Assignment One

Saturday, August 13, 2014

Fly Fishing in the Mountains of North Carolina

These particular observations have been made over a series of YouTube videos or full
length television shows which I will specify, all based and filmed around the figured world I
have chosen. I am observing multiple videos in order to meet the time requirements laid out in
our Assignment One guidelines. I will list specific times in these YouTube videos/full-length
shows that important events occur, for example 3:45 would be 3 minutes and 45 seconds into the
video.
Background: Each of the videos are filmed in multiple locations in the mountains of North
Carolina, even though these locations differ, the tactics and fish are the same, it has no effect on
the legitimacy of the observations due to each location falling within the geographic boundaries
of my figured world.

Figured World: A figured world is a large social structure that contains specific rules and
conventions for behavior.
Rules and conventions are numerous but are not always exactly definite within the figured world
I have selected. It is important to note the difference between rules and conventions within a
society. Rules are typically more official, like written laws. Conventions, however, are
behaviors that are expected within a society. While fly fishing in the mountains, a large variety
of both are constantly showing. The most obvious of rules for this figured world are the laws
governing the fish and the fisheries in the mountains. The North Carolina Wildlife is in charge of
making laws concerning when and where fisherman can do things and how those things are
done. Depending on how the water is listed, there are different rules or regulations. Some waters
are Hatchery Supported Trout Waters which means you can catch fish with whatever bait or
lures you want to, and you can keep up to 7 fish per day, per person. In these types of waters you
cannot fish the water from March 1 to April 3. The state hatchery consistently stocks fish in these
waters. Other types of waters include Wild Trout waters, Wild Trout Natural Bait waters, and
Delayed Harvest waters just to name a few. Each has its own rules for fishing. Because these
rules are law, it makes the rules clear and easy to understand. Conventions for fishing these
waters are more difficult to see or understand to the new angler. Part of the culture of fly fishing
revolves, most of the time, around catch and release fishing. This is where anglers release the
fish they catch on the fly rod. This is out of respect to the fish themselves as well as the fishery
as a whole. Types of practice like this are what sustains healthy and bountiful waters and most
fisherman expect one another to participate in this behavior. Respecting one another as anglers is
just as crucial, the sole purpose for each individual to be out there fishing is because its what the
individuals are passionate about, and that should be respected. Keeping distance between
anglers, not being loud, not frightening fish, and not abusing the land are all expected from
fishermen.
Actors: Actors are the participants within a figured world who play a significant role in said
figured world, in this case the actors are the fly fisherman in the mountains of North Carolina.
A key actor in my observations is Alex Bell, a prominent member of the Jackson County, NC
community. After being a teacher and a coach for many years, Alex retired to become a fly
fishing guide in Jackson County on the Western NC Fly Fishing Trail. He encompasses many
great fly fishing qualities, he claims his passion lies in teaching new or young fly fisherman how
to find and catch trout.
Artifacts: Artifacts are physical objects, ideas, or emotions that have cultural significance in a
figured world.

An important artifact to point out, though there are many, is the fly rod. Many components make
a fly rod but the overall fly rod setup is crucial to this community. After all, if its a community
revolving around fly fishing, it wouldnt exist without the fly rod in the first place. This is what
physically connects us to the fish in that moment you fool it into eating your fly, the heart
pounding event that addicts us as fly fisherman.
Another important artifact to fly fishing in the NC Mountains is tippet. When fly fishing, the
breakdown of how fishing line is connecting together is like this; fly line, leader, tippet. Fly line
is what delivers the distance of the fly, the leader is the section of line tied to fly line that is
heavier than the tippet, this way the fly will turn over better. Finally, the tippet is what is tied
to, or welded to, the leader. The tippet is also what your fly is tied to. The tippet is, when trout
fishing in NC, extremely light usually. Tippet comes in a variety of sizes, but much of the tippet
used is extremely light fishing line, almost too small to see sometimes. This is so the trout arent
spooked when they see the fly. They have extremely good eyesight and can easily be turned
away from a fly if the tippet is too heavy. The fly is another crucial component to fly fishing.
