By Jimmy Harris
As you know, in an effort to control budgetary expenses, the decision was made to eliminate spring this year and go directly from winter to summer. Many of us would argue that of all the seasons we would like to do away with, spring is not high on the list. But, hey, these things are all run by a bureaucracy, and there’s not much we can do but go with the flow.
Spring this year sneaked in under cover of darkness in early May and by May 13, it was gone. Just like that. BAM! It’s summer.
I personally did not get in enough springtime trout fishing (aka dry fly fishing) this year due to this ill-advised move, so I’m still hankering for more. If you see me over the next few weeks, I’ll likely to be throwing poppers to shoal bass. If you don’t see me, it’s likely because I’m bushwhacking to some small high altitude trout stream with a short 3-wt. fly rod and a pocketful of dry flies. My closest fishing buddies will attest to my addiction for these streams and the little trout that inhabit them.
You don’t need to be an FFI certified casting instructor to fish these little gems. Shoot, you don’t even need to know how to make a backcast. A little water haul as the current pulls your line downstream or a roll cast all of 12 feet will do you on almost all of these mountain creeks.
Beyond requiring few casting skills, you also don’t have to worry about matching the hatch. There’s so little food in our freestone mountain streams that, as I’ve always proclaimed, the trout have to bite first and ask questions later. Just fish a dry fly you can see in the deep woods, probably a size 14 or 16 Trude, Parachute Adams or Elk Hair Caddis. If you can get in casting position without spooking the pool, you’re almost certain to get a strike if there’s a fish in there.
So consider this: You’re surrounded by Mother Nature’s finest (mountains, clean, cold water and beautiful little trout with magnificent colors), and you are likely to have the stream to yourself. I’ve looked, but I can’t find anything wrong with this logic.
Have a great summer and take a kid fishing!
Jimmy Harris owns Unicoi Outfitters. Check them out at www.unicoioutfitters.com.