Who You Callin' Crazy?!

So with all the great spring-like winter weather we've been having lately, the forecast for 25 mph winds and 25 degrees for north Georgia wasn't about to cancel our planned outing on the Toccoa this past Saturday.  It did bring about a change from drift boat fishing to wade fishing but our group was still determined to get out on the stream.  Work and family commitments for all of us had become all encompassing over the past few weeks and none of us felt we had gotten in the number of days fishing we all richly deserved.  TVA had the perfect mid-day open schedule that gave us a good excuse not to feel pressured to be on the river early in the AM.  It also gave us reason to be off the river before dark as the generators kicked back on at 4 PM.

At 11:30, we're sitting in a warm vehicle watching the river slowly recede to a wadeable level.  The wind buffeting the Tahoe with strong gusts that cut like a knife when you stepped outside to do the things that old guys do who have been riding for an hour and a half.  By noon, passers by were staring in amazement at the three figures resembling the Michelin Man ease into the relatively warm waters of the tailwater.

Just minutes into fishing, Alan hooks and long distance releases a fish.  Another fish rises right in front of him as his muffled shout out to me tells me his blood is pumping now.  From further downstream, JD gives a Rabun yell as he lands the first fish of the day; a nice brown.  And that's pretty much the way the afternoon went for the next 4 hours.  There has been that great Toccoa black caddis hatch going on the past few days but not this afternoon.  No bugs on the surface and only one fish caught on a Tungsten Bead Pheasant Tail.  The rest we all caught on egg patterns and the infamous "Coach K" that Chuck Head and Jake Darling have had so much luck with at Dukes Creek.

To say the weather was less than desirable is an extreme understatement.  It spit snow all afternoon and the brief 30 & 40 second intervals of sunshine were magnificent.  The fishing was steady with several browns in the 12" - 13" range and some nice healthy rainbows thrown in for icing on the cake.  You know, my stock answer for fishing in harsh weather the past few years is that I get to fish often enough that I don't have to do it when it's uncomfortable.  But today was one of those days when I think all of us did need to stand in a river and soak up a little re-creation.  It was good and even though the tips of my fingers are still slightly numb almost 48 hours later, it was worth it.