The fall change is just getting started here in the North Carolina Piedmont so I loaded the long rods into my four-wheel-drive time machine and leapt a week into the future, seasonally speaking, by driving northward into southern Virginia for a day on the Smith River. The colors, and the day, were spectacular.
The Smith regularly kicks my ass but I keep going back, this time to explore a promising stretch of the tailwater that I'd seen but not fished. I'd tried to hit it this past summer, but a double-nymph-rig tangle of diabolic complexity on my opening cast and a surprise early dam release thwarted me before I could get a fly properly soaked.
This day, however, was more than I could have hoped for and I can't wait till the cascade of color finds its way to my neck of the woods.
Peak was a couple of weeks ago out my way. A few stragglers, otherwise just a bunch of bare branches waving around in the wind now. It's a shame fall colors can't last a couple of months in full regalia.
ReplyDeleteSmith River. A new venue that I'll have to arrange for you to drag me to.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics. Foliage is waning rapidly here. The coming storm should strip the trees of their remaining leaves and then it's just gray sticks until April.
Sunday is my day for a last look at the foliage while standing in moving water.
Amen, Ken. If fall colors could last... But then, they might not be so special.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on Sunday, Steve. Hope your day is as enjoyable as mine was. And yes, we'll do the Smith. Get your butt down here.
I have yet to fish the Smith. Holler at me next time you plan to go. I'd like to check it out.
ReplyDeleteAlways a delight to visit your blog Mike(:
ReplyDeleteJP
Will do, Kevin.
ReplyDeleteJean Paul, it's always a pleasure to have you stop by! I am constantly amazed at the reach of these intertubes. Visitors from France. Go figure. And hats off to you for all you do on the North American Fly Fishing Forum.
Nice photos, Mike. But I'm wondering how that sycamore leaf underwater in the first shot could have possibly gotten that red all by itself. I have never seen one that color in nature. Did you perhaps exercise some PhotoShop aesthetic license?
ReplyDeleteHow astutely botanical of you Cathy. The image is indeed tweaked, but not as much as you might imagine. No new colors were introduced. The SOOC image does show the leaf to be a bit more towards the ruddy orange side, but the reds are there, enhanced, perhaps by the blue sky/water reflection. They definitely pop out when adjusting the contrast in the image.
ReplyDeleteIt's worth noting that the fish image has no such tweaks. It really was that brilliant.