You could have a fly rod set up with the nicest gear and line, but if there is not a fly tied onto
your line, you will have no chance at being able to hook and catch a fish. Flies come in a variety
of patterns, colors, sizes, and styles. When fishing in the mountains of North Carolina, typically
flies resembling insects are used to catch trout. Trout feed
Communities of Practice: A community of practice is a group of three or more people who
share common interests, habits, and/or ways of communicating.
Davidson River Outfitters, a fly fishing shop in Asheville, North Carolina, is a community of
practice within itself. Its customers and employees all share a similar bond which is fly fishing
for trout. Fly fishing for trout could also be considered their habit. They communicate in a
variety of ways but the main style of communication is through fishing and talking about fishing.
Customers go to seek knowledge about the fishery and the employees are willing to share that
knowledge.
Community Practices: Fly fishing for mountain trout is clearly the common practice of fly
fisherman in the mountains. Catching fish, tying flies, and even building fly rods are all common
practices I have observed before in the mountains while being exposed to trout anglers. Many of
these anglers who tie their own flies or build their own rods are attracted to the challenge of not
only catching fish on fly, but catching fish on equipment and flies constructed by the anglers
themselves. Rod building and fly tying are just as much of an art form as fly fishing as a whole
is. A fly rod is finely tuned and balanced to meet the specific need of how it is being used and
who is using it. Constructing a fly rod takes precision and unique skills in order to produce a
quality, well-performing rod. Anglers who build rods put in a generous amount of time into their
craft, this amount of work and preparation gives the anglers an even greater sense of
accomplishment when catching fish. The same goes for fly tying, anglers who catch fish on flies
they tie themselves feel great sense of accomplishment by fooling a fish into eating a fly made
out of feathers, animal hair, or synthetic materials. Fly fisherman apart of this community of
practice, much like myself and my fishing partners, get together to tie flies on a regular basis and
seek to develop their tying skills to further their chances of catching fish.
Literacy Practices: Trout fisherman typically communicate with one another in polite ways on
the water just by using common manners when speaking. Between myself and my fly fishing
colleagues, a convenient way to keep in touch about fishing is just through texting one another.
That is more common among younger anglers, the older anglers tend to abhor the new
technology.
The Observation:
Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail
1:06 into Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, guide Alex Bell exemplifies qualities of a
fly fisherman when explaining his joy for teaching novice anglers how to fish and spreading his
passion to people who are just entering the sport. He is a good example for the community of
practice of fly fisherman in Jackson County, NC.
1:30- Jackson County government supported a movement to make a map of 15 of some of the
best places to fish in Jackson County in order to endorse and use the natural resources they had
around them in the community. Julie Spiro from the Chamber of Commerce in Jackson County
had a lot of pleasant things to say in regards to the economic impact that fly fishing has made in
Jackson County. Local businesses, such as the multiple local fly fishing shops in Jackson County
have seen customer increase and profit growth due to the founding of the North Carolina Fly
Fishing Trail. More fly fisherman are attracted to the area and seek out local knowledge at these
shops and usually purchase equipment including flies from the businesses. Local fly fishing
guides are also seeing more profit as they are hired by visiting anglers to take them to the best
fishing waters and ensure that they catch fish. Fishing-oriented businesses are not the only firms
to benefit from the Fly Fishing Trail, visitors who come to fish frequent the local restaurants,
businesses, gas stations, or hotels. The increase in tourism has brought capital from other places
into Jackson County, benefitting virtually every realm of life there. As a fly fisherman, I believe
that these impacts are beneficial and reflect well on the fly fishing community. The Fly Fishing
Trail covers only a small regional area of fisheries, many anglers eyes have now opened to other
parts of the North Carolina mountains that hold different and new fisheries. Because there are so
many rural parts of our mountains, the increase of fisherman and visitors in those places are
projected to cause other rural economies to improve. The NC Fly Fishing Trail is a catalyst more
or less for other mountain economies due to the anglers and visitors who now have their eyes
fixed upon the mountains in North Carolina who may not have thought much about visiting the
Western region before.
