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Did you ever have one of those days where you are just not in the zone and can't get out of your own way? I guess with all the positive progress I've made with my new venture into fly fishing, I was due for one.
I was originally planning on fishing Sunday morning this weekend but when my wife woke up sick on Saturday and was down for the count, I loaded her up with food, medicine and everything she needed and "got out of her hair" for the afternoon. I headed back out to western MD. I knew the Savage had a planned whitewater release going on Saturday but the guy at the fly shop said it should be fishable by 5:30 PM so I decided to do the North Branch of the Potomac for the first couple of hours. Depending on how the fishing was I had the Savage as an option for the golden hour.
I followed Google Maps to my destination and had a beautiful ride. I was about 30 minutes away when the GPS took me up a dirt road. That dirt road turned into a nasty, rocky mountain road through the Allegany Wildlife Preserve, aka the mountain between me and my destination. This was 5 to 10 mph max stuff and quite steep. I thought it was a mistake but Google showed me on the right road. All of a sudden, I had a big pickup towing a trailer coming downhill. Did I mention it was one lane? I had to back down about a half mile to the only turn out. The guy asked where I was going and said the road dead ended at the property he was working at. I turned around, went back down into town and tried Waze. It took me in a big loop back to the same road.
I ended up wasting about an hour and quarter to an hour and a half because of the poor navigation. This would set the tone for the rest of the day. I tried hard to just let it go, figuring I could always get a hotel room and fish a few hours in the am. Try as I might, I just couldn't get my head on straight.
I didn't get on the water until almost 4:00 PM. I did fish a pretty stretch of water and hoped that would settle me down.
I started fishing upstream and got nothing so I went downstream to fish some good looking water. It was a tough wade over big rocks and boulders that were very slick. I missed one small fish and then started to lose it. I was tangling my line and lost a few flies. I also became quite overheated and dizzy and realized I left my water in the car. I toughed it out, made some adjustments and finally scratched out one decent fish.
I should have quit right there. I fished for another 45 minutes with only one hit to show for. As the sun set and the light started to dim, I had the biggest sign of all to call it a night when I slipped on a rock and fell into knee deep water, enough to soak my shirt and get some water in the waders. I ended up soaking wet so staying at a local hotel was no longer an option since I didn't have a change of clothes. I finally called it, hiked back in exhaustion and made the 2 1/2 hour drive home.
Can't wait to go back.
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Yikes, what a rough day. River looks beautiful.
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Yep, I think everyone has one of those day's once a year. Glad you made out OK and made it home safe.
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Good job sticking it out to make the best!
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Paul Naj wrote:
I also became quite overheated and dizzy and realized I left my water in the car.
NEVER a good thing....
Paul Naj wrote:
when I slipped on a rock and fell into knee deep water, enough to soak my shirt and get some water in the waders. I ended up soaking wet
Thus the reason I don't do this type of fly fishing. One good fall and I could crack a knee...oh yeah, they are fake knees so back to the OR I would go.
The next trip will be better!
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Ernie wrote:
Thus the reason I don't do this type of fly fishing. One good fall and I could crack a knee...oh yeah, they are fake knees so back to the OR I would go.
The next trip will be better!
I hear you, but this was by far the toughest river I’ve fished yet. I think the mountain road was a metaphor for the wading I did there. I’ll definitely go back but under much different circumstances and with a better game plan to overcome the obstacles.
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