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.
I have been getting pictures from hunters almost daily over the past week showing off the big bucks they have taken as the whitetail rut hits high gear (several featured here). The big boys are falling right now, literally, for tactics that they would not think of falling for any other time of the year. Rattling antlers, grunt calls, bleat calls, and scents all play a significant role during this season in capturing the attention and curiosity of whitetail bucks. I began using bleats and grunts regularly about ten years ago, and I have to say that the consistent use of them, often in combination with each other, has brought in numerous bucks during that decade.
Now, most of the bucks that have wandered, or even run, into these setups have been young, immature bucks that are overly eager, and that is why most bucks do not get to be very old. Mature bucks do not fall for these tactics very often, and that is why there are some real whoppers out there that folks hunt for years but are never able to harvest. And why is this? Because the bucks that live to this age have learned to be wary and wise to falsehood. What do they do normally? They circle downwind of the area of interest, ease in, keep their distance, keep checking the wind, keep checking for movement, take their time, often remain motionless for minutes waiting for something to stand out that does not seem right – they use all of their senses in unison. This several week period during early to mid November is the one time of year that the big bucks have one thing on their minds and seem to set their senses aside, causing some of them to lose their lives as a result.
