Generated from 6-7pm, got to steps at 7:15 to see an unbelievable pink sky and a thick blanket of fog over the river. Fish were rising in good numbers as the water fell out, and we found ourselves wondering if our sink tip streamer rigs were the right choice. In we went to answer all of our questions….
2 minutes later:

Adam:”Hey-oh” (that means fish on in Adam talk)

30 Seconds after that:

Osteen:”Yessir” (fish on in Osteen Talk)

51 Seconds after that:

Me:”There he is” (fish on in Braton talk)

2 Seconds later, fish breaks off my Clouser. Loved that fly. Shout many expletives.

-Such was the story for about 45 Minutes, with Adam and Osteen just hammering fish, and Myself just downstream hooking up and losing, or just missing fish. Gotta love having a 367lb. Skunk on your back, but that’s fishing, and that’s what keeps us coming back.

And Then it happened, a 12 inch brownie took the hex away in one fell swoop and catching ensued into the Darkness.

Shortly after dark we got careless. We left fish to find fish. If you’ve never done it you’re lying. We Wandered Aimlessly through the fog, which only got thicker as we went downstream. I found Mr. No Legs in a grass Bed and again expletives were shouted. Saw plenty of eyeballs in the woods and finally made it to our spot. Adam hooked up with a solid fish 3 times and couldn’t capitalize. Needless to say he didn’t have many nice things to say about it, everybody loves that feeling. If you’ve never done that, you’re lying again.

Shortly thereafter and about 100 yards downstream from Adam, I was twitching a streamer through some deep water and hooked up on a nice fish, the kind of headshakes that make you think you don’t have enough rod. In no time the fish took the streamer, fought some tension, took line, spit the fly and went out of my life forever. (Enter shouting…..)

Nothing more after that, we fished our way back upstream, having an encounter with the largest Muskrat EVER, or Nessie was in town. Got some casting practice before we headed out of the water, and low and behold: two TWRA agents met us at the stairs. I don’t know which party was more surprised to see one another. We had been void of human contact for a bit and they were astounded that we were fly fishing at such an hour.  After they checked our licenses we walked and talked back to the vehicles, and it was good to hear that there are possible regulation changes coming in the future. Trust me folks, they want more officers on the river just as bad if not more than we do.

There you go folks, a solid summer night with the Men of Darkness!