Grits-N-Flies

Treading Dangerous Ground

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:41:00 +0000

My interest in fly tying is growing all the time. I stared out tying a simple Midge pattern and now I am getting interested in other patterns. Now I may be headed into an area that may be considered dangerous ground.

The danger isn’t in what I am doing (well maybe a little). I don’t want to spend too much money on dead animals. So I began to try and figure out how to save money on tying materials (uhh, dead animals). I began to think of some of my friends that hunt. I asked around at local gun shops for the names of bird hunters. I actually came away with a few names and phone numbers. I know many deer hunters and I enjoy hunting (especially eating) them.

A few weeks ago I was telling one of the men I go to church with what I was trying to do. He told me that he had a coyote hide in his freezer that I could have if I wanted.

Sunday night he brought it to church and a bag of preservative. I began working it this morning and I have I hanging in a cool place drying.

The first question my wife had was, “Where are you going to put that when you’re done?” I don’t think she shares the same excitement and zeal for this that I do. I wonder what she will say if I bring home some of the road kill I have been eying.

Anyone know any patterns using coyote?

A Society of Link Pushers

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Recently I tried to find a story that came to my Google Reader inbox. It was a story about a fella breaking two rods in one trip. The story was originally published by a paper in Arkansas and posted to their web site. I had to click on three links and pass through three sites just to get to the original story.

This reminded me of a conversation I had with my father-in-law a few months ago. We had a run in with a ‘work-at-home-produce-nothing salesman’. You know the type and I’m sure you have heard the ads on the radio, “Work at home and earn thousands a month and you don’t have to sale a thing.” He told me afterwards that the biggest problem we have today is people who push paper, produce nothing, and want the pay of a business owner.

I am beginning to believe that this is the case with some in the blogosphere. Now to qualify this and admit to doing this with my Twitter account. But, in my defense, I try to link to interesting and relevant stories as well I try to comment on those links as I can. I also write my own material for this blog. It seems to me that there are more and more sites out there that are dedicated to rehashing stories and links. It likely would not bother me if these sites gave a little comment on the subject or story, but what I see are sites dedicated to producing nothing and making a dime off the backs of bloggers and writers who actually produce something.

I know, I should be thankful for anyone who would point me to good stories and information. But, if you saw my news feed inbox and the number of sites that just link to the same story or that link to a link, that links to another link, you would understand my frustration.

I tell you we are becoming link pushers and not link producers.

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Photo by: striatic

Welcome Bland Messenger Readers!

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Welcome to Grits-N-Flies!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and your interest in Heritage Rods. Please, look around and read some of the posts I have written about fly fishing here in the southern Appalachians, and the rods I make and fish with.

If you are just browsing through and have not read the article highlighting my bamboo fly rods, you can read it at the SWVA Today web page.

To my new visitors, I would like to make some suggestions. First, sign up for my email updates which will keep you informed of places to fish in the area and events related to my fly rods and fly fishing in general. Second, check out some of my more popular posts and some of the work I have done on my fly rods.

My bamboo rods
Various Streams in southwest Virginia that I have fis hed.

Once again thanks for stopping by and I hope you will make Grits-n-Flies a regular stop.
Matthew French

You can contact me a number of ways.
Twitter
Facebook

Email gritsnfliesATgmail.com (I don't like spam bots so replace the AT with @)

Brassie

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 15:09:00 +0000

The Pound River

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Cold, cold, cold, was what the thermometer said when I left the house on Monday and began my two hour drive to the Pound River. The Pound winds along for many miles paralleling the Kentucky state line. Just out side of Haysi (pronounced with a long i on the end), the Pound is impounded by the John Flannagan Dam, an Army Corp. flood control dam.

With the cold weather, I was sure that the fishing would be just as difficult as had been for the past two weeks. Cold temperatures seems to put the bite off, but a tailwater, like the Pound, is another story. With the water staying a more consistent year round temperature, the trout seem to have an easier time with atmospheric temperature changes.

I didn’t get my hopes up too much. It was only suppose to reach 27 degrees for the high and snow was falling hard when I reached the dam. I came prepared for a shut out. I had even been told by a local guide to wait a couple of weeks for a warm spell.

