Hunting season is rapidly approaching. In some states, bowhunting has already started. I encourage everyone to get in the field and stop for a minute and look around at the beauty that is surrounding you. This is the best part of hunting to me. I’m looking forward to a few trips this fall. I hope to get to share a small part of them with you. I haven’t had the opportunity to travel for a while, and I am so looking forward to it.
I’d like to share a 30-minute fishing trip with you. On a recent drive up to visit my daughter in the upstate of South Carolina, I received a phone call. It was my good friend Marc Womack of Sub7 Television. He was informing me that his crew was traveling to North Georgia to film a fishing segment for one of his clients. Having not be able to see any friends for a while, I made the decision to go visit him for a minute. It was only an hour drive, so why not? They were fishing with the High Adventure Company at The Headwaters on the Soque. The Soque River is one of the South’s best kept secrets. It is some of the most amazing trout fishing on the East Coast.
When I arrived, the camera crew was still filming. The owner of the property, Mark Lovell, asked me if I would like to fish for a few minutes while they finished up. I gladly took him up on it, borrowed some waders and a flyrod, and jumped in the Soque River.
I cannot describe to you how epic the next 20 minutes were. After making several casts, I finally hooked up. The fish sat on the bottom of the Soque River, not even knowing she was hooked. I kept steady pressure on the fish for a couple of minutes, and all of a sudden, all heck broke loose! Three feet in front of me, the fish jumped completely out of the water. I was desperately trying to regain my slack line when she jumped and fell square on my rear end in waist deep water. Then the heckling began on the bank behind me. The fish was making a run downriver, guys were on the bank laughing their ass off at me, and I was in the fight of my life with a giant rainbow.
This went on for 20 minutes. Using my skillset and a heck of a lot of luck, we landed this beauty. We took pictures and released her back into the Soque River. I do have a video that will prove my fishing skills are “next” level. Due to language and some embarrassment, I cannot post it here. If our paths cross, remind me to share it with you!
I look forward to seeing you in the field. Happy Hunting!