The sun was on the wane, the mist was lying on the water, and the shadows were lengthening when I arrived at Tims Ford Dam. Most were shucking off their waders, stowing rods and accessories while gentle conversation abounded, hello's were exchanged as I doned my gear... it was 6PM on a Tuesday night and all was well with the world.
I finished suiting up, joined up my bamboo rod, slipped on my reel with a dainty 4wt line, and knotted on a "Partridge and Orange". I was ready to do business with the finny occupants of the Elk River. I have a ritual that I go through every time I fish the river. I stand on the bank below the bridge and observe the "goings on", read the water as best I can, and throw a couple trial casts in a few selected stretches before I meander downstream.
After accomplishing the "passive" aspects of the ritual I stripped off a bit of line and laid out a cast to the far bank at my first selected spot... and within about 15 seconds I had a surprized 10 inch brown on the reel. "Hmmmmm..." I thought, "...is this to be a forecast for the evening?" I released our little friend and moved downstream past another angler just above the first pool.
"Good Evening" said he..."The fish seem to be a bit willing tonight!" He had already captured and released several by the big log, and was happily casting away. "What are you using?" I inquired? "A tan soft hackle." said he. I eased past him into the first pool and looked about to determine what was happening... "Hmmmmm... ". There were small rises all along the bank, something I hadn't seen in quite a while on the Elk. I cast out my Partridge and Orange into the first likely location and got a solid take. Again, a nice 10+ inch Brown, dark in color with lots of spunk. After releasing him I wondered if someone haden't stocked recently... but the color was so dark and the fish didn't look like he came out of a hatchery. Regardles, I cast again and was rewarded with yet another fish! And so it went for most of the evening... a gentle conversation with the angler above me as we alternately caught and released fish in a sure and steady caedence.
Soon my companion rested his efforts and said, "Well, it's time to go home.. it's 7 o'clock!" and I bade him a farewell as I eased out of the pool and into the riffle below. It was much the same story in the riffle, with a bit more fight due to the current. By 8PM the shadows were almost total and I realized it was time to think about heading back to Huntsville and other duties. As I slowly waked up the trail to the parking lot my though was... "Quite a Night!".