2:00- Guide Alex Bell reviews the three types of trout most commonly found along the Western
North Carolina Fly Fishing trail, Rainbow trout, Brown Trout, and Brook Trout. He also
mentions things about the trout in regards to what elevations they tend to live at. He says native
(not farm raised) brook trout are found at the highest elevations in our state. By explaining the
variety of trout inhabiting the North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail, the viewers have not only a
better understanding of the species North Carolina has to offer, but the viewer who is interested
in fishing the mountains in North Carolina is even more likely to explore and fish the western
region because of the variety of trout that can be caught. Often times, fisherman enjoy fishing
waters where the species of fish caught can vary.
2:19- Tim MacCourtney, from CLS Fly Fishing Outfitters, offers more insight upon social norms
in the fly fishing world in our NC Mountains. He references how willing and receptive the older
generation of fly fisherman are to teaching and instructing the younger or newer fly anglers. One
of the social norms that Tim references is the desire of older anglers to teach young anglers. Fly
fishing is an art form that has been passed down for a long time, especially among trout
fisherman in North Carolina. Part of the history behind it is introducing new anglers to the sport
and teaching them what you have learned in order for them to enjoy fishing and be passionate
about it, ultimately in hopes that they will, in turn, pass the same knowledge and skills down to
someone else.
3:36- Jackson County, NC believes enough in the figured world of NC fly fishing enough to
dedicate the time and resources to the local fisheries in order to bring visitors to Jackson County
and get a foot hold in the local tourism industry. Julie Spiro says Jackson County wants to take
advantage of the fisheries because it is a good clean industry that brings joy to the people who
visit to go fishing. Everyone in Jackson County can benefit from the Fly Fishing Trail not only in
a monetary sense. It is an industry that essentially has no downside to it. When thinking of the
term industry, I think about large corporations that may come into a town and construct a new
plant or factory. In a situation such as that, often times many people are opposed to it as some
people support it. Fly fishing is an industry that does not destroy, but is intended to give. Catch
and release ensures healthy fish and healthy ecosystems. The fisherman are able to enjoy doing
what they love, local business owners and employees benefit from the outside visitors. Just about
any way it is looked at, fly fishing is the good, clean industry that Julie Spiro says it is.
4:15- The local map of the 15 fishing spots in Jackson County includes relevant and specific
information that the visitor would seek, like where to find native and introduced fish. It provides
accurate information that makes fishing more enjoyable and convenient for the non-local. Non-
local anglers who take advantage of the map and of the resources available in Jackson County
are able to develop as anglers extremely well. With the local knowledge, local guides, and pure
excitement driving fisherman, Jackson County has solidified itself as a facilitator for the
betterment of anglers, fish, and fishing as a sport.
4:45- At first when the map was released, people thought it would damage the fisheries because
more people would come fishing and take fish they caught. The locals at CLS Fly Fishing
Outfitters say that they are not worried these spots are now more public because it takes quite a
bit of skill, effort, and patience to catch the fish there which many people dont have.
5:11- Alex Bell sums up trout fishing in the NC mountains very well in his ending quote of the
video, you can learn the basics in an afternoon and it takes a lifetime but youll never master it.
Alex believes you can never know it all about fishing. The idea of never knowing it all is a
driving force for fisherman much like myself. As innate or born fisherman, we die-hards like
to call ourselves, we are allured by the hunt and challenge of the fish, not necessarily the trophy
of catching a fish alone. The excitement of what could be next is always a motivating idea.
Because of the fact one person can never know every single thing about fishing, its virtually
impossible to get bored. The behavior of the fish changes, the lures changes, the fly line or the
fly rod changes, the conditions change, we as anglers change, the list could go on and on for
forever about the changing factors of fishing. Solving the problems faced by those changing
conditions is crucial as a fly angler, trying new things and exploring new places to catch fish is a
rewarding experience.
