Is anyone still fishing?!?!?!?

I headed out today for a bit. Carbon County. Total crap day.

New-to-me stream. Alot more rhodo choked than I was expecting and shouldn't have walked in with an 8-1/2'. Steep descent to the stream that made walking out suck. Broke a rod. Slipped while crossing the stream and soaked everything.

There's always a risk almost any day on a new-to-you stream can turn out this way but it's been a while since I had a crap day like this. Spent more time driving to/from than actually fishing.

Surprisingly, low water wasn't really the problem . . .

Rod is already with UPS and on its way back for a warranty repair. Gear is sorted. I'm already thinking about trying again Friday.
 
jeffroey said:
I headed out today for a bit. Carbon County. Total crap day.

New-to-me stream. Alot more rhodo choked than I was expecting and shouldn't have walked in with an 8-1/2'. Steep descent to the stream that made walking out suck. Broke a rod. Slipped while crossing the stream and soaked everything.

There's always a risk almost any day on a new-to-you stream can turn out this way but it's been a while since I had a crap day like this. Spent more time driving to/from than actually fishing.

Surprisingly, low water wasn't really the problem . . .

Rod is already with UPS and on its way back for a warranty repair. Gear is sorted. I'm already thinking about trying again Friday.
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Wow! You should change your screen name to Lucky. At least your outing was injury-free.
 
wgmiller said:
Briars or rhodo? You can only pick one...
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Usually, and fortunately, they don’t often grow in heavy thickets together, it’s either one or the other. They’re both bad. Briars at least deter you from even trying to get through them. So I guess I’d prefer those. Makes it easier to just call a punt from the get go.

You start crawling through Rhodo thinking it’ll open up and sometimes it never does. I remember trying to get on the lower HRSP section of Mud Run, above the Graystone property, and legitimately thinking at one point, am I going to be able get back out of here. I never made it to the stream, and eventually made it back out to my vehicle. Drenched in sweat and ready for a nap.

Mountain Laurel is similar, but in many areas it only grows waist high or so and you can almost walk on top of it. You can’t do that with Rhodo, or a proper thicket of green briars/multiflora rose.
 
I am always amazed at how some of you guys still find enjoyment in this kind of fishing. I gave up that stuff years ago. You can have the briars and rhododendron and dangerous rocks and most of all tiny fish. Enjoy your torn waders and broken rods! I say fish smarter not harder! But to each his own. At least it keeps you off the good and easy access places with good hatches that I know.
 
wgmiller said:
Briars or rhodo? You can only pick one...
Click to expand...
I had a pretty scary experience once a number of years ago when I used to bass fish in mine reclamation land lakes in SWPA. There was one lake very far in that I scouted on google maps and wanted to fish. I took my friend with me and we made it in following game trails and some moderate bushwhacking. It was crystal clear and full of huge bass and gills. We had a great time.

On the way out I had the dumb idea to not backtrack but take the more direct path. Bad idea. We bushwhacked through the most incredibly thick briars I’ve ever seen. We hiked through and around swamps, scrambled up loose coal heaps/hills and at one point I didn’t think we’d make it out before nightfall. I had my compass and knew which way to go but I was guessing. The heading was not the easy way- ever. Then we heard some voices in the distance and walked towards them - a family at one of the other bigger lakes that was on a path out. After ages we made it to a game trail and a huge sigh of relief. I felt like I was on a 4 lane highway. My friend was understandably upset. Never again will I do that. It took weeks for my arms, chest and legs to heal from the deep cuts and scrapes from the thorns.
 
Broodstock said:
I had a pretty scary experience once a number of years ago when I used to bass fish in mine reclamation land lakes in SWPA. There was one lake very far in that I scouted on google maps and wanted to fish. I took my friend with me and we made it in following game trails and some moderate bushwhacking. It was crystal clear and full of huge bass and gills. We had a great time.

On the way out I had the dumb idea to not backtrack but take the more direct path. Bad idea. We bushwhacked through the most incredibly thick briars I’ve ever seen. We hiked through and around swamps, scrambled up loose coal heaps/hills and at one point I didn’t think we’d make it out before nightfall. I had my compass and knew which way to go but I was guessing. The heading was not the easy way- ever. Then we heard some voices in the distance and walked towards them - a family at one of the other bigger lakes that was on a path out. After ages we made it to a game trail and a huge sigh of relief. I felt like I was on a 4 lane highway. My friend was understandably upset. Never again will I do that. It took weeks for my arms, chest and legs to heal from the deep cuts and scrapes from the thorns.
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Briars are the worst. Rhodo doesn't ensnare you nearly like those damn briars! Not to mention, they're brutal on waders.
 
I was thinking, I also still haven’t fished since the last time I didn’t fish. This is a really confusing time. That rain pushed my grass enough that I’ll get to mow it one more time. So that’s good. And I haven’t cleaned my golf clubs for the season yet, but I should’ve.

Brief and serious addendum to my above Mud Run/HRSP story. The point I realized I needed to stop and think was when I was struggling to go downhill, and thinking, could I do this back uphill? Only other option was commit to making it to the stream and bank on being able to navigate the stream channel up to a different egress point, which research suggested was likely not possible due to a series of pools over your head deep, with sheer cliffs on both sides. Not one of my better laid plans, admittedly. And resulted in what amounted to what ranks in the top 5 for most dangerous situations I’ve found myself in while fishing.
 
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