Fishing John's Creek has been more experimental than anything else. I have only seen a few trout this season, and only caught a couple. The practice in tight quarters, and stealth approach has been invaluable though. If they've stocked anything in John's Creek this year, it has been caught or washed out by the heavy rains this spring. I've seen as many bear tracks up there as I have trout in that stream. The first week that I went, I got a few bites, but that's about it. Probably because my bait didn't taste like fish food. These are stockers, mind you. They've eaten pellets their entire life up until the last week when they were dumped in the stream to be caught and eaten by hungry fisherman. That's the just of it though, for in a week, we will enter a land where throut eat insects, and that's all. Never has a pellet of fish food entered the digestive track of one of these elusive creatures.
Conasauga River. Nestled alongside the Jack's River in the Cohutta Wilderness Area. This area has not been stocked with trout in many, many years, so these fish know what's going on. I have never fished the river, or the Jack's for that matter, so it will be a challenge for sure. I'm sure it will be a learning experience rather than a dumbfounding one though.
You have surely noticed that this is this is the same weekend as Easter Sunday. Needless to say I'm going anyway. I've already asked for the weekend off form the liquor store, so I may as well make the best of it. I've never been that interested in Easter anyway, so I guess I'll grab my camera and my flyrod and head for the "Connie." Most people won't be able to get away this weekend, so some decisions will have to be made and priorities set. Mine is at the stream bank currently. Being in nature is what makes me happy and I don't even have to be drunk.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Are We There Yet?
Fishing Blog. Star date, April 3, 2011.
Whatever. Fishing at John's Creek was a myriad of emotions. Pain, hate, disgust, frustation, love, pleasure, relaxation. The day started off ok. After assembleing my rod and putting on a leader I hiked down to the creek, carefully observing, and seeing no obvious bugs except for millions ofgiant black flies, I tied on a fly and began to cast. I spent the next hour or so pulling my line out of the trees, bushes, and out from under rocks and submerged trees. Very frustrating. I hiked down the creek about a mile or so and really didn't even see any fish, just casting into places where fish might be hiding, and getting a few bites here and there.
I began to tire and get a little hot, so I hiked back to the truck, had some coffee and water, and moved across the road to fish a spot someone had told me about. Sure enough, there were lots of fish in it, and I got a few bites but couldn't land anything. And let me tell you why. I got my line hung on a log on the other side of the creek, and wanting to not lose the fly, which I ended up losing anyway, so I crossed the creek, climbed down right on top of the hole, and freed the line. So that hole was finished for the day.
There was nobody fishing the creek on the other side of the bridge, so I made my way over there, and the same, had a few bites, but nothing else. I could see some fish on the other side of the creek, but I couldn't get them to come out. It's not like I was the only one not catching anything, I didn't see anyone land a fish and there were probably 25 people out there.
I walked up the road where I could see the creek about 20 feet below. Behind a rock I saw something move so I stood there for a minute just to see. Then it turned and I could see the trademark stripe on the big rainbow's side. I walked a little further down the road and climbed down the bank. After tying on a caddisfly, I cast across to the other side of the rock and let it drift over him. He wouldn't take it so I soaked it with water and cast it over again and let it sink down going past him. He took it this time but when I gave a tug, he spit it out and the line snapped back into the trees, so I snapped it back the other way and the line wrapped around a bush next to the rock the fish was hiding behind. So he was gone.
While I was untangling the line, I realized that it wasn't even the same rock I had seen from the road and that I had a clear shot for it. So I cast over the rock and when it came over him, he grabbed it and took off. And then, line, leader, and fly came flying back at me. Lost him. I was fed up with those huge flies at this point, so I packed it up and headed for home.
Whatever. Fishing at John's Creek was a myriad of emotions. Pain, hate, disgust, frustation, love, pleasure, relaxation. The day started off ok. After assembleing my rod and putting on a leader I hiked down to the creek, carefully observing, and seeing no obvious bugs except for millions ofgiant black flies, I tied on a fly and began to cast. I spent the next hour or so pulling my line out of the trees, bushes, and out from under rocks and submerged trees. Very frustrating. I hiked down the creek about a mile or so and really didn't even see any fish, just casting into places where fish might be hiding, and getting a few bites here and there.
I began to tire and get a little hot, so I hiked back to the truck, had some coffee and water, and moved across the road to fish a spot someone had told me about. Sure enough, there were lots of fish in it, and I got a few bites but couldn't land anything. And let me tell you why. I got my line hung on a log on the other side of the creek, and wanting to not lose the fly, which I ended up losing anyway, so I crossed the creek, climbed down right on top of the hole, and freed the line. So that hole was finished for the day.
