Hurricane Helene Perspective

It's hard to believe I haven't posted in almost 2yrs. So much has happened since then but more of it was related to things in my personal life rather than fishing. I had back surgery, got into playing pickleball and didn't fly fish much at all. Kids sports have really cut into my free time but other than that I don't have a lot of excuses. This fall was going to be my season to get back into trout fishing but hurricane Helene changes that. 

If you don't live on the east coast or have seen news about the damage from the hurricane but don't know what's true and what fake, I can give you some incite. 

4 days after the storm hit my wife and I took supplies to the people in Todd, NC. 

On the way to the mtns from Raleigh we saw several trucks with long bed trailers loaded with supplied. 

We were able to get there fine but on HWY194 there were signs of flooding and several places where debris was on the road. It literally looked like some parts of the road were cleared with in 24hrs of us being there. We saw lots of destruction, military vehicles driving around, destroyed houses, and people sorting through what they had left, but we also witnessed several people helping each other and offering hot meals. 

Many people lost all they had and in the rural mountains and that's not a ton to begin with. My brother-in-law works as a volunteer rescue squad member and he told me most of the severe damage was west of Boone, NC. The main issue was over 30 inches of rain fell in a span of 3 days. The flooding caused landslides and took out bridges. He told stories of several being killed or trapped in their collapsed homes and even more of people who were stuck in their location and couldn't be rescued because it was just too dangerous at the time. 

I have not been back but have had several friends and family that have went to Western North Carolina to offer help. The stories have been mostly the same. There's so much damage and destruction but those that survived are happy to be alive and resilient that they can rebuild. 

The article below has a donation link and even more about the facts from this storm and the damage it caused to NC. If you're able to donate to the relief of this tragedy, please do. 

Rapid Reaction: Historic Flooding Follows Helene in Western NC - North Carolina State Climate Office

Finding Waders for Tweenagers is tough.

 My kids are at that age where they can't wear small adult sizes but they are out growing the largest youth sizes. Trying to find waders for them was a daunting task. I either found waders for toddlers or young adults but nothing for that sweet spot in the middle. I finally ran across BASSDASH IMMERSE Kids Breathable Chest Fishing Waders.

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These were more than I wanted to pay but I it was hard finding breathable waders that fit what I was looking for. I was impressed by the quality of the waders when I received them. They felt just like my breathable waders from Sims or Redington. The stitching and material seemed to be high quality and I think these waders will be fairly durable. Time will tell. I plan to use them this weekend with the kids for the first time.

Finding boots was another interesting adventure. Luckily both my kids wear around a size 8 wms shoe and I found some boots at BassPro.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/cabelas-extreme-wading-boots-for-ladies

This wasn't the cheapest setup but it fit my criteria. I wanted waders that would fit properly and wouldn't be prone to filling with water if the kids fell in. I also wanted boots that wouldn't be slippery even in mud. Keeping the kids safe is my highest priority. I posted this in the hopes it will help anyone else in the same position looking for gear. My kids are just under 5ft and these waders fit them great. They fit properly around the legs and chest. The waders come with a belt and have reinforced legs to help with going through thick brush. 

Getting the Bug

 My blog has been severely neglected. When I read that my last post was from the summer of 2021 I almost felt maybe this blog should die. When I read the old posts I'm still very entertained by my past experiences and I think no matter what notions I have to killing this blog I'll keep it around. If not only for my own entertainment. 

What have I been up to? 

Nothing worth bragging about. My family survived Covid and I was able to fish some last year and even a little this year. My last few excursions with the kids were fun but they never had that bonding aspect I was hoping for. The fishing trips usually ended prematurely and the kids looked forward to where we were eating out after more than the trip itself. 

My daughter and I hit a river that should have some white bass and I was knew if she could get in a school she'd have a great time. The problem was there was considerable hiking involved and her waders aren't the most comfortable. We made the trek to the spot I had picked out and were able to get to the water without much incident. Even after I mentioned the ground bees along the trail and she couldn't walk after without staring down the rest of the time. She was terrified they were going to attack her. 

The water was dingy and visibility was horrible. There was random debris in the water but I figured fish still had to be there. While I was rigging up I heard on my right "oooh, oooooh, I got one!" 

On her second cast she hooked her first white bass. I thought it was on at that point. Usually after one white bass many are soon to follow. All we seemed to catch though were leaves and sticks. I couldn't tell if the fly wasn't getting deep enough or the fish just weren't there. 

We tried a different spot and I finally found some fish. Caught on a white wooly bugger of course.

I got into a few more after that but by white bass run standards this was a pretty slow day. At least the blue skies of NC didn't disappoint.

My daughter started to get bored and at one point I saw her in a tree messing with her sketch book. She showed me this later and maybe because I know it's me I'm fascinated by it.

We talked on the trail about our philosophies on life and I think just maybe she understood other reasons why I love fishing. It was exactly the kind of day I had imagined I'd spend with my kids fishing. The smile says it all.

Colorado Vacation: Day 2 Garden of the Gods

 I was really excited to visit Garden of the Gods from the pictures I had seen on the internet. The rock formations seemed unreal and seeing them in person is amazing.

