The Fishing Days that Suck

Since my last experience on the Haw was so fun I was antsy to get back. It was really hot but I decided to chance it. The goal was to use only really big flies. I have a frog popper that's a size 1. I tied that bad boy on and let it fly in the dying light. The piranha aka sunfish were heavily interested and made stabs at the fly literally as it hit the water. The frog was so big there was no way they could take it under. I spooked a few bass and started to work the usual sections when.....

vvvvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvvvv this giant bug started flying around me. I couldn't tell what it was but it was big and circling me like a buzzard. I swatted at it and it finally left me. I crossed a section that leads to an old abandoned mill and worked rocky ledges and banks. vvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvv the damn bug was back again. I started casting figuring it would shoo the bug away but it was relentless. It would go away giving me about 3min of un-harassed fishing time then I'd hear like the Jaws movie theme only with buzzing. vvv vvv vvv vvv VVVVVVVVVVVVVV. I actually hit the bug with my hands a few times and it didn't seem to phase it one bit. It was annoying me so much that I was more worried about it then my back cast and I got hung up in trees behind me a few times. Nothing more fun than untangling your line from a tree and swatting at a giant bug at the same time. The fishing was still slow and I decided to work my way back to where I started the whole time fighting off whatever this thing was.

As I got to the section that flowed downstream of the mill I noticed something strange. The water looked higher and muddy, it was some sort of discharge. This mill is old and abandoned could someone have been messing around and released water some how? I didn't have time to figure it out the water was rising fast and if I didn't make a decision soon I was gonna be stuck on an island with mr buzzy. Stupidly I kind of just jumped in the water and hauled a$$ across it. It was above my knees and took me off guard at first. When I went across this section earlier the water was barely above my sock line. It was filled with mud and the bottom was invisible. My hustling and ruckus I think scared away my buddy. I came back to where I started and thought about calling it a night. Then I tried to be optimistic, watching the muddy flow go into the main current I had an idea. I wonder if this stirred up some food and fish are going to start stacking up. I tied on a dark streamer leach pattern and cast my line out. I was concentrating hard on where I was casting and feeling intently for any tension in the line. The water had risen considerably. vvvvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVVvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv The stupid thing was back! I tried casting and swatting at the same time and caught my line in a tree again. I was able to get it out then during my next cast, unbelievably, the bug actually ticked my line in the air actually moving it some. The insect was un-phased. That was it, I was calling it a night. I left the river disgruntled and happy to leave the flying bastard. My car was parked on a paved section maybe 100yds from where I put in. I was pondering the night and amazed at how different this experience was then the one a couple days before.

vvvvvvvvvVVVVVVVVVvvvvvv! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! OK now this is personal! This bug followed me all the way to my car! Now I was gonna kind of hold still and wait for this thing to land on me because it was gonna die. But no, it was smart enough to just bounce off my hat or do short fly by's. I finally was over it and as I took off my gear and threw it in the back of my car the beast hit my hat and grazed off my face. I just got in my car and the bug slammed against the winsheild and stuck there I guess mocking me thinking, wussy. It was the first time I was able to take a good look at it. It was a 2inch long horse fly. The thing had followed and harassed me probably for a whole mile of fishing.