With the snow still falling I made my way down the winding road to the park area at the foot of the dam. This was one time I was glad I was driving a four wheel drive truck. The road was rather steep and covered in an inch of snow. I don’t think I would have attempted the descent without the truck.

With in a few minutes of reaching the river I was in the water. I started fishing directly under the spillway in a large pool. The trout were giving splashy rises to what I assumed to be rising midge pupa. I tied on a brassie, a strike indicator, and began casting into the areas where the trout were rising. Within a couple of drifts I was hooked into a decent trout.

I fished in this pool for about two hours and managed the hook and lose several. I then began to work my way down stream fishing pocket water along the way. The cold was beginning to get to me so I stopped for early lunch and to warm up in my truck.

Lunch on days like this is usually light and packed in protein. I’m

not so sure of how healthy it is, but it does taste good. There’s nothing like summer sausage, spicy mustard, and hot coffee to get you through a day of fishing.

Warm and with a full belly I continued down stream, working pocket water and pools along the way,for almost an half mile to the special regulation water. Fishing the special regulation section, which extends from the a sign posted .4 miles below the dam to the confluence with Ravens Fork, is a must. This section is artificial lure, single hook, and nothing is to be kept under 16 inches. This section is stocked with fingerling browns to supplement the wild browns that hold in this mile and a half of water.

The section I fished was great. I landed three trout ranging from six inches to ten inches, but I lost a whole lot more than that. Then there is the one that got away. I hooked into a nice bow and fought him for about four to five minutes. I worked him to with in six to seven yards when I felt the line go limp. Like a boxer waylaid by an unexpected punch, my line lay sprawled out on the water, and the victor quietly slipped back into the dark depths of the Pound.

Brassies seemed to be the hot item for a cold January day. Midges were in abundance in the water and on the rocks. I also found lots of sow bugs, actually more sow bugs than midges. I was fishing a size 18 brassie with no weight. I may have done even better if I had slipped on a couple of split shot and put the fly on the bottom faster. If you go fill your fly box with brassies from size 16 to 20, sow bugs in sizes 14 to 18. You may also want a few streamers in you box, which drew a couple of strikes in the late afternoon for me.

A couple of warnings for those who plan to head to the Pound River. First, the Pound is a tailwater and the Army Corp. of Engineers does release water from time to time. There are no release schedules that are posted, so be cautious when wading below the dam. Secondly, didymo is present in this stream, as well as in several other Virginia tailwaters. If you are not aware this a very invasive and annoying algae that spreads from river to river on your fishing equipment. Please properly clean your equipment after fishing the Pound and let your waders fully dry before moving on to the next stream.

The Pound River should be one of the streams you plan to fish this year. It is one of the top trout streams in southwest Virginia and should be at the top of any fisherman’s to do list. I have already been trying to get some of my friends to go back with me and I am sure you will want to do the same.

__________________________________________

If you have ever fished the Pound River let me know or if you have photos of some hog you have pulled out of there I would love to see them.

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Virginia Trout Stocking Updates

Map of Pound River and close by community of Haysi.

Closest Weather Station

You may be interested in reading about other streams I have fished.

Wolf Creek

Laurel Creek

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Laurel Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:44:00 +0000

It was spiting snow when I crossed the top of the divide heading into the Freestone Valley on Monday. The the muddy ruts in the road were frozen and covered with a dusting of snow. It seemed like a typical January morning. With the temperatures hovering around freezing, I knew I would be in for a tough day of fishing.

This cold January morning had me heading into uncharted territory, I had never been in this part of Virginia before. The Freestone Valley, which lies in the southeastern most corner of Tazewell county, is home to one of the tributaries of the North Fork of the Holston River. Laurel Creek, along with three or four other larger streams in the area, eventually forms the North Fork of the Holston River.

Laurel Creek is one of a hand full of streams that feed the North Fork and hold trout. Two of these are Roaring Fork and Lick Creek. All of these streams are know to hold Rainbows and Brooks.

Laurel Creek would be ideal for those looking for semi-remote fishing. The creek appears to get a low amount of pressure and has access to most of it by FR 222. This road winds it’s way through the Jefferson National Forest from highway 16 and it is nice on a cold day having the truck close by.

By midmorning I was easing up on a beaver pond that was a short way down stream from where I first caught glimpse of Laurel Creek. The stream looked promising and after a few minutes of rigging up my 7’6” 5wt. rod I was searching for trout.

