Crazy Busy

Lately I've been extremely busy and have been struggling to find the time to post anything. I apologize for the lack of new material and hope to do better moving forward. Hopefully I'll have a few more fishing reports to tell about in the near future.

Last weekend I did manage to get some camping in down at Chilhowee near the Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers. Squeezing in a little fishing was challenging but I managed to catch a few bluegill and bass from the little lake on top of the mountain. The weekend involved some of the heaviest September rain ever in east Tennessee and made for challenging camping conditions. The Hiwassee was higher than I have ever seen it and area creeks were well out of their banks.

I was camping with a group of guys we had taken from the school I teach at. On Saturday we wanted to take them all up to see the powerhouse on the Hiwassee but ran into trouble at Childers Creek. The road was completely flooded up to just over my knees in places. We backtracked and tried the back way in but ran into a mudslide just over the ridge coming down to the Big Bend parking lot. At that point we just gave up.

The scenery was spectacular and I enjoyed the opportunity to do a little photography. The sunset on Chilhowee Mountain was beautiful Saturday night. Sunday I ran up to Townsend to pick up a few items at Little River Outfitters. All the streams in the park where high to very high and made fishing sketchy at best. I ripped streamers for a little while but only flashed a few small fish.

Next weekend I hope to float somewhere and rip streamers for big browns. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. Tailwater fishing is going to be difficult at best for the next couple of weeks due to the recent heavy rain event.

Here are a few of the pictures I took last weekend including some of the high water. The high water pictures are in the vicinity of Reliance Fly and Tackle including a shot looking down the road at the bridge over Childers Creek (last picture).