Who Says Small Streams Don't Pay Off?

I went to my favorite creek in Ashe County and discovered that it was rain-swollen and not fish-able. So I noticed that another unnamed stream that runs in to the larger creek was only a wee bit mirky and thought to try it out. I had only fished the small stream once about a year ago with nothing to show for it, but I only tried the last 25-yards or so. I decided to walk a couple hundred yards up and see how it went. The field was completely overgrown and it was hard to find a spot to get in the creek with the tall brush and thick briar bushes. I finally found a spot to get in and began what was a nearly 3-hour walk of fun fishing and back breaking movement through the thick overgrowth.

I found two amazing little holes in the little creek that produced seven of the eight Brook Trout that I caught. One of them ran along a huge rock formation and ended into a swell of current where I found several hugging the edges. I was frustrated to catch 4-5 Rock bass (Red-Eye) in the same hole, but they didn't seem to spook the Brook too bad.

Walking down the creek I found myself nearly on hands and knees at times. Fortunately I had thought to bring my 6.5' fly rod rather than the 7.5' one. Even then I found myself fishing at times with the rod disassembled into two pieces while casting with the top portion. That's how tight it was. This stream is not stocked so catching so many Brook in it was even more rewarding. I'm sure they are run off Brook from up stream somewhere, but part of me likes to think they may be 2nd or 3rd generation trout and all native. Their pelvic fins looked good, so maybe they were native after all.

The last Brook and pair of smallmouth I caught were where the stream emptied into the muddied creek. They were hugging the edge of where the two met, so I cast into the muddy water and pulled the fly into the clearer water where they hit it hard right away! Those were three fun fish to catch, and I think there were more, but they probably got spooked by seeing their friends "hauled away."