Get to the Spot

I spent this past weekend with my immediate and extended family in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We took advantage of the Columbus Day holiday on Monday and made it a long weekend vacation, which was much appreciated by my wife and kids. With as many outdoors opportunities as I have been able to experience lately, my primary goal this weekend was to spend time with my family, so I intentionally, but with concerted effort, put fishing way down on my priority list. However, I did carry a few rods with me, in the event that a blitz was on, and I found a brief opening at first light Monday to head over to the Little Bridge, located between Nags Head and Manteo. This is a popular destination for inshore anglers, who routinely catch speckled trout, puppy drum and rockfish this time a year from the fishing area along the bridge. Although the weather had not been good at all due to the effects of the nor'easter, fishermen had still been harvesting these species daily along the Little Bridge. When I got there, the parking lot was already full, and droves of fishermen were stacked up the entire length of the bridge. However, I only needed to be there for a few minutes to realize that I was not within casting distance of one particular 10 foot wide spot where all the bites were occurring. Anglers who frequented the bridge had arrived before daylight and had positioned themselves in just the right spot in order to reap the fruits of their labor. Unfortunately, those of us out of range could only watch and speculate why the population of trout and drum being caught that morning were in such a small, confined area.

 

Romans 5:8 (NASB)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Time with the Guide

I spent this past week with my family and parents in Western North Carolina (WNC), about an hour's drive west of Asheville. We had opportunities to visit many of the storied locations and historical attractions that it featured, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Clingman's Dome, Cades Cove, the Cherokee Indian Reservation and Village, Fontana Lake and Dam and the Nantahala Gorge. One of the things that this mountainous area prides itself on is its numerous fishing locations and opportunities, in particular, fly fishing for several different species of trout. Well, I am definitely a novice when it comes to fly fishing - in fact, the last time I picked up my fly rod was last June on the Blackfoot River in western Montana, but you can rest assured that I was gonna have my fly rod in tow for a week in the Smokies! Based on all the activities in which we were planning to participate throughout the week, though, I decided that instead of booking a trip with an experienced guide to get a full appreciation and understanding of the tips, tricks and tactics of fly fishing for trout in that area, that I would rely on speaking with a guide long enough to get the quick and dirty update on where to fish and what flies and approaches to use. Needless to say, this turned out to be a poor decision, as even after numerous hours spent in a hatchery supported trout stream near our cabin, all I had to show for it was one four or five inch species of minnow. But all seasoned fly fishermen know it's all about the experience, right?...

Proverbs 1:7-8 (MSG)
Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. Pay close attention, friend, to what your father tells you; never forget what you learned at your mother’s knee.