Hazel Creek in June

[got2fish]

My friiend and I canoed across Lake Fontana on Thursday to Proctor. We were on our way to campsite #82 because 84 and 83 were closed due to bear activity. While hiking the trail, we ran into a couple who told us that the aforementioned campsites were now open, so we ended up staying at 83 (Bone Valley). We had a great time!

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After setting up camp, we went to catch a few trout for dinner. We were succussful and enjoyed a nice dinner...


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After dinner, we turned in deciding that we would do the hike up to the cemetary at Bone Valley the next morning...

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After visiting the grave yard, we stopped and left our prayers before departing, realizing just how easy life is for us today...

We enjoyed our hike, but it was time to get back and fish. Most of the fish were taken on nymphs (an apology is offered to the dry fly purists out there), but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

Our fishing was wonderful again...
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We ended the day with a night hike up to #82 just for fun.

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We were in bed by 11:00 pm and up for fishing by 6:30 am.

Saturday started slowly for us. I threw a variety of dry flies (including old faithful, a parachute adams) with limited success. For some reason, I decided to try a San Juan Worm and the fishing got RED HOT!

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The worm seemed to coax bigger, fatter fish culminating in the largest fish I have ever caught in the Smokies, an 18 inch brown- and what a fight it was dragging it out from under the rhododendren!

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Our time was cut short by a powerful, 4-hour thunderstorm which made the river virtually unfishable for the rest of the day.

We hiked out, vowing to return again soon... We are now interested in fishing Forny Creek, since neither of us have ever fished it...

[swamp]

Wow what a nice brown.Great trip and photos.I.m going later this year but not to bone valley,to far for me at this point in time.What about your canoe? Do you just drag it in the woods and hope no one bothers it? I got caught in that same storm saturday while fishing luftee inside the park.It was rough.Trees down and lots of water

[got2fish]

This is the second time we have made this trip. We lock our canoe to a tree with a cable and a lock. The first time, we dragged the canoe into the woods and this time we locked it to a tree right next to the lake. No one bothered a thing at all...

The day prior to our arrival must have been terrible! There were trees down everywhere! As we were walking out on Sunday, the park service was cutting the trees out and clearing the trail...

[BlueRaiderFan]

Very nice brown! Had one on about that size but didn't get him to hand.

[flyman]

Good stuff, report and photos :smile: Most mountain cemeteries are full of people that died from the influenza epidemics that occurred in the early 20th century. That big brown is interesting looking, it is colored more like a fish that swam up from the lake. How high up did you catch it?

[got2fish]

I caught him about a mile above Bone Valley.

[Fly Fisherman 1]

Very nice fish. Looks like you had a great time.

[Ky Tim]

I have to ask an off beat question, but how are you cooking those trout in the picture. What all is in the pan and how do you cook them. I have only cooked trout one way and that is on the grill with lemon slice, salt, pepper and butter in the boyd cavity. Looking to try something different.

Btw nice pics and report.

[got2fish]

We like spicy food, so we use jalapenos! Basically, I coat the fish in olive oil and then rub them with garlic salt. I put sweet onions, jalapenos and lemons in the body cavity and cook. Of course, I also cut onions and jalapenos and put them in the pan while cooking. The fish are cooked on a bed of brown rice (I believe we used cajun flavored rice here). As I flip the fish, it mixes everything up in the rice, but it doesn't have to be pretter... It is delicious!!!!

[Rob Johnson]

Not trying to be the " you know what" in the punchbowl, but how did you get a reservation for Bone Valley campsite and change your backcountry permit if you were already at Hazel Creek? I don't know anyone that gets bars there and the nearest permit point is at the boat dock. Maybe I am missing something here. Great pictures and report. Thanks, that rock brings back 30 years of memories.
ROB