Summer in the South...

Summer in the South means two things to me: fly fishing cool streams and looking for chanterelles. Coincidentally, they both go well together. I have been fly fishing around Alabama a lot, but haven't taken as many pictures. Here's a few...

Coosa Bass











Tallapoosa Bass





I recently made a trip over to the upstate of South Carolina to catch some of their redeye bass.



I fished with two of my buddies that live in SC and are equally passionate about these small mountain bass. We have been planning this for a while, and after all of us obtained kitchen passes, the real planning began. There's so much water and only so little time. I'm sure you all can relate, but these trips are never long enough.

Redeye Camp



Hellgrammite (Dobson Fly larvae)

It didn't take long to connect to my quarry...







I caught a few more, but frankly I was content to sit on a rock in the water and soak in the surroundings.





I had multiple whitewater rafts come by and ask me if i was catching any. "A few", I said. They usually replied with: "I saw a good brown a few holes up."

That's great, I thought. This river is a national wild and scenic river, literally a national treasure with a native bass that is worth pursuing and celebrating on its own. However, everyone that fishes here is in pursuit of trout. trout that don't belong. Trout that were stocked here from a completely fabricated beginning to exist for the sole purpose of satisfying anglers that don't know any better. I liken it to killing a kudu in the scrub woodlands of Kenya or Nambia versus one in a high fence in Texas. It's just a more authentic experience, and that's what I chase in a world that is becoming increasingly less authentic.

Enough of my soap box though. After fishing, I met up with my buddies and one of them caught one. This type of fishing isn't easy, and it isn't measured in inches or numbers.

Along the way out, I picked some streamside chanterelles and we headed back to camp.









One of my favorite parts of every day was in the evening. The period after dinner, with full bellies and cold beverages in hand, we could recount the memories of the day and anticipate the next day's adventures.

great pics

Great pics as usual.

I hate fly fishin…but you make it look tolerable😀

Sounds and looks like a great time and agree with the authenticity of catching the natives, but I still enjoy going up to flyfish with my guide friend in Carolinas and catching a rainbow or brown.
I just don't get to do that in Bama.

Yea, I get that. That's not bass water. I prefer brook trout fishing up there.

Awesome trip. Makes me want to bust the fly rod out again and get after it. I waded Patton Creek not long ago and caught some good ones there.

Thanks for sharing! It's been a while since I read your book, but I didn't remember SC having a native redeye population. Which states have them?

I carried my grandson redeye fishing a few weeks ago and we caught 3. He was much more interested in floating through the shoals. He had never seen water like that before and had a ball until he bumped his lip on a rock. That was the end of the trip.

You da man!

That's awesome. Given the heat we've had lately I'd prefer floating through the shoals too!

Redeye Bass from the Savannah River drainage (colloquially called Bartram's Bass) are native to both GA and SC due to that river's proximity to both. This particular one is only found in those two states. Overall, only Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina can lay claim to native redeye bass populations.

Very nice

I had a Smallmouth hotspot on the N. Potomac River years ago. Also had a place where I could buy Hellgrammites. They never lasted long.
My fishing partner refused to actually touch them. He used pliers or a knife to pin them down and get a hook through them. Wussy.

Didn’t know we had native red eyes here in SC. May have to keep a better eye out and give it a shot next time I travel upstate to fish. Great pics and post!

great pics..

fantastic post. Always enjoy reading your stuff.

Yep. Keep em’ coming!

Nice post

Nice picture taking.

Nice pics and story. I lived in Greenville over 16 years ago and knew of lake trout in Jocassee, but didn't look into whether the rivers had any. Figured they were too warm. Along that stateline between NC / SC is an elevation change of >1K ft and SC temps rise an avg of 6 degrees.

Nice pictures... thanks for sharing

Great story bum. Keep it real with the redeye bass.. Those photos were great too.

That, my friend, is true living. Awesome!