I could tell the stream was swollen from the inch and a half of rain we had received the week before, and the six plus inches in the past month. The leaves had been striped way along the bank revealing the dark soil and indicating the water was receding.

All morning I used searching patterns and an across stream swing presentation as I tried to locate the trout. I covered the whole pond and didn’t even see one fish. I began to get disappointed but all the while reminding my self ‘winter fishing is tough.’

Breaking the ice out of my guides was a constant reminder of just how cold it was. Even the more was when I began to dig in the creek bed looking for any sign of life and what these trout, if any, were eating. I came up with very little. I didn’t even find a mayfly nymph, only the cases of a few caddisflies.

When lunch time rolled around I drove down stream to a place where the stream wondered through an open area and finished my lunch. I had pack a lunch, knowing after looking at a map I would not be close to much, of tuna and a hardboiled egg. It’s not much as table fare but it will get you through the day.

After I ate I headed over to the stream. This section meandered back and forth through this flat open area. The water went from short riffles, to even shorter pools, and then into a hard turns all throughout this clearing. I was constantly changing my location and hopping from one side of the stream to the other.

Removing the 7x leader and rigging from the morning, I tied on a 4x leader and a conehead sculpin pattern. Switching back and forth between a between an upstream pitch and strip, and an across stream swing I managed to stir up some strikes but no takers.

It was a great day and definitely a stream I would fish again. Between the solitude and the beauty of the the landscape, Laurel Creek is one of those places you just keep coming back too.

The sections that I fished where part of the upper reaches of this branch. According to Trout Streams of Virginia: An Angler's Guide to the Blue Ridge Watershed the better sections are from the bridge, where Roaring Fork enters, down stream to where National Forest meets private property. This section is better accessed from highway 601 off of Virginia 16.

If you decide to fish Laurel Fork be sure to plan ahead. The area is fairly remote. There is no cell phone signal and no apparent permanent residents. If you get stranded it is a couple mile hike up hill to highway 16 from the stocked waters. Be sure to pack a lunch, no restaurants or service stations are close by to stop at for lunch.

Before you go fill your fly box full of streamer patterns from sizes 16 down to size 10. I would take patterns like the sculpin, Mickey Fin, muddler, and the sliver darter. I would also take along a few caddisflies in sizes 14-18. If you go in late summer to early fall be sure to take a few terrestrials along.

Be careful the stream is narrow but I found its depth deceiving. More than once I found myself in deeper water than it appeared.

Laurel Creek was a lot of fun and I would go again. My day ended fishless, cloudy, and cold (basically, the way it began). Don’t let my down day in the middle of January stop you. Good water lies in the Freestone Valley and plenty of elbow room give it a try and let me know what you think.

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Keep up with Grits-N-Flies and the streams he fishes by subscribing to the Grits-N-Flies RSS.

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If you missed last week’s post on Wolf Creek you can find it here.

Information on Jefferson National Forest is available here.

Virginia trout stocking information is available here.

The above link is updated weekly. You can search through the archives for past stockings.

The closest weather station available is in Bland, Virginia.

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Wolf Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Just north of Wytheville Virginia, along I-77, is a small community by the name of Rocky Gap. The community is aptly named, for as you leave the interstate you will notice a shear rock cliff that is cut for the highway to pass. Along the outskirts of the community is Wolf Creek.

Wolf Creek is a freestone stream that stretches from Burk’s Garden in Tazewell County to the New River in Giles County Virginia. If you are coming north out of Wytheville you will travel along side of Wolf Creek for several miles. At one point the stream flows between the north and south bound lanes of the highway.

It was cloudy when I arrived in Rocky Gap on Monday morning and there was not a soul in site. May be this should have been a sign for me. I had hoped for a great day in the water: the skies were gray, the temperatures were mild, the water flows were decent, and I was told the stock truck had ran just before Christmas. The Virginia DGIF stocks the stream six times between October 1 and May 30. I was hoping to find a few of the trout that might have escaped the on slot of egg chuckers, but sadly no such luck.

My weapon of choice was my wife’s 7’ 6” 5 weight that I bought for her about a year ago. I had the rod made for her by a fellow blogger in Alabama. Nathan Kennedy blogs over at the TVAngler. Along with the good quality posts he has about fly fishing in Alabama, he builds rods and does a little photography on the side as well.