There was nobody fishing the creek on the other side of the bridge, so I made my way over there, and the same, had a few bites, but nothing else. I could see some fish on the other side of the creek, but I couldn't get them to come out. It's not like I was the only one not catching anything, I didn't see anyone land a fish and there were probably 25 people out there.
I walked up the road where I could see the creek about 20 feet below. Behind a rock I saw something move so I stood there for a minute just to see. Then it turned and I could see the trademark stripe on the big rainbow's side. I walked a little further down the road and climbed down the bank. After tying on a caddisfly, I cast across to the other side of the rock and let it drift over him. He wouldn't take it so I soaked it with water and cast it over again and let it sink down going past him. He took it this time but when I gave a tug, he spit it out and the line snapped back into the trees, so I snapped it back the other way and the line wrapped around a bush next to the rock the fish was hiding behind. So he was gone.
While I was untangling the line, I realized that it wasn't even the same rock I had seen from the road and that I had a clear shot for it. So I cast over the rock and when it came over him, he grabbed it and took off. And then, line, leader, and fly came flying back at me. Lost him. I was fed up with those huge flies at this point, so I packed it up and headed for home.
Monday, March 28, 2011
What do YOU do for money?
Fishing has been scarce the past couple of weeks. Opening day was marred by thunderstorms that plan to hang around through the week. But hopefully things will be cleared out by Sunday, then fishing Sundays will be back in full swing, with a big one coming up April 24 on the Conasauga River. Next Sunday will be a John's Creek fish-o-rama for ayone that's interested.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Let's not forget why we came
Today was the final warm up for trout season, which starts March 26. For those of you who don't own, or understand, how to use a calendar, that's next Saturday. I won't be out Saturday, but I'll be back at John's Creek on Sunday. Because Sundays are for fishing. And sometimes Saturday too. And whatever other days we can go.
I didn't catch any trout today. In fact, the only thing I caught were bream. One of them was big and feisty, though. Tell me those little fish can't put up a fight, and I'll tell you to go to hell. I saw some trout, but didn't have anything they wanted to eat today. I fished all through Rolater Park in Cave Spring, from the Cedartown Road Bridge, over to the Padlock Mountain Road bridge, and down behind the grocery store. A guy under the Padlock bridge caught a thirteen inch rainbow on powerbait. Maybe I need to stop being such a purist, and then I'd catch more trout.
Yesterday, I went to John's Creek and knocked some of those dams down. The one big one just upstream from the logging road crossing was already down, so I worked on the one in the curve where the creek is right next to the road. It's a monster. Well, it was a monster. I reckon it still is, but it's scattered about along fifty feet of stream bed. And there were trout feeding in the swimming hole while I was working. Hiking downstream from the stocking tube, I found another one and knocked some holes in it. About a quarter mile downstream from that one there is one more, but I was getting tired and hungry, so we'll save that one for the future.
Back to trout season, it starts Saturday, as I said, and they will be stocking thousands of hungry rainbows in creeks all over North Georgia. And we must catch and eat them. My fishing license expires tomorrow, so I'll be at Dick's Sporting Goods in Woodstock to renew it and also buy some polarized glasses and a leader straightener. I've amassed a good bit of fly fishing equipment in the past three months in preparation for our trip to the Conasauga River in April, which is just about a month away. I almost have everything I need, except a perculator, and more practice fly casting. I'll get some in the next few weeks.
I didn't catch any trout today. In fact, the only thing I caught were bream. One of them was big and feisty, though. Tell me those little fish can't put up a fight, and I'll tell you to go to hell. I saw some trout, but didn't have anything they wanted to eat today. I fished all through Rolater Park in Cave Spring, from the Cedartown Road Bridge, over to the Padlock Mountain Road bridge, and down behind the grocery store. A guy under the Padlock bridge caught a thirteen inch rainbow on powerbait. Maybe I need to stop being such a purist, and then I'd catch more trout.
Yesterday, I went to John's Creek and knocked some of those dams down. The one big one just upstream from the logging road crossing was already down, so I worked on the one in the curve where the creek is right next to the road. It's a monster. Well, it was a monster. I reckon it still is, but it's scattered about along fifty feet of stream bed. And there were trout feeding in the swimming hole while I was working. Hiking downstream from the stocking tube, I found another one and knocked some holes in it. About a quarter mile downstream from that one there is one more, but I was getting tired and hungry, so we'll save that one for the future.