The parking lot gives you a glimpse of how majestic these formations are but it's the walking path that really shows them off.

The path winds its way through the rocks giving you different angles and views. The rocks seem to jut up from the ground out of nowhere. 

It's hard to gauge just how massive they are until you get right up next to them.

This location isn't just a place for sight seers many rock climbers and hikers come to enjoy the park.

There's a lot of good places for kids to climb and crevasses to check out.

The Siamese Twins formation has a small window where you can see Pike's Peak. 

Even with the 90 degree heat the rocks weren't too hot to touch. 

What's nice is if you wanted to avoid the crowds there were several trails that lead to more secluded places.

I liked this place so much I almost came back again before we left Colorado. We spent 4-5hrs there and I still feel there was plenty more to discover. I think this park is a must see if you're in Denver.

Colorado Vacation: Day 1

 The family went to Colorado again this year. We stayed a few more days in Denver checking out some of the sites near town. The following week was spent in the Rockies. 

We had heard about Mt Evans and the draw for me was the opportunity to see mountain goats. Even though they are not native and were brought to this country years ago it's still neat to see them in person. The views driving to the top were spectacular and Summit Lake is a site to behold.

The drive to the top of the mountain had some breath taking views.

The picture above is from Echo Lake. This is the first lake you pass near the gift shop. 

There are postcard views all the way up the mountain. 

If you're lucky you'll run across these guys playing in the rocks near the road.

We talked to a ranger and they said because of the pandemic some of the babies had not associated people with danger. They actually started a program of intentionally hazing the animals to create that relationship. It makes sense but seems like a strange practice. The goats were definitely used to the crowds. They seemed to almost pose on purpose at times.

Near the top is Summit Lake Park. This place is amazing and worth stopping to hike around the lake and check out the views.

Depending on the trail conditions you can almost hike around the whole lake. There was still a lot of snow blocking parts of the trail which I found surprising since it was late June. 

We hiked to the right along the lake and could see down into a valley where I believe Chicago Lakes is.

The view was incredible and the cliffs were so cool looking.

This is the first time the altitude was really effecting me. I had a really bad headache since we landed in Denver the day before. The drive up to the to of Evans made it worse. The sensation was like having a really bad sinus infection. I made sure I was hydrated but nothing seemed to make me feel better.

At the summit I was about at the limit of what I could bare. My wife wanted to hike even further to a marker at the top of a hill. I felt worse with every step I took gaining elevation I decided to just go back to the car and take it easy. My wife got some great views at the top of the trail.

At the very top near the parking lot is a old restaurant that was destroyed in a explosion.

There is also a observatory that has events open to the public at certain times of the year. I bet that is an incredible experience. Probably a once in a life time chance to get certain views of deep space objects.

The experience overall was amazing and I feel like it's a must visit if you're in the Denver area. The drive is around 1.5hrs to the summit from Denver.

Putting to Work the Allen 6wt

 Allen Fly Fishing has a BOGO deal going on right now. I took the opportunity to get a 6wt Compass and 5wt Heritage Rod. The compass has a very pretty Carolina blue color. 

The 6wt feels stout and it can get away with working as a 7wt if needed. It's perfect for that gap where you want something for fish larger than trout but smaller than carp. 

I tried it out at a local pond and hooked a decent bass that gave me an idea of what the rod can handle. 

I was impressed at how easy it was to keep pressure on the fish. The rod definitely wasn't horsing or overpowering the fish but it kept me in constant control. I like rods where if you lose a fish you can only blame yourself and this is definitely one of those. It will give me confidence in many of the waters I fish where a hit may hook a panfish, bass, or carp. I'm excited to see what else this rod can do it casts like a dream due to the large guides. 

I'll let you know the Heritage 5wt is after I try it. I'm going to the Rockies again this summer and I plan on bringing this rod. 

Spring Ritual

 If you follow my blog at all you know I'm a fan of white bass. Spring always brings the white bass run and I look forward to it every year. The weather has not cooperated the last few years making a window to fish the run very narrow. My first few attempts resulted in only a couple fish. The river was always stained and flowing higher than I'd like. The banks are steep and muddy making navigating to a fishing spot challenging.

I was able to time one day just right and the day couldn't have been better.

Everything was so green from all the rain we've had. All the animals were enjoying the warm weather even this guy.

A rat snake sunning itself across a log. It didn't budge when I got closer to take a picture. These snakes can be startling because of their size but they are harmless. 

I met with a friend from the fly fishing club and we had a great time catching up and fishing the usual haunts. The river changes every year with the rains and the fish move constantly. A spot with white perch one day can have all white bass or nothing the next. I haven't exactly figured out what makes the fish move or why there's more of one kind over another. The main thing is they are fun to catch and give a nice tug on a 6-7wt. 

The amount of fish over the years has dropped off and regulations have been put in place to help bring back the populations. Honestly I think the weather patterns have helped the fishing pressure more than anything. The river is tough to fish and only the diehards really put in the work to fight the briars, steep cliffs, and awkward footing. Many times the white bass are a fish you have to earn and the reward is well worth it.