The rod is an absolute pleasure to cast. Aesthetically it is very pleasing as well. The green shaft, reddish orange color of the reel seat, and the green and gold wraps all make for a very nice looking rod. He told me he wasn’t pleased with some areas of the rod, but I think it looks great. And more importantly so does my wife.

I started my morning just underneath the new bridge along highway 61. With in thirty minutes I managed to slip on some rocks and fall. I was able to catch my self in the knee deep water but one arm of my shirt was soaked. I knew for sure I would have to call it a day, but the mild air temperatures allowed be to keep fishing.

I fished the pocket water between the new bridge and the old metal frame bridge until my belly began to growl. I had several light strikes on my pheasant tail nymph rig, but I didn’t manage hook set.

If you do go to Rocky Gap to fish Wolf Creek make sure you stop by Woody’s Grocery for lunch. It’s located along highway 52 right where you turn onto highway 61 heading toward Narrows, Va. The BLT and curly fries are great.

After lunch I fished from above the old bridge to just above the confluence of Clear Fork. I consider the afternoon to have been better: I caught one ~~minnow~~ fish, and saw another. The one I saw was of decent size, between 10-12 inches, and bolted when I crowded his space.

This is nothing like what the to old men at Woody’s said it was just a few weeks ago. They said you could stand on the old bridge and watch the trout in the creek by the hundreds. They also let me know that the stock truck had actually ran about the second week of December.

I believe the next time I go to Wolf Creek I will begin fishing above the old bridge. I also will make an effort to get there as soon as I find out the stock truck has run. I wish I could tell you what flies to take with you but after that day I really don’t know. I did manage the one fish on a hares ear nymph, though. I was hoping for BWO’s but saw nary a one.

________________________________

Map of Rocky Gap

Virginia DGIF Stocking Info

Closest Weather Station

You May also be interested in my post on Laurel Creek.

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Going once….

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:51:00 +0000

I finally broke down and listed my Dickerson 8014 fly rod on Ebay. I had hoped it would have sold by now but hey that’s life. If you were ever interested in the rod or have just stumbled onto my site, you can view the rod in my post Dickerson 8014. Here is the link to the rod on Ebay. For those interested in bidding the reserve (what is a reserve on Ebay?) is set at $375. Bidding will end on January 2, 2009. Happy new year and bidding.

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:45:00 +0000

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:15:00 +0000

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas! May the Lord bless you and your family this Christmas.

Matthew 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Above all, lets remember the Christ of Christmas.

American Angler Cuts Monahan

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:38:00 +0000

I awoke this morning to read a dismal head line at MidCurent. The head line announced the cut of the editor of my favorite fly fishing magazine. The head line was, “American Angler Editor Loses Job in Morris Cuts.” I hate to see this happen to Phil Monahan, and especially just before Christmas. I have always enjoyed reading the magazine. It has been very helpful to me and pointed out a few places in the world I would like to visit with a fly rod. I also have always liked reading the editor’s page where Monahan usually described some fishing trip he had been on. And reading articles like the one he just done on Marshall Cutchin from MidCurent. Seeing that I have been a subscriber to American Angler for less time than Monahan has been the editor there (almost ten years), I don’t know what the magazine was like before he got there. I hope American Angler can keep up, and only time will give us the answer to that. Otherwise, I may be looking to see where Monahan will pop up at next.

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:21:00 +0000

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

West Virginia’s New Hot Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:00:00 +0000

World class fly fishing in West Virginia? Well that was the statement given by Curtis Fleming of the Fly Rod Chronicles, a fly fishing show hosted by the The Sportsman’s Network. It could be quite possible.

West Virginia DNR has been working for several years to improve the conditions of its trout populations in many of its streams. There are examples of this in the Monongahela Forest and now another example of it in the Pipestem State Park.

Pipestem State Park in corroboration with WVU has been work to stock the Bluestone river with citation trout (or in fly speak “Pigs” or “Hogs”) big trout. Most of the trout that were stocked last fall were ranging from the two to five pound mark, with some of them five pounds plus.

The folks from WVU tagged the trout with radio tags to help them determine whether or not they would stay in the one to two mile stretch they were aiming for. They were pleased to fine most of them did.

