Revive - A Quarterly Fly Fishing Journal | Page 142

We were told the old shop moved to the Hiwassee River a few years before, leaving this water to fend for itself. There was money to be made on the Hiwassee, so the shop bailed, and this scrap of national forest was turned over to bikers and bait-fishermen. The Tellico has suffered for our sins.

Yet, despite the resulting litter and heavier traffic, rivers like this are where I go when I need a little time away from the city. It’s a quick trip to get off the beaten path. Stock an old truck with some cheap camping gear, a few cases of beer and you’re halfway there. Much like the fishing we do, it’s a simple affair. A few feathers wound around a hook and we’re casting to fish without having to deal with TVA generation schedules or making sure our bumper stickers are visible at the takeout.