Some days you are the bug . . .

[Letort]

and other days the windshield.

Today I was the bug. It was just one of those days where it seemed all the little things that could go wrong did. Nothing serious, just annoying stuff we all go through when we are enjoying the sport we love.

I went to a native brookie stream about 20 miles from my house (disclaimer - this is VA, Shen Valley, and we have been getting steady rain unlike PA. We are mowing the lawn 2X week still. The fish are not stressed).

First off, I fell not once, but twice. I haven't fallen all year prior.

It was one of those days when I made a good cast to a rising fishing, and he would rise and miss the fly and the hook set spooked him.

It was one of those days when false casting to measure the line on a delicate cast, the last false cast would shag a leaf behind me.

I had more wind knots than I have had all year.

Still, a great day to be out, minor annoyances and all!

 

[Canoetripper]

I'm sorry to read about the tough day. I used to be a traveling salesman and Virginia was part of my territory. It is one of my favorite states. I've canoed most of the James and New Rivers. I want to canoe the Rappahannock River.

I really want to canoe the Appamattax River when the stripers are running up from Lake Chesdin.

I regret that I never fished the Smith River especially since I lived close to it when I lived in Greensboro, NC. My canoeing partner lives in Richmond. I love my drives to Chapel Hill, NC through Virginia especially since I know the state well enough to avoid the interstates.

I am an expert on getting wind knots in my leaders. I do think that furled leaders help me since I am not a very good fly caster.

 

[Letort]

It is a beautiful state and am fortunate enough that we get back to SC PA several times a month.

My next venture is into the small mouth territory, including some of the rivers you mentioned. Closer to me are the North and South branches, which are reported to be very good.

Oh, and I hope I didn't come off as complaining, just an observation that some days things just don't work. A bad day fishing is still better than 99% of other stuff I could of been doing.

 

[sarce]

I'm sure we've all had those days. For me, they happen when I go into a trip thinking I'm gonna slay 'em every cast...so now I try not to get so hyped up. On any given trip though I usually have an hour or so when I just am completely messing everything up.

Yesterday I was exploring a new small stream in central MD (they got rain Friday, enough to spoil my river bass fishing plans) and for a long time I was spooking every brown trout that I saw. I think in the first two hours I got exactly one cast off to an unspoiled fish. Then finally I came to a big pool and the biggest fish I had seen all day attached itself to the fly...a 12" wild brown. After that I resumed spooking every fish in sight. Even on one of those days, sometimes you'll get that one moment where everything comes together!

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Even my crappiest days out beat being at work.