By Tammy Parris
Tuckasegee River in Swain County was quickly invaded by twenty-two teenagers from Swain County High School’s first-ever fishing club, The Swainglers, on a warm spring day in April. We parked the bus at a Bryson City landmark, Nabers Drive-In. Students rushed to the river shore to cast their lines and wet their hooks. Several students fished behind Nabers, while several others walked through the briars, weeds, and trees to get to their “honey hole”. Moments later, I could hear students excitedly announcing, “Ms. Parris, I got one!” I then trudged through the weeds to see their trophies before they released them back into the water. The smiles on their faces were worth every second of almost falling off the riverbank as I made my way through the dense weeds and poison oak. The catches of the day were several brown and rainbow trout and two spotted bass. I can’t leave out the huge stick that one Swaingler, Chance, reeled in! Spinner baits were the popular, and most rewarded, lures of the trip. The fish couldn’t get enough of them!
Time passed quickly during our club time, but the students and I got to enjoy the good food from Nabers. There is nothing better than a Nabers Cherry Lemon Mountain Dew and Cheeseburger after working up an appetite, while enjoying the beauty and wildlife of the Great Smoky Mountains!
We soon returned to school full of energy and excitement, ready to face the rest of the school day.
The Swainglers welcome your encouragement and support. You can reach Tammy Parris at tparris@swainmail.org.