fish and hearing people slowly driving by I decide to surrender my rock to other fisherman and head up the small creeks for some wild trout.
The creek water was cold and the wind kept me even colder. The deeper into the woods I got the more protected from the wind I got and was able to warm up a bit. When the wind would gust the sound of cracking and falling trees kept me on edge. There was a good amount of small BWOs fluttering around while I was fishing but nothing seems to be eating them. I didn't spend much time on the creek. Between the cold feet, lack of action, and trying to keep my line out of the trees, I decided to head back down to the DH river and end my day on a good note.
Once I got back down the main river, every fishing hole already had 2-3 lines in it so I decided to walk down and find a new spot. The bites were much slower now. I wanted to try out some barbless flies I had. I had a few fish that I fought but they were able to get off. After a few attempts I ended up in a tree that knotted up my leader badly, that was it for me. I decided to just walk up and down the river before packing up for the drive home. Fish appeared to be VERY well distributed through the river, I have not seen them this well spread out before.
I would consider this a successful trip. I learned alot about casting. Learned that there is alot of stuff that I do not know. Most importantly I netted my first cold water trout of 2018!
-Dan
Armed with some newly acquired casting skills (or some kind of idea of what I'm trying to do), I headed out to Stone Mountain State Park.
I arrived about an hour later than I wanted to, I expected the place to be packed the first Saturday after stocking. It was fairly empty, when I stepped out of my car I find out why. It's cold and windy! 20-25mph winds 30-40mph gusts.
I find that one of my favorite, more quiet spots on the delayed harvest river was empty so I set myself up and got to work. I tied on a parachute Adams with a small red midge dropper. The fish were hungry. First cast I caught a small brown that released himself right at my feet. A couple casts later I had a pretty brookie roll and take the dry fly but as I lifted to set the hook the fly pulled from his mouth but he got snagged by the dropper.
The wind really started blowing and I really needed to remember what my cousin taught me. As I remember his lessons bit by bit, my casts are getting better. Straighter, more accurate, farther, I can now feel that line shooting out and just wanting more! Even against this wind, I am very impressed and satisfied with this 4wt BVK my cousin sold me!
Now I am able to reach new water standing my rock and I catch a few more browns and brookies each. I was finally able to manage a chunky little rainbow.
After about eight or so 10-11" fish and hearing people slowly driving by I decide to surrender my rock to other fisherman and head up the small creeks for some wild trout.
The creek water was cold and the wind kept me even colder. The deeper into the woods I got the more protected from the wind I got and was able to warm up a bit. When the wind would gust the sound of cracking and falling trees kept me on edge. There was a good amount of small BWOs fluttering around while I was fishing but nothing seems to be eating them. I didn't spend much time on the creek. Between the cold feet, lack of action, and trying to keep my line out of the trees, I decided to head back down to the DH river and end my day on a good note.
Once I got back down the main river, every fishing hole already had 2-3 lines in it so I decided to walk down and find a new spot. The bites were much slower now. I wanted to try out some barbless flies I had. I had a few fish that I fought but they were able to get off. After a few attempts I ended up in a tree that knotted up my leader badly, that was it for me. I decided to just walk up and down the river before packing up for the drive home. Fish appeared to be VERY well distributed through the river, I have not seen them this well spread out before.
I would consider this a successful trip. I learned alot about casting. Learned that there is alot of stuff that I do not know. Most importantly I netted my first cold water trout of 2018!
-Dan
Beautiful fish congrats