Back to trout season, it starts Saturday, as I said, and they will be stocking thousands of hungry rainbows in creeks all over North Georgia. And we must catch and eat them. My fishing license expires tomorrow, so I'll be at Dick's Sporting Goods in Woodstock to renew it and also buy some polarized glasses and a leader straightener. I've amassed a good bit of fly fishing equipment in the past three months in preparation for our trip to the Conasauga River in April, which is just about a month away. I almost have everything I need, except a perculator, and more practice fly casting. I'll get some in the next few weeks.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
It's all about the music, man.
For most people that grew up in Floyd County, a trip to the Pocket brings back childhood memories of playing in the spring and camping wiith your parents or church group. When I was growing up in the 70s, the area was very family and fishing friendly. With abundant hiking trails, the spring, creek, and wildlife, the Pocket was a great place to go for the weekend.
That was then, this is now. The term, "The Pocket" for most people in recent history has become synonymous with hard partying. The area had become well known for all night throw-downs, bonfires, creekside camping, heavy drug activity, and trash. Most people didn't want to go out there, especially not run the chance of setting up camp, and having to listen to somebody blasting music from their car stereo all night.
It seems those days are gone and the family frienly atmosphere has returned. The Department of Natural Resources, US Forest Service, Floyd County Public Works, and the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited have partnered together to clean the area up. Alcohol is prohibited now so the huge parties have ceased. The trash has been cleaned up, and the heavy drug use has subsided. There is no streamside camping allowed, so the creek has begun to flourish and become healthy again.
This past Saturday, members of TU, along with the DNR and Forest Service, met up to clean the area once again, and install new signs outlining the rules that have been established for use of the Pocket. The new rules are, camping is only allowed on the tent pads that have been built over the past two years, fires must be in the fire rings for each campsite, parking in designated areas, and no alcohol.
Along Everett Springs Road, designated parking areas have been established to help with runoff and keep sediment out of the stream. You may have to walk further to get to your favorite fishing hole now, but in the long run, this will be better for the stream. With the no alcohol rule, the DNR has issued many tickets to people violating the rule. The fine is $185 and seems to be a very good deterent to those who want just to come and party and don't have much interest in the natural beauty of the area.
We have also installed an informational kiosk next to the handicap fishing deck, which brings up a future project. Since the deck was built, the stream has changed course, and is no longer fishable from the deck. The Forest Service would like to see a handicap fishing area along the creek on the opposite side of the road, but the easier solution may be to re-route the creek back to its original course next to the deck.
Over the course of the week, the DNR will be working on another stocking tube, and as the water comes down, we will be going back to bust up the dams, and hopefully have them down in time for the opening of trout season, March 26. We hope that people will come out and enjoy the area after all of the hard work that has been put into it over the last two years.
That was then, this is now. The term, "The Pocket" for most people in recent history has become synonymous with hard partying. The area had become well known for all night throw-downs, bonfires, creekside camping, heavy drug activity, and trash. Most people didn't want to go out there, especially not run the chance of setting up camp, and having to listen to somebody blasting music from their car stereo all night.
It seems those days are gone and the family frienly atmosphere has returned. The Department of Natural Resources, US Forest Service, Floyd County Public Works, and the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited have partnered together to clean the area up. Alcohol is prohibited now so the huge parties have ceased. The trash has been cleaned up, and the heavy drug use has subsided. There is no streamside camping allowed, so the creek has begun to flourish and become healthy again.
This past Saturday, members of TU, along with the DNR and Forest Service, met up to clean the area once again, and install new signs outlining the rules that have been established for use of the Pocket. The new rules are, camping is only allowed on the tent pads that have been built over the past two years, fires must be in the fire rings for each campsite, parking in designated areas, and no alcohol.
Along Everett Springs Road, designated parking areas have been established to help with runoff and keep sediment out of the stream. You may have to walk further to get to your favorite fishing hole now, but in the long run, this will be better for the stream. With the no alcohol rule, the DNR has issued many tickets to people violating the rule. The fine is $185 and seems to be a very good deterent to those who want just to come and party and don't have much interest in the natural beauty of the area.
We have also installed an informational kiosk next to the handicap fishing deck, which brings up a future project. Since the deck was built, the stream has changed course, and is no longer fishable from the deck. The Forest Service would like to see a handicap fishing area along the creek on the opposite side of the road, but the easier solution may be to re-route the creek back to its original course next to the deck.
