Rain, Just In Time For Labor Day!

It's pouring here at the shop as I write this, and thanks to Tropical Depression Fay, we're supposed to get up to 4 inches of rain in the next 2-3 days. That's excellent news, considering we're headed into the Labor Day weekend and the phone has been ringing off the hook with people asking about fishing trips and conditions. Fay's soggy remnants are just what the doctor ordered to bump up our droughty water levels as we head into fall. The North Fork is almost back to her ol' self, and even prior to today's rain, water temperatures were only topping out in the mid-60s thanks to cooler nights. So hopefully the worst of the 2008 drought is behind us and autumn will continue to bring good fishing and ample rain.  

We've had some wonderful days of trout fishing lately, on backcountry brook trout streams, the Davidson and on our private waters, which seemed to weather the drought much better than last August. Guide Mac Marett found some physically fit folks willing to hike into Panthertown and the Pigeon watershed in search of wild brookies, including Jack S. of South Carolina and Mark and Jill H. from Missouri. The water temperatures remained cool enough to keep the "specs" active; everyone hooked fish in the double digits, on dry flies ranging from Mac's Blowfly to Streambank Hoppers. 

On the 15th and 16th, the King family from Chapel Hill took an All-Day School of Trout on the private waters, followed by a public water wade trip on the Davidson. Mrs. King and her son are both natives of France, but both spoke English far better than Mac and I speak French, that's for sure! With their newfound casting skills, everyone landed a bunch of fat rainbows and a few wild browns. Foam terrestrials and tiny nymph droppers on 6X did the trick. Their day on the Davidson was equally as productive, despite brutally low water, thanks to the hard work of Mac and guide Sam Aiken. Trico patterns and #24 midge pupas accounted for most of the fish. 

On Aug. 20-21, guide Justin Howard had back-to-back trips on the private waters that went exceptionally well considering the low water levels. Charles H. from Florida and his buddy stuck a bunch of fish on Day One. Then, Winston F. and his wife, Elizabeth, from Mobile landed some toads the next day, including a 20-plus-inch rainbow Winston landed on his second cast of the day on a Chernobyl ant! It's up on the Wall of Fame slideshow, if you want a look.

Perhaps our most memorable trip of the month involved hosting a group of Alabama state legislators and two lobbyists. They wanted to fish the Davidson, which at the time was running at an 85-year low. Add to that the fact that two of the four were beginners and we knew we had our work cut out for us. However, Mac and I were pleasantly surprised to find that the fish were in the eating mood. Everybody landed 7 or 8 fish apiece, including at least one over 18 inches. We busted off some of the bigger fish, but that's fishing on the big 'D,' right? We heard some hilarious jokes over lunch, but few were clean enough to share here, except maybe this one:

Did you hear that Barack Obama has a chance of winning Alabama?

No way! How is that possible?

Because if you put a 'G' in front of his name, you get, "GoBAMA!"

We haven't been able to float for smallmouth on the French Broad in several weeks, due to record low water. But the wade fishing has been consistently good, especially around the Long Shoals and Bent Creek areas. Going into the Labor Day weekend, the only problem will be visibility. If we get all the rain we're predicted to, the French Broad mainstem will be chocolate milk for several days afterwards, but may clear enough to run some float trips in early September. In the meantime, we're back in the business on the trout front. As always, feel free to call the shop for up-to-date conditions or stop by and pick up some "Hot Flies" on your way to the river -- 828-877-3106.

Tight lines,

Than