It was one o'clock on Friday afternoon when I heard about the 416 fire in Durango. I've checked in with friends, kept up with the various social media feeds, and listened attentively to the local public radio station. Last night I asked the universe to kindly send our evening thunderstorms out West for the remainder of the week, but so far my request has been denied. As of this morning, the 416 fire is covering 2,402 acres with 10% containment.
Read moreRod Bag PSA - 2018
Well, it's that time of year! Jacob and I are getting ready to pack up the car and head out West for a month of fishing and exploring.
This year we're moving our sojourn to the month of July in an effort to catch as many fish as we can before all the rivers dry up.
So, here's my yearly PSA regarding rod bags. If you're in need of a bag or two please place your order before June 20th. Any orders placed after that date are not guaranteed to be completed and shipped before we head out.
Read moreIs This The New Normal?
This morning I got an alert on my phone prompting me to be ready to evacuate my home in case of flooding or a landslide. I'm not too worried about the flooding part. We live on a hill, and while we may not be able to leave the house, we'll be okay. But, I've been surveying my neighbor's yard all morning and reminiscing about all the trees they've cut down over the years. I packed a small bag that's in the car, just in case.
It's been raining here in Western North Carolina for two straight days and we've got three to go. Last week we went through the same predicament. I'm not talking about soft, delicate rain, but hard rain, the kind associated with thunderstorms and hurricanes and tropical depressions (insert Alberto). It's dark and wet, a feeling of seasonal depression has started to creep back into my being.
Lucky Charm
As the wind whipped through the valley a slight shiver crept up my spine. The sun was out, but the high wind created a chill in the air and an adversary that an east coast fisherman is not used to. The smart, strategic decision in this particular situation was to fish below water with a sturdy rod and heavier fly. However, I have never been accused of being smart. My attention was not focused on the wind, but on the tiny little bugs floating on top of the water and the little dimples that soon followed. I'm easily distracted by bugs. And so with my fiberglass rod in hand, I tied on a small, yellow back fly.
Read moreDouble-Haul
In Western North Carolina, there's really no need for a 60-foot cast, you'll just end up catching a laurel. My preferred weapon of choice is a size 16 dry fly and a 4 weight fiberglass rod. Ninety percent of the time a double-haul is only used to show off.
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