Over the course of the week, the DNR will be working on another stocking tube, and as the water comes down, we will be going back to bust up the dams, and hopefully have them down in time for the opening of trout season, March 26. We hope that people will come out and enjoy the area after all of the hard work that has been put into it over the last two years.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
A Fish, a Duck, and a broken arm
Guess what? It's time to work on John's Creek and the Pocket Recreation area. We will be there Saturday morning about 9am, destroying rock dams, installing a kiosk, and clearing a roadbed. We need as many of my "No Followers" as possible to show up and help. Bring rubber boots or waders, shovels, rakes, pry-bars, saws, gloves, wheelbarrows, slingblades, chainsaws, dogsleds, and anything else you think may be useful. Except fishing rods. No fishing. Even for Paul DiPrima. (See next paragraph) I'm not sure how long we'll work or what the conditions will be. It has rained a good bit in the past week and all of the creeks around here are way up as well as the river. So we'll see what happens.
Trout season starts in a couple of weeks. Fishing is allowed on the upper portion of John's Creek from the last Saturday in March until Halloween. That's why there will be no fishing when we work there this weekend. However, with the work we've been doing, this creek will become a pristine trout stream. A project in the works to bring the stream temperature down will be changing the way the water drains from Lake Marvin. Currently the water comes from the top of the lake and raises the water temperature in the creek. The plan is to install a device that draws cooler water from the bottom of the lake, thereby reducing the water temperature in the creek. This is one of the ingredients for a healthy trout population and will hopefully lead to spawning. Then we will have more fish to catch, in addition to the stocked trout.
I went fishing in Cave Spring Sunday afternoon and didn't catch anything. As I said before, the creek was high, almost out of it's banks, and very murky. I tried some flashy flies to try to bring any fish out, but no luck. Anyway, fishing's not always about catching fish, is it? Maybe just a little. Are we more concerned about the fish, or catching them. I like to catch them. Stream banks can be very boring without hooked fish flopping around on them.
In other news the trout in the pond in Rolater Park are looking good and there is a lot of them still in there. We fed them some crackers and a guy caught one with his bare hand. I turned him in. He's in jail now. Not really. I tried to get a picture of it but the thing jumped out of his hand. I did take a picture of the world's most hideous looking duck. The reason I mention this, is because Kid's Fishing day is 3 months away. June 18 to be precise. That's the Saturday before Father's Day. In addition to the trout that are still in the pond, the DNR will be stocking thousands of more trout in the pond thanks to the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the participants and patrons of the Chili Cook-off.
Back to Saturday, we will be deconstructing rock dams in the creek so the fish have more room to roam. Upstream and downstream from the stocking points, people have built them to hem the fish in and make them easier to catch. We're going to knock these down. We especially want to remove the very large one just upstream from the logging road crossing. This one has backed up a very deep swimming hole and someone's tied a rope swing in the tree next to it. We will also remove the swing because we're mean.
If you come, you may want to bring a lunch and some drinks. I plan to bring a couple gallons of water in my cooler and some dixie cups. I'm not bringing extra food though. You're on your own there. We may not even work long enough to worry about lunch. Who knows. Anyway, I'll see you Saturday.
Trout season starts in a couple of weeks. Fishing is allowed on the upper portion of John's Creek from the last Saturday in March until Halloween. That's why there will be no fishing when we work there this weekend. However, with the work we've been doing, this creek will become a pristine trout stream. A project in the works to bring the stream temperature down will be changing the way the water drains from Lake Marvin. Currently the water comes from the top of the lake and raises the water temperature in the creek. The plan is to install a device that draws cooler water from the bottom of the lake, thereby reducing the water temperature in the creek. This is one of the ingredients for a healthy trout population and will hopefully lead to spawning. Then we will have more fish to catch, in addition to the stocked trout.
I went fishing in Cave Spring Sunday afternoon and didn't catch anything. As I said before, the creek was high, almost out of it's banks, and very murky. I tried some flashy flies to try to bring any fish out, but no luck. Anyway, fishing's not always about catching fish, is it? Maybe just a little. Are we more concerned about the fish, or catching them. I like to catch them. Stream banks can be very boring without hooked fish flopping around on them.
In other news the trout in the pond in Rolater Park are looking good and there is a lot of them still in there. We fed them some crackers and a guy caught one with his bare hand. I turned him in. He's in jail now. Not really. I tried to get a picture of it but the thing jumped out of his hand. I did take a picture of the world's most hideous looking duck. The reason I mention this, is because Kid's Fishing day is 3 months away. June 18 to be precise. That's the Saturday before Father's Day. In addition to the trout that are still in the pond, the DNR will be stocking thousands of more trout in the pond thanks to the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the participants and patrons of the Chili Cook-off.
