Raves for Blue Ridge Trout Unlimited's Web

Just wanted to compliment you on the fly fishing journal on your web site. I keep the same type of journal only handwritten, with digital pictures of every outing. I would swear some of the pictures on your site are the same one's I took !

It's neat watching how the kids get older and all of the great fly fishing adventures you guys have. I noticed you also had a fly called an improved cat caddis. We tie an elk hair caddis with grey cat fur for dubbing and the trout love it !

I usually fish the Muskegon, Pere Marquette, Manistee, and Au Sable rivers in Michigan with a bunch of other secret spots and small creeks.

Fished the Kennebec in Maine and caught nothing but chubs, and Grand Lake Stream... struck out.

Well keep up the journal... it's cool to see someone else doing the same thing.

You did any xlent job with your website. I found it while looking for reviews of Bean's aqua stealth soles. Your long term product data was the best of its kind i've seen anywhere. Thanks. I live just outside of D.C. in Maryland; if you ever feel like hitting some of the creeks out this way, let me know.

Was just looking at all the things you write on your website and thought I would tell you how much I enjoy them. I live in Wilmington NC so I don't get to the Mts. very often but when I do I always try to read up on where ever I plan on fishing. Do you have any good tips on the Linville Falls or Boone area ? I have fished the DH of the Watagua River by Foscoe and had a great time. My sons ( Tanner -6 and Tate-4 ) will be going with this time and I would love to get them into some trout. I know a little bit about the area but no real secrets on the good spots. Seems like alot of tight-lipped fisherman (I don't blame them , I would be too if I lived up there) Again keep up the great websit and if there is anything you can do to help with my trip I would appreciate it.

Keith, I have been looking over your web site and I think that you have done an excellent job with it! I will be visiting N.C. and would like some info on any waters that you might recommend I check out. I will be traveling from the lake chatuge area up to the blue ridge parkway through Linville falls to boone at the end of this month. I am looking for trout via flyrod (catch and release). If you know of any areas please let me know..

I was looking at your site again and read the story of the beaver. An otter just about made me wet my pants one day. It was swiming downstream, underwater and decided to come up for air right in front of me. I thought , at first glance , that it was a large trout and when it stuck it's head out of the water and "blew" ( snorting out a huge burst of air) I actually blurted out " Auuuuuuughh!", or something to that effect. Then I looked around to see if anyone had witnessed the encounter. Thankfully, no one had.

I happened to be cruising the internet in search of great trout fishing areas. I decided to check out your Blue Ridge Chapter specifically to see how trout fishing the Smith river is these days. By the way Keith, my name is Ken Snell and I fished the Smith river every season from the time I was 7 years old up until I joined the Army back in 1979. My favorite spots when I was a young boy were the old swinging bridge located at what once was Nelson's grocery and the junction of Blackberry creek and the Smith. Remember those spots? In fact, I saw the largest Brown that I have seen to date on the far side bank and just north of that swinging bridge. He seemed 3 feet long to a 12 year old. He was as long as my leg. By the way that hasn't changed much over the years. My inseam even today is a mere 29". Keith, actually I could go on and on as I reflect back to those memories of good trout fishing. As I stated, I joined the Army after graduating from Bassett High back in 1979 and have not fished the Smith since 1983. I have occasionally flown my Army Chinook helicopter up through town from Danville tracing the river to Philpott Dam (Checkpoint) enroute back to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. It's a trip back down memory lane for me. Keith, I am appalled at the problems that you're having with poachers along the river. I remember loosing a classmate back in 1977( Wayne Wimbush) to drowning. It is presumed that he and another young fella were poaching out on a sand bar when the river started to rise. He couldn't swim and the current became to swift for him to get back to the bank. You would think that there would be much appreciation for the efforts of men like yourself. I'm here to tell you, great trout fishing areas are hard to find and I for one applaud your efforts. Keep up the good work. I anticipate being back in the area sometime during the month of September. Wouldn't mind making a few casts with ya.

Hope you have a good year with success in enjoying some of the last places left on the east coast where nature is at her best. My wife and I and another couple are going to WVa tomorrow morning for a week of trout fishing. I recognized the pictures of Harpers' Creek and is where I've had some really memorable days fishing. Back in the mid to late '70s out of town people were just beginning to learn about the Lost Cove. Harpers' Creek, the White River, Watauga River and a place called Wilson's Creek is where I learn to fly fish as a young teenager. I grew up in Boone, NC. I remember spending a 4 day weekend by myself in the "Cove" and having a fishing trip that people will spend a thousand or more to experience. Just below the falls, is where I caught a 16/17 inch native Brook on a stone fly (June 1974). She gave me such a good fight for a Brookie, for some reason, I turned her back loose. I was 16 yrs. old at the time and usually didn't release any until after reaching the limit. Caught over 30 fish that weekend. That was the first time I felt the kindness fishermen can show for our limited resources by practicing catch and release. Further down, I got into some rainbows and had a two 10 inches for breakfast beside the stream cooked on a stick over a fire made from fallen maple. I ate 6 trout that weekend. Today, I still love to eat trout that fresh and 2 usually do the trick for supper. I appreciate your love for something I grew up loving. Like I said, that trip was in 1974 and I am now just going back to trout fish again for the first time in 25 yrs. I'm sure the tree limbs will collect a few midges, Adams, etc. School and career have taken its time (I'm 41 now). This will be my wife's 1st trip trout fishing and will have her on an ultra-light open-face with 6 lb test. I just want her to feel their spirit and yet, feel their fragileness. Hopefully, I will teach her the values of catch and release and at the same time the delicate sweet taste of a couple of fresh trout. Maybe, she will get interested in the art of fly fishing. After that weekend, I usually only kept fish that swallowed the fly and are injured when removing the hook down deep. Below is a note to her and one of our friends from this morning.

