Strike 2--Bigger Water

    Fish any one river enough, and it's quickly evident that no two stretches of water are created equal. Wielding this bit of knowledge hopefully, my search for close-to-home trout took me to a new and very different location along a nearby delayed harvest stream.

    School was closed but I didn't complain. An overnight batch of freezing rain evidently rendered the safety of some of the county roads questionable; but with four-wheel drive and warm temps, it wasn't keeping me from chasing fish. By noon, my pack was loaded and lunch packed, and I was on my way.

Photo by Matt Reilly

I found the water to be at full pool--maybe a little lower--and fairly clear. In general, the pools differed from those I encountered on my last trip in that they were deeper, faster-paced, and rockier--all aspects my quixotic hopes found refuge in.
    A Mossy Creek pattern, the Golden Retriever, that I learned of through a free fly tying seminar at the Albemarle Angler that I attended with my brother was given the first chance. It was quickly evident that the pattern, as defined and tied by the folks in the shop with .025 lead wire and a fitting bead head, was much too heavy to swing in two foot runs, and I quickly changed out.

Photo by Matt Reilly

    For the rest of the afternoon, I nymphed; but black CKs and a bead-headed wet fly yielded nothing.  Several holes, particularly the last stretch of river I came to, were beautifully ideal, but still, no fish came.

    I slipped out of the river and of the woods just before dark.  The second leg of my trout search was over.  I had yet to actually lay eyes on a fish, something I was expecting.  Hope was petering, but still the only thing on my mind was the potential of my next trip.  Details to come.