Curtis Fleming and his film crew, along with some guides from the area, were taken on a special trip into the canyon on a dry run for what the Park hopes to be a regular event.

Pipestem Park has dubbed this the “Trout Wrangler” package. The package will, it appears , only be available in the spring and fall of next year, and hopefully the years to follow. The package includes a horse back ride into the canyon, meals, lodging at the Mountain Creek Lodge, and it’s guided to boot.

The price tag – $319.00! Not bad.

The only catch is you must have a party of at least six but no more than ten. The minimum is for economic purposes and the maximum is for comfort purposes – you can only stretch a guide so far.

I hope to hit several West Virginia streams in the next year, I think I just found one of them.

_________________

For more information call Ed Wooton, Pipestem’s outdoor specialist, at 1-304-466-1800

Or email him at edwootonATwvdnr.gov

Or visit the Pipestem State Park web site.

Original Article

Bluegrass Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Monday Bluegrass

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Bluegrass music is a part of my life. From my early childhood I have been exposed to bluegrass and have always enjoyed the unique sound produced by the musicians. It is for sure mountain music, I am for sure a mountain man, and I for sure a man who will always love mountain music.
I found this version of Southern Flavor on You Tube. It features Bill Monroe, one of my favorites, playing with the Bluegrass Boys and Marty Stuart. I thought that there was no better song to start with than this one.

Snow-flakes

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:16:00 +0000

Out of the bosom of the air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

Even as our cloudy fancies take

suddenly shape in some divine expression,

Even as the troubled heart doth make

In the white countenance confession,

The troubled sky reveals

The grief it feels.

This is the poem of the air,

Slowly in silent syllables recorded;

This is the secret of despair,

Long in its cloudy bosom hoarded,

Now whispered and revealed

to wood and field.

Longfellow

Dickerson 8014

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:40:00 +0000

The first fly rod I made took two years to complete from start to finish. Along with the fly rod I was making the tools I needed to make the finest fly rods I can. Some of the tools that I had made needed some improvement, and with those improvements made another rod was started. The out come was what I had hoped for: a higher quality rod.

The higher quality rod was in the form of a Dickerson 8014 6 wt. fly rod. There is a great taper on this rod to begin with. Lyle Dickerson is the maker who designed this rod and I have done my best to make a close reproduction. It is a fast/mid-fast taper, depending on the line you cast, making it a nice rod for those who normally fish with graphite rods.

The better quality in this rod comes in several forms. The first is the quality of the plained strips. The angles on each of the six strips were much more accurate due to improved plaining technique and improvements made to my plaining form. Secondly, the wraps were much tighter and sealed a lot cleaner than with the last rod. I also like the color combination which is green and orange.

Next comes the finish. I am vary pleased with the finish with one exception. With the last rod I had problems with the finish running after I thought it was dry. For nearly two weeks after I dipped the rod in varnish, run marks appeared in the finish. I was tipped off by another rod maker that my varnish needed thinning, which helped tremendously. The one exception I have is there are some specks and dust flecks in the finish, nothing that would turn me away from the rod, which I hope to have worked out soon.

In addition to the rod I made a tube to go with it. The tube is made out of red oak, capped on each end with red oak caps (one of which is permanently in place), and one leather strap is used to hold the top in place. The tube is made as a hexagon to mirror the rod.

I also had the rod sock embroidered with HRC. These letters represent "Heritage Rod Company," which is also the way I signed the rod this time. I chose Heritage Rod Co. because of the fishing heritage we have with this type of rod. It is a heritage that goes back to the time of my grandfather, a heritage that is worth holding on to.

If you are interested in having a handcrafted fly rod made for fishing you can contact me by email, on facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed, or Linkedin.

The rod is $600 plus shipping. The price includes the Dickerson 8014, one rod sock, and the rod tube. If you have any questions I will be glad to answer them.

Matthew

_________________________

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One Step at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:49:00 +0000

I have been pretty busy here lately. I was able to manage a couple of hours of brookie fishing between working on fly rods and other responsibilities. Here is a couple of photos one of the rod and another of one of the brookies I caught.

Matthew

Salvation for Laurel Bed Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:26:00 +0000

It appears that Laurel Bed Lake is going to be around for a while longer. If you follow this blog, you will remember a post a while back, mentioning the the soon coming demise of Laurel Bed Lake in south west Virginia. Once again, via the Roanoke Times outdoors section comes this headline: "Resurrected Laurel Bed Lake Still Charms."

