| Fall on the Nantahala |
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| Friday, 15 September 2006 | |
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What a day—and the fishing was good also. We journeyed to the Nantahala South of Highway 19 in North Carolina and drove about halfway into the “Delay Harvest” area. A foggy morning greeted Charles Bagley and I but the Sun broke through before noon. Earlier in the morning activity was minimal even though there were several varieties of caddis in the air and a pretty decent hatch of BWO’s. I started with an October caddis and saw only one refusal in the first 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Charles was nailing a few on a size 14 Adams. I switched dries several times to little avail, a few 8” rainbows. They were beautiful colored so probably had been in the river for awhile. Finally, I switched to a soft hackle “Eat at Chucks” and had better luck, catching about a half a dozen before lunch—one a feisty 12 inch rainbow. Following a shore lunch, we relocated upstream near the top of the delayed harvest area and attacked again. Now that the Sun had been on the water for a few hours, there were a variety of insects in the air—including a large (#12) mayfly spinner with a rusty brown body (isonichia?), BWO’s, caddis, and midges. I started out with a #16 Parchute Adams and immediately picked up two nice Rainbows and then lost it to an unidentified assailant. After catching the large mayfly, I switched to an ISO Dun. And, it was the ticket. Though I caught no large trout, I had a strike, refusal, or hooked a fish in almost every pocket for the next two hours—all rainbows. I did spook and see one really nice trout. Meanwhile Charles was wailing on them upstream to include one beautiful fat 12” brown in full Fall spawning colors and several 12” hard fighting rainbows. It is a great time of year to be out—see you on the stream! Col(Ret) Roger Duckworth |
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