Redlines
- This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated Aug 22, 2006 at 1:39 pm by
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Ghost no longer.
I managed to convince Taylor that it was necessary to wake up at 4:30 to ensure that we would be the first at the trailhead. After a 20-minute drive around Cherokee searching for coffee in vain, we drove up the mountain to the Deep Creek Trailhead below Newfound Gap.
We were banking on the fact that Don Kirk described Sahlee Creek, our destination, as too easily accessible and physically exhausting to fish. However, what “The Don” described in his book as a 1.9 mile hike had to have been a cruel joke. Walking at a normal trout-crazed pace we can normally cover that distance in around 30 minutes. Somehow, on an easy downhill descent it took over an hour to get to the mouth of Sahlee. I’d describe the hike out, but I still have a mental block that prevents me from recalling most of it.
We decided to start a few minutes downstream in Deep Creek proper and work our way up and into Sahlee. The first pool gave up two fish, one of them (according to Taylor) a rainbow, although he popped off before we could get a good look at him. This would be the only rainbow encounter of the day.
We worked our way upstream trying to find water that was open enough to fish, and when we did, the brook trout were always eager to strike a fly. After he decided that the brookies were being spooked by a size 12 Royal Wulff, Taylor tied on a 16 Light Adams and pinged one brook trout with the hook five times before finally hooking up and landing him. Sounds like a trout that’s unfamiliar with the concept of flies biting back…
We caught plenty of brook trout, although none approached the ten-inch mark, and only saw two hikers when we were heading out. Not a bad way to spend the day.
Solid shots, too, Ian – yours or Taylor’s? Who post-processed them? The top one is slow enough that I know someone brought the reds back up, because exposures that long in the Park go green. Good job both of you. Your color saturation is excellent on the second and third as well. None of the brookies I caught had that degree of separation between the colors; they were muddier looking. Given that the watersheds are actually cut off from each other, I wonder if we were catching separate strains within a mile of each other?
Hans said the Deep Creek trail requires a “two to three mile hike before you even see fishable water.” So much for reliable maps, eh?
You did right to go in early – Hans said there were ten anglers fishing behind him when we turned around, and I had covered about two miles of water at that point without seeing anyone. That’s what I got for going downstream; a nice hike. I also jumped a couple grouse – I hike quiet when alone.
Here’s the same fish shot from the side; notice how the yellow sub-spots on the side are less defined, and how it seems to lack the dual colors of the belly (although you can’t see completely underneath).
Taylor actually played the hand model in all of these photos. I’m still using a cheap 4 MP P/S that tends to gray everything out, so I tried to bring colors back up to a level that I thought represented reality. I haven’t taken the time to calibrate my monitor really well, so they may be a bit heavy. That being said, those were extremely colorful fish on their own. I did cull my photos to post the best of what we caught. I imagine their color has a lot to do with diet and age. Here are two of the muddier fish I can find in my photos.
And another bright one for comparison
Deep Creek below Sahlee – It was fairly open in this stretch
Great thread…and photographs…makes me want to pack up and hike in for a few days…
Those “redlines” look perfect for the Scott “F” series in a light line weight…simple reels…and a box of dry flies…
Hello Zach,
You hooked up with a really fine headwater fisherman in Hans. I hope to be fishing with Hans by the end of this month. I am anxious to check out some of the new brookie streams. I remember when they opened 8 streams several years ago on a trial basis to guage the effects of fishing pressures on brookie populations.
Thanks guys for the great pics and stories behind the newly opened brookie streams. I am still trying to get a handle on the lower elevation ‘bows of the Middle Prong, but I feel inspired to take a shot at the brookies now. I can now mix my first love (backpacking) with my latest (flyfishing). I’ve yet to hook up with one in the park, but hopefully that will soon change. Thanks again and good to be on the board. The site is unbelievable.
Gek
Whadya now! Here’s the hillbilly swede! Zach! I was wondering what happened to you. Now I know, you went down to ATL and I hope that bar exam goes well. As for me I’m still trying not to sound like Forrest Gump but no sucess ;D
Fishing has been slow in the heat. I did well up until July. August so far has not been so good and mainly because of me being lazy and staying home. Change is on the way. I have found an eager beginning Fly Fisherman from Maryville who is willing to tag along on my outings. He is already catching fish like there’s no tomorrow. I had to show him some of the tricks of the trade up in these hills and now he is good to go.
I have been fooling around with tackle tinkering business lately. I have rebuilt an old South Bend glass rod which I am going to fish this weekend. I cut it from 8ft down to 7ft and put on new guides and a new grip with a modern graphite reel seat. It will be interesting to see if it’ll throw anything at all. Take care and let’s hope we can do the Road Prong some time in the future again.
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