I viewed a full episode of a series called Anglers & Appetites on YouTube, this particular
episode followed the host on multiple locations on the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing trail
located around Jackson County, NC. This episode had a run time of 27 minutes and 31 seconds.
One of the guides featured on this episode is Alex Bell from ABs guide service in Jackson
County. I observed a variety of behaviors common amongst the figured world I am observing,
especially in the behavior of the local guide. Note that this observation is completely separate
from the observation above. I combined different videos to observe so I could meet the
observation time requirements established in the observation guidelines.
3:22- The host of Anglers and Appetites is fishing Ravens Fork, a section of the Cherokee
Trophy Waters in Western North Carolina. The host of the show learns the basic method of hook
setting from the guide who explains you always set the hook in a downstream motion, because
the fish face and eat upstream, so by pulling the line downstream, the hook catches in their
mouth much easier.
4:42- The 1
st
fish of the video was landed, the guide did his job well by walking out to the fish
and netting it in his guide net. A guides job is to ensure people catch fish and by walking out in
the water to the fish and netting it, it gets the fish in earlier, reducing the risk for the fish to get
off of the hook. The guide uses equipment one would expect to see on a fly fishing professional,
high quality top of the line Simms waders and fishing vest complete his look. His fly reel is a
reel made by Nautilus, another top of the line piece of equipment. I was not able to see what kind
of rod he was using with the reel, but based upon the stature of the guide and the type of reel he
was using, it was most likely a very expensive and delicate rod.
7:20- In a joking manner, the tv host gives the guide one cast at some fish just to see how good
he actually is and, of course, the guide hooks up on a large trout. This just proves the guides in
our state apart of the community of practice are committed to what they do and put their clients
where the fish are.
13:12- 1
st
Brook trout in Caney Fork is landed. This stream is very different from the Cherokee
Trophy Waters. Caney Fork is a smaller stream, fishing is done in small pools up the side of a
mountain that look like a staircase. At each step there is a pool that may or may not have trout
in it. The guide taught the host of the show the bow and arrow cast. This is a crucial technique
pivotal in catching fish in the thick brush around a lot of creeks in North Carolina.
14:14- The guide and host hit the Tuck or the Tuckasegee River, which is the biggest river that
flows through Jackson County. This is a delayed harvest water which means the trout can only
be targeted during an allotted period of the year, one of the rules of the figured world.
21:29- The viewer of the video, in this case me the observer, is able to admire the simple beauty
of a native Appalachian Brook Trout. The fish has an array of vibrant colors, the most notable of
those being its orange belly. The Brook Trout get a bright orange belly when they spawn in the
fall as the water begins to cool off in the mountains. Their unique colors and behavior make them
a living jewel as many anglers would call them because of their beauty and wary nature.
22:28- The host insists the guide takes one single cast again on Caney Fork, and the guide hooks
up on one of the larger Brook trout found in a stream that size. Just once again proving the
expertise of the local fisherman and participants in the figured world.
23:24- Finally, the day is ended with a fishing trip to Lake Linville, which is the highest elevated
lake east of the Mississippi River. Lake Linville contains smallmouth and largemouth bass, this
particular time, they caught largemouth bass off of spinnerbaits to prove the variety of fish in the
mountains as well as the variety of types of bodies of water that the figured world contains. The
conventional bass fishery in the mountains gives another look into a different community than
mountain fly fisherman, but it is just as important and has its own unique culture.
Observation 2
My second observation comes from a YouTube video by Robin Geck called Trout Fishing NC.
This particular video has a 30 minute run time and follows Robin Geck through the mountains of
NC in the first-person as he attempts to catch trout on the fly rod. Like my previous observation,
I will note certain points of the video by the minute and second it occurs in the video stream (for
example, 2:21 will be 2 minutes and 21 seconds into the video).
Figured World: My figured world remains the world of fly fishing in the mountains of North
Carolina, this video is just another observation of that figured world and the community that
interacts within it.
Community Practices: Robin Geck does not necessarily interact in the video with a community
due to the fact he is alone, but he reflects many of the community practices found within the
figured world.
