Well, I finally had a chance to get out swimming Wednesday of this week. The South Branch was up, 2 or 3 feet, swift current. In full-sunshine, I could see, 5 or 6 feet. When it got overcast, cut that back to 3 or 4 feet.

Searching in one of my favorite spots, I found a rod and reel. It was down deep, the water was just too swift, I couldn't recover the rig. I made at least 5 passes, maybe 6? It is a spinning reel with a black rod, and it didn't show up very good.

The river is about 100 feet wide in that spot, buy the time I'd see the reel, I was down the creek in a heartbeat. It's hard to get your bearings in a spot like that, I'd surface, and look things over. I almost had it that one pass, within 6 inches of grabbing the rod. Down the creek I went!

I did see a good many small sunfish and a couple rock bass, found one little smallmouth bass that would have been pushing 10 inches. That's about it.

We've had some really hard rains, in spots. 5 miles upstream, folks had over 3 inches, in a short time period, here I had like 0.20 inches. Hit and miss.

But the water was pretty nice, warm, but I winded myself a couple times. It's hard to get back to normal and breathing regular, when breathing through a snorkle. I'll get it the next time.

Well, Friday of last week I had a chance to go swimming again. The air temperature here in town was 50*, I'd guess the water is in the 60's? I know it's getting late for swimming. mid September.

I fooled around till about 10am, waiting for the sun to roll around and get on the water. As a friend told me, the water is "brisk". It's been a really bad year/summer for snorkeling. A while back, we had hard hit & miss rains almost everyday, for 3 weeks straight. I remember one night, the wind and lightning woke me early in the morning. Most of the showers were just here and there. Just enough to keep the river muddy, or very dark.

As far as flooding, we've been lucky, other than a few culverts and driveways washed out, we haven't had much local damage.

But Friday, I could see a good 10 to 12 feet, in full sunshine, cut that in half for being in the shade. Everything looked the same beyond 5 feet or so.

The fishing rod that I mentioned above, it's gone. Where I was swimming, the river level has been up 10 feet or better since that day. Who knows? What's left of it, might be half-way to Washington, DC by now?

But I was in the water for an hour, noticed the goosebumps on my arms, my fingers were numb. Figured I'd best get out and warm up. I did find one nice mud turtle, 15 or 18 pounds, but it's hard to swim holding a turtle. And, I don't know of anyone local that would even want the thing. So, it's still in the creek.

Lucky turtle! Swimming pools are in the low 60's here. The weather is warm during the day but the nights are in single digits C..

The leaves aren't really changing colour, yet. They are drying up instead. No rain here and when it does it is a down pour. It has no chance to soak in the soil.


When you find a rod, is the reel still good or is it too silted up?

I read your comment early this morning, but was in a bind getting ready to go fishing. Big Donnie, my buddy Bill and his brother Mike and I ganged up at a fishing hole this morning, we didn't amount to much. We had a good time, that's the main thing.

Bill did catch a bass that would have been close to 2 pounds, but you can't keep bass in that flood control dam. We came home without a fish. It's just nice to get out, kind of a nasty, chilly morning, misting a little bit and in the low 60's.

About the fishing reels, it depends on the water, and how long it's been there soaking. Sometimes I'll find a reel, stuffed full of sand and grit, leave a trail of "dust" 30 feet down the creek. Open faced reels, usually aren't so bad. But the current, rocks and all, they will grind a rod into pieces. About like putting the rod on bench grinder, bump it here and there.

The water, current, grit and sand will cut up and ruin a good anchor rope too.

But I was playing with my new fly-rod today, a little bit. There is a lot more to the story, but I'll copy/paste a message I posted on my Facebook thing a while back. It's pretty neat, hope you enjoy it.

One of the most heartfelt and sincere gifts that I've ever received. Here at work the other morning, my buddy Kenneth stoped by, he said hold on, I've got something for you. If you notice, he gave me a new 5 weight fly-rod, and each of those little containers, has a dozen or so of Kenneth's hand tied wet/dry flies. The 3 up front are turkey tail flies. All of them are a work of art! But for the time being, until I get a break from work, I will keep them in my Ronnie desk. (there is a picture with my Fb post)

I'll try to put some of the pieces together for you. My "Ronnie desk", came from my hunting buddy Ronnie's home. It's an oak rolltop desk, pretty as all get out. I keep my turkey calls, clips, special papers and all in it.

But my "Ken/Ben" flyrod, it belonged to Kenneth, who loaned it to another friend, Bennie. Ben died a year or so ago. Ken and I were talking one day, I told him I'd love to have Ben's fly fishing gear. Then he told me the story. Next thing you know, Kenny gave me the rod, reel and flies.

But Kenneth and Bennie would fish a local trout stream, catch and release, fly fishing only. I'd love to bump into Kenny up there one day, I know it'd mean a lot to him too. But that rod is a very special gift to me. And so are his flies.