Hiking The Appalachian Trail Georgia to Maine

Thought you guys might enjoy following the adventures of Nathan Gressett one of my former students who is hiking the Appalachian Trail. He started his epic journey in Georgia 3 weeks ago and will complete the hike in Maine sometimes in late September or early October. He has not posted anything for the past couple of weeks because he got his cell phone wet and lost all contact. He will be back on line in a couple of days so if you would like to keep track of his journey just type his name in Utube search and it will give you his progress.

 

The beginning of the trip

 

Second day of the hike

 

Springer Mountain

 

Bat hunting on the trail

 

Neal's Gap

 

Blood Mountain

 

Dick's Creek Gap

 

Cow Rock Mountain

 

Low Gap Georgia

 

Low Gap is his last report

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Bedding Bluegills Doesn't Mean They Will Hit

I found the bluegills bedding today, but the only problem they were not cooperating as far as hitting my offerings. I have seen this happen a couple of times over the years and today the fish were in lock jaw mode. I could see some on the beds swimming around, and they were not the least bit concerned with me close by. Even the cricket fishermen couldn’t muster a hit either. So what to do; because this happen as soon as I got on the water and I knew then it was going to be a slow morning.

My first fish of the morning using the Seal Leech. It is a dink, but it is a fish and got the skunk off my back.

A nice female full of eggs. She inhaled the Seal Leech. Nothing was happening on top and both these fish were caught in deep water.

I finally manage to land this bull bluegill on top right before the sun covered the lake. He was resting in a small cove off the main body of the lake. There were no more with him, because I sit and made cast after cast without any further action in the area.

The take home catch for the morning. One big bull and three females. I landed four or five smaller females that I released. I will blame the slow action today on a cold night, bluebird skies, wind out of the east, too much fishing pressure the last week or just plain and simply the fish were not biting. I get to count one for quest today. I am now 82 away.

 

Dry Flies Used to Land Super Size Bluegills

I was on the water today at 6:15 AM with a slight chance of rain and overcast skies for the day. I knew an approaching cold front, if you can call 70 degrees a cold front and with rain approaching would mean a better day. I couldn't believe it but me and another angler were the only ones at the launch, and yes he was going after the bluegills just like me. I only had 3 to 4 hours to add to my quest before the wind, which Walker County Lake is famous for would sail me back to the launch.

My first of the morning using my 3 wt and the Wluff dry--I just can't get away from this dry fly verses the popper--I like the silent approach it delivers as it lights gently on the surface

This bull inhaled the Wluff; I fish through 3 of these patterns today, the first two came apart, mainly from removing the flies from the throat of the bluegills, that is how much they loved this little jewel

After the wind picked up the top action stopped, so I went to my trusty Seal Leech, using my 4 wt.

A nice bluegill on the Leech, I am so impressed with this pattern, I like the medium sink rate---thanks to David at the Trout Zone for this pattern

These fish are unbelievable strong on the 3 and 4 wt. they are just coming on the bed and are in excellent shape to produce a super fight

A couple of females thrown in--I will count 9 big bulls out of this group putting me 83 away from my quest

This is where all the action takes place after I get the fish home, I built this table some years ago and equipped it with rollers so I could move it around. The table top is actually a chopping board.

The end result of another great trip with 48 fillets ---I only have a couple of trips left before the spawn is over as far as the fish being on the beds--the cork fishermen will clean the beds in a week or two