Literacy Practices: Robin communicates through direct speech with the audience, whoever is
watching the video, and giving narration of his actions and what his thoughts are. This is done by
most anglers in the community whether it be on the water or off of the water, anglers
communicate their experiences and ideas. Also, the community commonly communicates
through the production of video, which allows other members of the community to share in the
experiences of the producer without direct face-to-face speech involved. Modern technology has
allowed this method to flourish in every realm of fishing, not limited just to fly fisherman in the
mountains of North Carolina.
Actors: The actor in this particular video is Robin Geck, he is the producer of the video and
gives a first person perspective of fishing in the mountains of North Carolina.
Artifacts: The artifacts I have previously mentioned are prominent in this video due to the
necessity of my previously mentioned artifacts in fly fishing. Robins fly rod is clearly present in
the video which is the most significant tool in the community for catching fish. Its the craft that
the entire sport revolves around.
Domain: Though the community does not have stated goals as a whole, it is understood
through the conventions that the ultimate goal is catch fish. Robin Geck reflects the community
domain by participating in that behavior.
The Observation:
1:15- Robin hooks up on the first trout but unfortunately lost it as it gets to the bank. He says he
wishes he would have brought a net, an essential trout fishing artifact, so he could consistently
land more fish. He was not bothered by losing the fish because he says it was just a small one.
Anglers in western NC are not typically affected by this because trophy sized trout are the fish
really being hunted in most cases.
2:35- Robin lands the first rainbow trout after figuring out exactly where the fish were laid up,
underneath a large rock that created a pool on the other side of the stream from him. He mentions
one of the rules in the figured world by telling the viewer that he is fishing a section of water
where up to 10 fish can be caught and kept.
3:30- I do see a fault in Robins angling. He is keeping the fish he catches on a stringer so they
stay alive in the water and tells the viewer he will catch 10 trout to keep, but if he catches bigger
ones, he will swap them out with the smaller trout. This is a fine practice, however, the way he
attaches the fish to the stringer is not healthy. He puts the stringer through the fishs gills, this
holds them securely but if one of those trout were to be released, it would soon die due to the
stress on the gills caused by the stringer. Fish should be strung by piercing their bottom jaw,
which will keep them alive longer and would allow for a safe release if the fish is not kept.
9:43- Robin practices good ethics as he makes the decision to leave the hole he had been fishing.
He caught a good amount of trout out of the hole but leaves in order to take pressure off of the
fish and not harvest too many of them out of that spot. This keeps the ecosystem at equilibrium
and ensures a healthy fishery.
14:16- From observing the stream and land, it exemplifies the typical North Carolina mountain
stream with the relative narrow width of the stream, large rocks, and thick overhanging foliage.
16:33- Another good ethical practice is shown by Robin in the video. He hooked a fish deep in
the fishs throat and mouth which kills many fish that are caught that way. Instead of letting the
fish die for no reason he adds it to his stringer so it can be kept and eaten.
19:36- Robin climbs over large rocks to access a trout hole on a different section of river. The
geography shown in the video is what many people consider to be so special about trout fishing
in North Carolina. The geography of the land in Western North Carolina can be more extreme
than people expect, like large waterfalls and steep mountain faces, not just rolling hills, which
attracts fly fisherman from all over the state.
23:00- Another fisherman joins Robin on the other side of the stream. They exhibit
characteristics of anglers in the community by respecting one another by keeping distance from
the fish and themselves. They engage in friendly dialogue after the other angler catches a large
trout and Robin jokingly asked Wanna trade fish? There is a serious aspect to fishing but the
majority of actors in the community maintain a bit of lightheartedness just to have some extra
fun.
24:45- As the anglers communicate more through direct dialogue, Robin offers the other angler
insight on rules established by the North Carolina Wildlife. The other angler asked Robin a
question in regards to catching a tagged trout. The state puts tags in fish that are harmless but
track the movement and behavior of the fish and information about populations of trout are
recorded. Robin told the other angler how to register a tagged fish that you catch and how to
receive a monetary reward for turning in a tag. It shows how well the figured worlds different
aspects all intermingle on a consistent basis.
