nvr2L8
12-30-2010, 11:02 AM
I was determined to at least give a valiant try for a December fish but, alas, didn't have the same fortune as Grannyknot. But I had a great day in the Smokies and loved seeing our mountains covered in snow for a change (without all the roads being closed). I headed for Cades Cove to try out Spring Creek and had to stop along the way to take a picture of the West Prong. Just gorgeous.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CopyofCadesCove001.jpg
The trip around the cove loop was slow as folks stopped in the middle of the road to point at deer (despite the signs telling them not to). Here are some shots of our beautiful cove.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove004.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove005.jpg
Crossing the Spring Creek bridge, these guys were off grazing in the woods.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CopyofCadesCove.jpg
I made it to the Abrams Falls trailhead around noon and headed up Spring Creek. I tried a couple of kinds of nymphs but had no takers. Along the way I saw an otter swim right by the bank under water. Would have expected a beaver but this guy had a small tail not the flat tail of a beaver. Right after the otter passed, several small dark shapes swam by in pursuit; I'm assuming it was the otterettes.
Well, I did manage to see some trout, a whole passle of them as a matter of fact. Within a rock's throw of the bridge up at the loop road, there was a section of stream not 6 feet square that held at least 15 trout including the biggest rainbow I have ever seen in the Smokies. This little tribe was just on the other side of a stump coming out of the water and under an over-hanging shrub. No matter what angle I tried, I couldn't get a nymph down to where they would consider it. Guess I need some lessons from 2weight on this.
Leaving the cove was the usual bumper-to-bumper affair for as far ahead as you could see. Not far past the mill, I passed a guy jogging around the loop in the snow (there's more to say about that but I'll pass). He passed me later as we were standing still in traffic. After a couple more leapfrogs, I managed to beat him out of the cove by about 300 yards. So, while you're sitting in traffic listening to Patty Loveless, there's not much to do but just chill out and enjoy the scenery. A couple more pics on the way out.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove007.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove008.jpg
So, even though the fish wouldn't cooperate, I had a great day in the mountains. I'll just start a new streak later and for now just be thankful to have such a beautiful place in our back yard.
Happy New Year and tight lines to all.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CopyofCadesCove001.jpg
The trip around the cove loop was slow as folks stopped in the middle of the road to point at deer (despite the signs telling them not to). Here are some shots of our beautiful cove.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove004.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove005.jpg
Crossing the Spring Creek bridge, these guys were off grazing in the woods.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CopyofCadesCove.jpg
I made it to the Abrams Falls trailhead around noon and headed up Spring Creek. I tried a couple of kinds of nymphs but had no takers. Along the way I saw an otter swim right by the bank under water. Would have expected a beaver but this guy had a small tail not the flat tail of a beaver. Right after the otter passed, several small dark shapes swam by in pursuit; I'm assuming it was the otterettes.
Well, I did manage to see some trout, a whole passle of them as a matter of fact. Within a rock's throw of the bridge up at the loop road, there was a section of stream not 6 feet square that held at least 15 trout including the biggest rainbow I have ever seen in the Smokies. This little tribe was just on the other side of a stump coming out of the water and under an over-hanging shrub. No matter what angle I tried, I couldn't get a nymph down to where they would consider it. Guess I need some lessons from 2weight on this.
Leaving the cove was the usual bumper-to-bumper affair for as far ahead as you could see. Not far past the mill, I passed a guy jogging around the loop in the snow (there's more to say about that but I'll pass). He passed me later as we were standing still in traffic. After a couple more leapfrogs, I managed to beat him out of the cove by about 300 yards. So, while you're sitting in traffic listening to Patty Loveless, there's not much to do but just chill out and enjoy the scenery. A couple more pics on the way out.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove007.jpg
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd70/nvr2l8_chuck/CadesCove008.jpg
So, even though the fish wouldn't cooperate, I had a great day in the mountains. I'll just start a new streak later and for now just be thankful to have such a beautiful place in our back yard.
Happy New Year and tight lines to all.