Fly Fishing for Trout in South Carolina

…for my first big fish on the Davidson. This could easily become an obsession with me. To be able to stand anywhere in the river below the hatchery with trout of all sizes swimming around me and not get a strike? I may need professional help here, with the only question being what kind of professional help.
Asking fellow anglers (who are getting strikes and playing fish) what they are taking, and they are very helpful. But the same fly on the end of my line gets ignored. It’s like an out of body experience, almost. I don’t think my pants legs would get wet if it were an out of body experience. Would they?
I’m not giving up. I will be back.

On a fishing blog one should talk about fishing, or at least mention the few trips that one gets to enjoy. Rhee and I happened to have the same number of vacation days left – not surprising as we work for the same employer. We take so few days off that around this time of year we are looking to take a few off the books and carry 5 over to the next year. We’ve been doing this for at least 10 years, and so far have had more trouble taking the days than worrying about not having enough left over in case of an “emergency”.

This week we took off Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (today). And went fishing. Monday was meant for the Cullasaja River between Highlands and Franklin, but instead ended up on the Davidson. Had Angus, our Scottie, with us which kind of limits things having to watch him. At any rate, I had no luck and we headed back. Tuesday was yard work, ’nuff said. Today: back to the Davidson. I like this river because it really presents a challenge for me. The fish are pretty technically demanding, i.e., they see a lot of people. So much so that you could swear they merely yawn regardless whether you attempt to approach unnoticed, or simply walk up in plain view. Most folks, me included, generally walk away without getting a rise.

Today was different. I lost 3 flies; 2 were snagged by “tree trout”, and the 3rd was simply ripped off my leader. Obviously it was wanted, and just as obviously it was the only one like it in my flybox. I switched constantly and only managed to get flipped off and ignored. End result: a mental note to dust off the fly vise and get busy! I have got to do better and get dedicated. Later… .

Scrimshawed for a fund raiser raffle held by the Mountain Bridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

Indeed. It’s not as though I haven’t been fishing at all this year, but the trips have been few and far between. Not a good situation for a web site that claims to be about fly fishing for trout in South Carolina.

As mentioned in the previous post, I’ve been devoting quite a bit of time to the art of Scrimshaw, with a lot of reading and studying. Included in all this is the time spent making various tools, and finishing pieces of ivory and horn for projects not yet begun other than an underlying idea in my head.

Everybody loves makeovers…

This site has just been made over with the help of WordPress. What does this mean? Well, how about a break from a dry spell that has lasted over a year and a half. I sure hope that my dry spell was not the cause for the lack of rain up here in Upstate South Carolina. Don’t want that guilt trip.

26 April 2006

No doubt, this has been quite a long dry spell since the last post. Well, as the phrase goes, “A lot of water has gone under the bridge…” and, yes I know, that is a really terrible pun.
Have I not been fishing at all? Well, heck yeah. This little picture my pic chick took of me the day after April Fool’s day is on the Whitewater River. Showing such fine form should have been rewarded with an encounter of the piscatorial kind, but that didn’t happen. But note: I am wading wet for the first time this year and am unlikely to don waders until late this fall.

So, why then no news?

Well, mostly because there was not a whole lot to report on? Nah, that is not really accurate. Actually, quite the opposite is closer to the truth.

In terms of catching fish, well it has been kind of typical of most of my experiences; I had some luck, both good and bad. That, however, has been somewhat eclipsed by other events, notably a decision to emphasize a bit more on the conservation aspect of the sport of fly fishing for trout and the many factors affecting this area.

Although I still intend to chronicle my trips because it also gives me a chance to throw in whatever is on the top of my head (one of the main reasons I started the site in the first place), I want to add a bit more social consciousness into the mix. And so, I will work on those extensions in the background and do my best to keep up the front as well.

I will try my best not to get too dogmatic, but I definitely intend to share opinions here. Stick around. And shoot me an email when you feel like it.