By Ryan Wilson
Everything good happens in the fall and fall hits us all at once. Every man is entitled to his opinion and I won’t normally begrudge a person for an honest disagreement, but there is no counter argument: Fall in the South is the best and there isn’t even a close second.
For Carolina sportsmen, this is the time of year that is still so full of promise and opportunity. We’re about to be rewarded for tolerating the humid doldrums of summer, as all of our natural systems start clicking at once. The lakes are cooling down and the bass are starting to aggressively chase bait. The deer can feel winter on the horizon and are starting to move and fatten up. Ducks that have spent the warmer months nesting up north are starting to trickle down the flyway, following the Ontario tagged minivans. And of course fly fishermen are well acquainted with the cool, rich rivers that are now loaded with the trout that we’ll be chasing for the next eight months.
Although spring is generally considered the season of renewal, fall is truly the beginning for outdoorsmen. There is something special about the opening of the season. Our skills and gear might be a little bit rusty, but our enthusiasm and optimism is dialed in. We haven’t yet had to face the inevitable rainouts, skunk days and missed opportunities that will certainly bring our fantasy season into the realm of reality. Last year is when I shot over that 8 pointer and broke the 22in brown off at the net. This is the year that fish ends up in a picture and the buck goes on the wall.
The autumn bounty can be as overwhelming as it is fleeting. Even setting aside the everyday draws on one’s time, like work and family, between hunting, fishing and college football, there’s just no way for a person to keep up with everything the season has to offer. To make the most out these special weeks, an outdoorsman needs to plan and use his time well. Just as you wouldn’t sleep through the golden hour in a duck blind, you shouldn’t be haphazard about how you approach your limited time during this golden season.
Fly fishermen should spend time making sure your gear is in good working condition and you have what you need. Saturday on the stream is no time to find out you stored your fly box wet and all of your hooks have rusted up. Stop by your local shop and have a professional take a look and run some basic maintenance on your gear.
If you really want to get the most out of your fishing time, consider hiring a guide for the day. A guide will not only help give you the best opportunity for success, but will teach you some new skills that you can carry with you throughout your fishing career. No matter your experience level, a guide will have a different perspective and a trick or two that you haven’t seen before. Although the fee usually isn’t cheap, the value on the time and experience will be well worth it. After all, there’s just so much to do this time of year, if you’re going to spend the time fishing make the most of it.
Ryan Wilson is the Owner and Operator of Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters in Cornelius, NC. If you’d like help making the most of your time on the water, please contact him at madisonriverflyfishing@gmail.com or call at (704) 896-3676. Check us out on Facebook: Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters or on the Web: www.carolinaflyfishing.com