This weekend

I don't get excited about too many things. When I plan to fish in Boone, I can't help but be happy. It makes my week worth while. I've started tying the flies I will use and I'm figuring out which streams I will fish. I'm taking a buddy and it will be his first time fishing in the mountains of Boone. I don't think he'll want to come back. I love showing people trout fishing. I think anyone can understand how fun it is compared to fishing in a lake or pond. Those places are fun, but fishing in a stream is more of an active experience. You're wading the whole time and searching for fish with each step. You never leave the line in the water for more than 30 seconds. You wouldn't be suprised if you made 500casts in one single trip. You use flies that you think will most likely match what bugs are flying around. But most likely you will go to your favorite fly and give up logic from all the fly fishing books you've ever read. Navigating the water can be fun too. Stepping on ice slippery rocks and tap dancing while trying to keep your balance while not throwing your rod in the water is a talent. Usually your cell phone doesn't work where you're fishing so if you knock yourself unconcious or drown no one will ever know. It's really kind of an extreme sport. You have to cast while shooing away wasps, horseflies and other pests. You walk threw tick filled brush to get to different fishing spots. Wearing waders and a hat isn't the coolest thing you can wear, you'll get hot even standing in 5ft of water. You can easily go from releasing a fish and smiling like you one a milliion dollars to getting a hook stuck in your thumb and cussing like a construction worker who stepped on a nail. Believe it or not it's fun.

One thing I've noticed while fishing the rivers here is how different the experience is. In the mtns you always have the rush of the water as a soundtrack to your fishing experience. Sometimes it's fast and sounds like the static of a TV not finding its signal. Other times it's slow and flowing, sounding similar to water splashing around a pool. When you fish in Raleigh, you hardly ever hear the water. You usually walk beside the water watching turtles sun themselves on logs. As you get closer they plop into the water. Occasionally you'll see a beaver or muskrat cross the river or poke it's head up by a tangled mass of wood. Birds fly in both places and you'll probably see a heron fishing in either the mtns or Raleigh. You'll also see the usual water or rat snake. The mtn streams have gin clear water, where the Neuse and Eno have a brown muddy tint to it. Both places have their beauty to them. The Nuese has the surface activity of splashing gizzard shad here and there. The Watauga and other mtn rivers have the flash of sucker fish feeding on the bottom. I've learned to love the difficult fishing waters around Raleigh. They have taught me how to enjoy the river for what it offers in nature and not just fishing.

I want to bring my camera instead of my fishing rod many times but the thought of not having my rod and seeing a huge fish are to over powering. I will try to get some pictures of us fishing this weekend. Everything is looking good for this weekend. The weather forecast is looking perfect. I'm hoping this will be the trip to hold me over until the fall when I can trout fish some more.