It appears that due to public out cry, the DNR some how managed to find the $2,000,000 need to repair the dam at Laurel Bed Lake just outside of Saltville, Virginia. It is amazing what the government can find just laying around when given the motivation to look for it. Oh! Look we just happened to find two million dollars stuck behind a filing cabinet! Maybe we can fix that dam.

The only down side is that the lake will remain a smallmouth lake. Back in what some would have considered the glory days, the lake held some rather large brook trout. Today, due to rising water temperatures and some fool stocking rock bass in the lake, no brookies can be found there. Sadly they more than likely will not be found there in the near future either.

If your into smallmouth fishing in a quite and high elevation area you should check out Laurel Bed Lake. There are some regulations on the lake. The first is no gas powered boats, so a john boat or a canoe is ideal for traversing the lake. Also there are some special catch and release rules for the lake, which were suspended during the draining of the lake but have been reinstated.
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Patience Please

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:45:00 +0000

I appreciate the patience of those that follow the Grits-N-Flies blog. My family and I are still in limbo on our move. All of my blogging will take place on my laptop, where before 90% took place on my desktop. Also where we are staying we do not have wireless access which means I have to go to the local coffee shop in order to upload posts that have photos.

I guess this means I get to indulge in a few icy mochas!

Matthew

Disaster in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:33:00 +0000

We arrived in the sunshine state on Saturday at about noon. It had rained on us for most of the morning as we traveled, through what I called a canyon of pine trees (almost an hour and a half of nothing, literally, but pine trees). There were no houses, no stores, no gas stations just pine trees. When we came to the end of the highway, it dead ended into FL 319. Just across the highway was Apalachicola Bay. That was a sight for sore eyes.

With in an hour we were on the beach and I was fishing. It was a little more difficult than I thought. Between the wind and the surf I had a hard time controlling my line. After an hour of battling the surf and busting through the wind I managed a nice spotted sea trout.

The next day the surf was even rougher. After thirty minutes of wrestling with the surf and my fly line I decided to call it a day. As I disassembled my rod I noticed a small hair line crack in the male ferrule. I took notice of it and packed the rod away.

The next morning the rain poured, the lighting flashed, and the thunder cracked, no fishing! But, by afternoon the sun was shining and I was in the water. While I was fishing I noticed that the tip kept working its way down the male ferrule. I would check it, adjust it, and keep on fishing. At one point the tip flew clean off. I began to wonder if this was my fault or not. Maybe it was, I don't know. I could have been coming back too far on my back cast while trying to bust through the wind, allowing the tip slip off as the line loaded the rod.

Tuesday afternoon I made my way to the flats in Apalachicola Bay to see what I could find. I had heard roomers of trout, sheep head, and drum on the flats. With in ten minutes of being there the rod tip flew off on a back cast. I retrieved the tip and attempted to reattach it. At this point I noticed that something was terribly wrong, the male ferrule was broken off.

I held the rod in almost disbelief. It felt like my stomach was in my throat, I was angry, I was heart broken, and I was frustrated all at once. I was angry that this "high quality" rod had broken so easily, I was heart broken because I knew this was likely my only chance to fish saltwater this year, and frustrated with my self wondering if there was any thing I could have done to prevent this from happening.

Scrounging for every last glimmer of hope I had, I packed my rod up and drove to Apalachicola which was where the closet Orvis dealer was. Unfortunately, she could not help me. It would take longer for rod to shipped, repaired, and returned than we were going to be in Florida.

With all hopes dashed, I went back to our rental house with a case of the mulligrubs. Slowly but surly I recovered and managed to enjoy the rest of the week.

I did learn one valuable lesson, pack a spare rod!

I had planned to make a bamboo rod just for the trip to Florida, which would have given me two heavy rods, but I spent too much time debating over which rod to make.

With a lot of first time events in life there is a learning curve. The first time I drove my dad's five speed pickup was, I'm sure, a test of his patience, although exciting for me. My first shot at salt water fly fishing was not spectacular and was trying on my patience, but at least it gets me in the curve.

I can always look at it from the point of view that I have plenty of flies for next year!

Matthew