Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE -- C.E. and I go trout fishing.

Saturday CARDINAL COUPLE


-Paul returns to the stream


-More hip trouble at UofL?


One of my favorite reasons to go to Gatlinburg is to go fishing with my friend C.E. I met him years ago on the Arts and Crafts Community loop south of Gatlinburg. We hit it off right off the bat. 
Mind you, he's a die-hard Vols fan...but we still get along quite well. 

When I go to Gatlinburg, I usually call him a few days in advance. Although he still owns his shop on "the loop"...he lets his daughter and son-in-law handle the day-to-day stuff. That allows him plenty of time for his passion. Trout fishing. 


We set up a trip for Friday, and C.E. likes to get "out and at them" early...so he swung by our cabin to pick me up at 5:30 a.m. I hear you groaning out there...yes, it was early...but a few cups of coffee and his lively conversation had me going full throttle in no time. We stopped for a quick breakfast and we were ready to hit the waters as the sun was coming up.  Accompanying us was his newest beagle, Snoopy. 

Dancing with Bears in Pigeon Forge! 

For our trips, I bring several things. My "hip waders", rod and reel, hand-held scoop net and a few artificial flies. I proudly wear one of my UofL hats when I go hit the secluded streams where he likes to fish. The trout don't seem to mind.


His 4X4 got us about a quarter of a mile from where he were going to fish. It took us about a half hour time to drive there...we gathered up our gear and hiked in the rest of the way. Fortunately, we didn't run into any snakes on the way...but did startle a wild turkey...who fluffed off in anger and gave us a verbal assault. I'm not the most limber of guys anymore, and it took me awhile to get down the steep bank and into the water. He's 70+years old and beat me to the stream by several minutes. Must be the air or water down here...he had the agility of a man half his age. 

We've fished this area before...some really nice brown and rainbow trout can be pulled out of the holes in the area. There were brook in the water as well, but those are strictly "catch and release" in the Smokies for now. Snoopy entertained himself by flushing rabbits out of the brush and jumping in and out of the slow moving parts of the stream. I can't divulge the exact location...C.R. guards his trout spots closely. 


Since I only go trout-fishing once a year anymore, it takes me awhile at the beginning to get accurate at casting again. I was still trying to hit holes with my casts when he caught the first fish of the day, a fighting brown that measured in about an inch short of "keeper" size. We catch and release if they aren't keepers, so this one got a reprieve.


C.R. had pulled in three, one keeper size, before I got my first strike. A good fighter...it gave me a nice five minute battle before I got a net on him. A keeper brown, biggest of the day, so far. 

We fished the spot, walking the side of the stream and bank, for several hours. We totalled 10 trout "keeper" size and that was the limit for the day...five each (even though he caught seven and I just hooked three). We also released some furious-fighting "brookies" per park regulations. I was tired but happy as we went up the bank and back to his 4X4. His wife, Cheryl, had prepared some bologna and cheese sandwiches for us and we ate those and sipped on iced tea sitting under an expansive, shady oak tree. It was barely noon and it already felt like it was ninety degrees. C.R. is working with Snoopy on tracking rabbits and the beagle is getting good at it.  


I rode back with him to his house and we went to his garage to filet our catch. One thing that we have in common is that he's also a women's basketball fan...the Vols, of course...and as we de-boned our catch we talked Pat Summit, SEC and also UofL. C.R. is a big Walz fan. He kids me that Jeff will be learning the words to "Rocky Top" in a few years. I kid him back that UofL WBB will lead the nation in attendance now that Pat has retired.  

Once we finished our knife-work, he stuck the filets in cool, salty water until breading in a couple of hours. We all were to be guest for dinner...fried trout, slaw, potato salad, green beans and chicken fingers for the kids. Sonja and crew arrived around 5 p.m. with cherry pies for dessert.


All the food was delicious. He uses a cast-iron skillet and a cornmeal batter. Olive oil, not vegetable oil or lard to fry the filets in. The filets were fresh and meaty. No one left the table hungry. 

Snoopy.

Finally, after lemonade and conversation on their huge front porch, the evening took upon us and we left C.R, his wife and his seemingly never-out-of energy beagle Snoopy. One of those days you wish you could capture in a jar and release whenever you're feeling blue or frustrated. 


Have a great weekend, Cardinal Couple readers! 


-Paulie


******************************************************


Rumors spreading that another of Louisville's women's basketball team member might be going under the knife are true. Senior forward Asia Taylor has been experiencing hip pain. She is expected to be back and 100% by the start of the season.


Better to get these things taken care of before the season begins. And, maybe the rest of the Cardinal squad should walk around in medieval armor suits to avoid any further injuries for the season begins. 
.
..
... 

Trout fishing with Charlie Ray

It is a sport I attempt once or twice a year. The field of competition is a clear, cold mountain stream. The opposition consists of rainbow and brown trout. There is no time limit except darkness. It is a solitary sport...this trout fishing...although I make a point of going with my long time buddy Charlie Ray when I am in Gatlinburg.

I made the arrangement phone call weeks in advance. We would spend a few hours walking "the spot"...casting, hip waders on and accompanied by his blue tick hound "Spotter."

It is good to see Charlie Ray again. I arrive at his cabin/farm around 4 p.m. I bring gifts from Louisville...his wife brings out sweetened iced tea and we sit on the veranda porch for a few moments, talking about the year that has passed since we last saw each other. Retirement seems to be treating both of them well. Charlie Ray has put on a few pounds since I last saw him...good pounds, though...and his craggy face is a dark brown. His wife has a full vegetable garden started...already red tomatoes on the vine and squash and green beans extending from the earth.

We load his pickup truck, Spotter hops in the truck bed and off we go. The drive is short and consists mostly of gravel road. To gain access to the stream, we have to walk about 1/4th of a mile. The first hundred yards or so are thru deep weeds and Spotter leads the way...dashing to and fro and letting all snakes and critters know that we are here. It is a spot that not many besides the locals know about. They keep the first 100 yards or so uncut...after that, the path is well marked and worn. There are wooden rails to help with the descent and climb to and from the creek.

We descend to the creek and spend the next three hours wading, casting, talking and watching Spotter run the banks. My casting is rusty at first but I eventually start hitting the pools and eddys I am aiming for and by the time darkness descends on us...I have caught 4 nice sized browns, a rainbow and numerous smaller trout. Charlie has done well also and since his freezer is full of previous trips..we are catching and releasing today. The time goes quickly...we discuss politics, religion and sports whle we fish. Charlie is a big UT Vols fan...he follows the Lady Vols avidly and might travel to Louisville to see them play the Cards this year. He reminds me that the Vols eliminated the Cards in softball this summer. I remind him that UT football hasn't been the same since Phil Fulmer left. We take a short break after a couple of hours to munch on turkey sandwiches his wife has prepared for us and sip cold water.

The trip back offers a few deer viewable from the road. We arrive, unpack and sip tea before I leave. Charlie is an accomplished mandolin player and he plays several songs as we sit on the porch and watch evening envelope us. I try to follow on guitar...but my playing is very rusty. I leave with the promise of getting together next year...and possibly this fall if I can work out the details. I drive back to the chalet...tired but satisfied with the day's activities. The moon is almost full and the sky bright with stars. It has been a fun and active last several hours.

All are asleep when I reach the chalet...and I spend some time on the porch...reflecting on a perfect afternoon and hearing the chirp of crickets, cicadias and other night creatures of the East Tennessee woods performing a lullabye that will have me sleeping soon. For tonight, there are no worries about bills, deadlines, commitments or issues. It is a good change.