29:14- Robin ends the video as he makes one last drift with his fly through the stream, the viewer
is able to see the surrounding landscape and environment of western North Carolina and in my
opinion it captures why the community actors are passionate about the sport and live the fly
fishing lifestyle that they choose.
Observation 3
This first of two observations takes place about a YouTube video called Tenkara Fly Fishing
Wilson Creek NC. The video records a NC angler as he fly fishes using the Tenkara method.
Tenkara is the traditional method of Japanese fly fishing. It is the method that developed modern
fly fishing as it is today. In Tenkara, you use a very long rod with a fixed piece of fly line on it,
usually 12 to 16 feet. There is no reel mounted to the fly rod, the angler simply hooks a fish and
pulls it over to himself. The gear is particularly light fly tackle and is not meant for large fish,
small trout were the intended catch when Tenkara was developed. The gear and techniques in the
method of Tenkara fly fishing do not differ drastically from conventional fly fishing. Due to the
absence of a fly reel, the line is connected to the end of the fly rod, not allowing for any line to
be reeled in. The line stays at a constant length from the rod tip. The style of casting Tenkara
gear is relatively similar compared to conventional fly gear. The main difference is that when
casting a Tenkara rod, fly line cannot be released on the cast like conventional fly casting. In
conventional fly casting, the angler can allow excess fly line to exit the rod to ensure greater
distance on a cast. Because of the line fixed to the rod tip in Tenkara, the angler can cast no
further than the length the line already is. Because of the absence of the reel, smaller fish are
targeted with the Tenkara method. This is because when a large fish is hooked on conventional
fly fishing gear, the reel allows the fish to pull out line when hooked, this prevents the line from
breaking by excessive tension. Large fish on a Tenkara rod can easily break the fine tippet
connected to the fly if they swim away or run too quickly or with too much strength. Reel
absence on Tenkara rods do not allow the fish to have the ability of pulling line off of the reel to
prevent line breaking. Tenkara has advantages and disadvantages just like anything else. There is
an added ability to prevent a fly very delicately and naturally at times, depending on what kind of
situation the angler is in. Conventional fly fishing allows for more versatility that Tenkara cannot
offer but ultimately it boils down to individual angler preference. I will note important events
throughout the video by the time in which they occur in the video, for example, 1:15 is one
minute and fifteen seconds into the video.
0:30- This particular video begins almost immediately with the view of a Brook trout in the
anglers net. The angler goes on to tell the viewer that they are using their Tenkara rods to
tightline nymphs. This is a method that involves the angler putting their nymph fly into the
stream or river and letting it naturally drift through where trout are holding. Anglers watch their
line to see whether or not they are receiving a strike from a trout. This is a common practice
among the figured world.
2:30- The angler does a good job of narrating what he and his fishing partner are doing. He
describes the different types of artifacts they are implementing including their Tenkara fly rods,
line, and flies. This communicates information about how fish are being caught with the entire
community or whichever anglers watch the video. The anglers develop one another as fisherman
by their methods of communication, which offers different views and insights on Tenkara fly
fishing.
3:15- The angler feels the need to go into detail with another artifact, his Tenkara trout net. Nets
like his are key artifacts to the community because of their significant ability to not damage the
sensitive skin of the trout. It is another ethical aspect of the figured world that anglers do a good
job of keeping up. Many nets can damage or harm trout because of their sensitive nature but the
fine mesh of a Tenkara net keeps the trout safe. Rubber nets to the same thing because the trouts
scales and oils are not rubbed off by the rubber.
4:25- Next, the angler shows the location where he is fishing. The information he gives is helpful
to anglers looking for a place to fish or wondering what to look for, this particular area he
showed was an intersection of two streams forming a deep hole. Tributaries meeting streams or
rivers are typically very productive locations to fish due to the nutrients flowing from tributaries
into main streams and rivers. The nutrients produce healthy forage for the trout to feed on.