Back to Saturday, we will be deconstructing rock dams in the creek so the fish have more room to roam. Upstream and downstream from the stocking points, people have built them to hem the fish in and make them easier to catch. We're going to knock these down. We especially want to remove the very large one just upstream from the logging road crossing. This one has backed up a very deep swimming hole and someone's tied a rope swing in the tree next to it. We will also remove the swing because we're mean.
If you come, you may want to bring a lunch and some drinks. I plan to bring a couple gallons of water in my cooler and some dixie cups. I'm not bringing extra food though. You're on your own there. We may not even work long enough to worry about lunch. Who knows. Anyway, I'll see you Saturday.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
That Guy Named Dan
This weekend was Trout Expo weekend. Saturday from 10-2, tons of people learned about trout and fly fishing, and got nutty on the fishing similator those crazy DNR guys brought. You can tell they just sit around and fish on that thing all day long. Kim Kilgore from the Arrowhead Eviromental Education Center brought a small falcon that was rescued from the Braves stadium.
I'm not sure who she is, but a woman from, I think, the Atlanta Fly Fishing club came to teach us how ot fly fish. She's really good at teaching and she gave me some really good pointers. We actually had several people who gave some time to get people started with a flyrod.
Trophies galore. There were some very large fish on display. Members of our TU chapter have caught some humongous fish. We had the Georgia state record brown trout at 18 and a half pounds. Wow. It's a monster too. Looks like it could take your arm off. It was caught in the Chattahoochee River.
Everybody seemed to like catching fish on the similator and slinging the flyrods around, but the big hit was fly tying. Zane and Grady, and Coach, and the guys from Cohutta Fishing Company were all tying and people were super interested. I need to work on tying flies myself. I've got all the equipment to do it, just doing it seems to be the issue. Soon I will, but I don't think I'll every build a rod.
Next Sunday, I'll be going to Cave Spring to fish the Cedar Creek. Hopefully I'll find something in there. Also, it's just about a month from the start of trout season, so get your license up to date, and get your trout stamp, or catching fish can get really expensive. That's all I've got for today.
I'm not sure who she is, but a woman from, I think, the Atlanta Fly Fishing club came to teach us how ot fly fish. She's really good at teaching and she gave me some really good pointers. We actually had several people who gave some time to get people started with a flyrod.
Trophies galore. There were some very large fish on display. Members of our TU chapter have caught some humongous fish. We had the Georgia state record brown trout at 18 and a half pounds. Wow. It's a monster too. Looks like it could take your arm off. It was caught in the Chattahoochee River.
Everybody seemed to like catching fish on the similator and slinging the flyrods around, but the big hit was fly tying. Zane and Grady, and Coach, and the guys from Cohutta Fishing Company were all tying and people were super interested. I need to work on tying flies myself. I've got all the equipment to do it, just doing it seems to be the issue. Soon I will, but I don't think I'll every build a rod.
Next Sunday, I'll be going to Cave Spring to fish the Cedar Creek. Hopefully I'll find something in there. Also, it's just about a month from the start of trout season, so get your license up to date, and get your trout stamp, or catching fish can get really expensive. That's all I've got for today.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Climbing Fences
Most definitely, April 23 and 24, we are going to Cohutta to camp and fish the Conasauga River. Boo-yah to wild trout and the great outdoors and hopefully bears. Really? OK. Maybe the bears can stay their distance. Anyway, it will my first camping trip in quite some time, so here's to preparation and being old I guess. In my 20s I could just throw my pack in the car and head out for a week or so. Now I'm not so sure. Can I bring enough food? Water? I guess I could hike out and hit a Wendy's.
Monday, February 21, 2011
To be one of them
Went fishing today. Lake Conasauga and Sandy Beach Lake and caught nothing. I really didn't even see any fish. Lots of people were walking though and there were lots of ducks. Ducks, duck turds, and trash in the water.
This weekend, the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host a Trout Expo on Saturday from 10-2 at the North Floyd Park across from Armuchee High School. Be there or be square.
This weekend, the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited will host a Trout Expo on Saturday from 10-2 at the North Floyd Park across from Armuchee High School. Be there or be square.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Who wants to go fishing?
I just raised my hand. But I've got to work on this water problem. We still don't have a good flow of water in our sinks, so it looks like a couple of more weeks, before we get to do some fishing.
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