I was spending a dreary winter (mid-March) day in Iowa thinking of NC trout fishing, and happened across your web site. Found it quite enjoyable, though made me more than a little homesick. I was a member of the Blue Ridge TU chapter for many years in 70's and 80's while in the Navy and living all over the world, and remained a member until it became apparent I would not return to NC where I was raised (Salisbury.) Used to fish a lot in mountains, both north, Wilson Creek and all that, as well as south, on Tuckasegee and some of those tiny Jackson County streams. Anyway, good job on the web site and am happy to see the TU chapter is still going strong.

I enjoyed your fishing log. When I saw your entry on June 6 I could definately relate to the experience. I had made several trips up to Stone Mountain in April and May and enjoyed the delayed harvest. I did not realize when the season changed but I decided to go up on that Saturday morning. I arrived later than normal (around 10) and was very upset at what I saw. There was almost a solid line of cars and trucks up and down the stream. I saw many fisherman dragging full stringers of fish up and down the road. I would bet that only a small percentage end up in the frying pan. It appeared that it was more of a macho thing of "look how many I caught".. I did not fish the main stream and instead went up one of the feeder streams for a while. Late in the day when I came out there was hardly anyone on the main stream along the road. I decided to survey the damage and I was amazed. I could barely find a fish anywhere. I could not believe one day of open fishing would clean out a stream that bad. This experience tells me that the limits should be lowered.

I did not go back until late in the fall when it had changed back. Are there any other good delayed harvest streams within a couple hours of Greensboro?. I notice that you fish Stone Mtn a lot but I would assume that it is because it is close to Winston.

I went over to Stone Mtn on Friday and it was a beautiful day. The stream still has some nice fish in it but I did not do too good. I love to fish drys on the surface but I am not much of a nymph fisherman.

Great list! Thanks for posting it for us Web Surfers....I've read most on this list and your missing a huge one that ranks in my top couple or three. You should try David Duncan's, The River Why? and see if you don't agree. Happy trails and bent graphite to you....

Congrats from all of us in the T.U. Chapter in Snellville (Kanooka). Your web-site is outstanding and a credit to T.U. as a whole!!

I certainly enjoy reading your fishing logs. I am still fortunate enough to fish with my son who is now 28 years old and hope that your days fishind with Chris will be as memorable as mine . Please keep up the good work and I will guess which streams you are writing about.

I just wanted to say thank you for the nymph patterns you recommended. I fished the river seven days and caught fish each day. The Hare's Ear was the hot fly. I caught almost all the fish on that fly. I didn't have any luck with the Woolly Buggers, fishing in slow or fast water.

"So I clicked on in. Now it is about a half of an hour later and I really enjoyed what I saw and I will return. Seems you too have a love of the little stuff. Our sites are kinda alike. I dig that. So much that yours is my favorite! Yes, I have never written that to anyone you are the first. I hope that you update it frequently."

Keep up on the great list. Lots of useful info, since I can't fish in NC as often as I'd like to, the list keeps me going. Thanks

I commented last summer on your 1997 fishing log. I'm the fellow from Morris County, New Jersey. Once again, you're doing a great job on your current fishing log. I check it whenever I get the chance!

One suggestion I might offer is to order the entries from most current to least current. That way interested anglers would be able view the most current entry without scrolling. Once again a great job! Take Care,

"I thought I would drop you a line and let you know how much I enjoy your web site. I drop in about once a week or so when I am not on the road. I enjoy reading about your fishing trips. I live near Spartanburg, S.C. and work for a company in Greenville, S.C.

I travel extensively throughout the Southeast and I have been known to stop and test my luck in a "fishy" looking stream. I fish quite a bit on the headwaters of the Chattooga River. (Made famous by the movie Deliverance) We have an attractor pattern that we use around here called THUNDERHEAD. Muskrat body tied with white calf tail wings upright and divided. Brown hackle. Use a dry fly dressing and it floats really well and is easy to see. I usually have a lot of luck with it. Keep up the good work!"