6:30- The main angler pans the view of the camera to his fishing partner who is also fishing with
a traditional Tenkara fly rod. Whoever is viewing the video can see how to properly Czech
nymph or Eurostyle nymph, seeing someone do it can be a huge help on understanding how
to do it yourself. It is yet another example of how anglers communicate and teach one another
within this figured world.
9:00- The angler tells more about his artifacts, the fly rod, and shows how much his rod is
bending over as he is bringing in a trout. Fly fishing equipment is not the same and each angler is
different in their preferences. The reason these anglers have chosen Tenkara tackle is because
they enjoy using rods that the trout fight extremely hard on and do not have as much backbone
as other types of fly rods do. The light tackle also gives an advantage over the fish, the fish are
less likely to be spooked by your line or your lure because the flies they are using are extremely
small and natural, and the tippet connected to the fly is so light it is nearly impossible for the
trout to see.
13:00- The anglers film a wildfire that has encroached on the Wilson Creek area, this is
interesting because the figured world of fly fishing in the mountains of North Carolina is not
ONLY limited to the waters, but to the surrounding areas too. There are all sorts of natural
events that occur around trout waters, obviously including wildfires. Every part of the ecosystem
keeps the entirety at a point of balance and as bad as a fire may seem, it eventually just makes
the ecosystem healthier in the long run.
The Interview

I had the pleasure of interviewing a good friend of mine, Brandon Bridges (pictured above).
Brandon is one of my few best friends who is always willing to go put a fly in the water with me,
he is very informed on his home waters in Asheville, North Carolina. Brandon and I do a fair
amount of fishing in Asheville, including the Davidson River and the Rocky Broad. Brandon and
I met through a mutual friend who goes to UNC Charlotte, where Brandon and I both attend. Our
friendship quickly developed when we found out about one another being fly fishermen. We
have grown up fishing quite differently, mainly because of where we each live geographically. It
is interesting to compare our different styles of fly fishing and figure out how to fine tune our
skills based off of things he and I can teach each other to become better overall anglers. I asked
Brandon a series of questions about my figured world because he has lived in it his entire life.
Q: Tell a story about how you developed your passion for fly fishing.
A: My ex-girlfriends dad, Tim Wright, took me out for the first time fly fishing when I was 15
and the first trout I ever caught was a 22 inch cutthroat trout. It was 10 times more beautiful than
any other fishing I have ever done. And I have been hooked ever since then.
Q: How would you describe the community of mountain fly fisherman compared to fly
fishermen in other parts of North Carolina (i.e. the coast)?
A: Its two completely different worlds, trout fisherman dont mind sharing fishing holes or
tactics with you but I feel as if saltwater fisherman are more elusive or uptight about how and
where they catch fish. They dont like sharing their secrets.
Q: Explain specific details about what enamors you with North Carolina fly fishing?
A: : Im from the mountains so being at home in the mountains on a stream is so relaxing and it
has the ability to take your mind off of anything happening in your life. Not to mention, when
you hook up on a trout its the fight of your life. Yes, theres other places to fly fish besides
Western NC but theres nothing like the history behind it, like the Western NC Fly Fishing Trail.
The scenery is breathtaking and the environment is so unique, its hard to find a gorgeous
location for fly fishing closer than Western North Carolina.
Q: Tell me more about your own personal philosophy in regards to fly fishing in your local
mountain waters (Example: How my experience with fly fishing has changed my views on
hunting as in you don't have to kill everything that walks, and it's still just as sportsmanlike to
catch and release).
A: One of my main philosophies is that I always catch and release trout. I feel that a fish is too
valuable to be taken or enjoyed one time, I want it to be enjoyed by other anglers like I was able
to enjoy it.
Q: Please give me an example of how fly fishing in the North Carolina mountains has molded
you as a person or helped give definition to how you act daily.
A: Its definitely helped me with coping with stress, it keeps me grounded and I feel like it
keeps me in touch with things that matter in my life, like God, my friends, and my family. The
people I surround myself and even the clothes I wear show my passion for fly fishing. The
culture I indulge myself is evident in what I wear, because its mainly fly fishing shirts and hats.