I love the mountains. The crispness and freshness of the air restores my soul and puts my mind at ease. I was blessed with an incredible day of fishing in Banner Elk, NC this past September. The Elk River is a small but fun stream to fish. Designated catch and release, it is full of brown and rainbow trout eager to accept a fly.

Blue bird skies and a light breeze greeted my face as I strolled down the path after donning my waders and boots. Before I began fishing I sat and watched a riffle to see what lurked beneath the gin clear water. After being satisfied that “the usual” would produce I tied on a yellow Stimulator with a black Copper John dropped off the back.

The first drifts were ignored and finally I got a hit on the nymph. I fought the fish for a short time but pulled the hook; then proceeded to do the same for the next five fish finally pulling a 13″ brown trout out of a deep hole. I dubbed it the “fish of the day” and proceeded up the river. However, it would not stay the fish of the day for much longer. The riffles and pools opened their treasure chests of bounty as fish afer fish met my hand and net. I only managed to fish half the stream before I had to leave, rather reluctantly. The days total…22 trout, 18 brown and 4 rainbow, and just as many pulled hooks. And if you have to ask me why I go back again and again, well my friend…I guess you’ve never been.