One of the best things about living in East Tennessee is the close proximity to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. We drive through every so often to take in the beauty of the changing forest, the mountain streams, and venture out on a trail...although I'm rather anxious about meeting up with a bear. It is simply beautiful in every season.
And nowhere is standing in a cold stream casting a Clouser Minnow into just the right spot and hoping and praying that a rainbow or brown or brook trout will bite more loved than in the mountain streams of this great park. One can spend thousands of dollars getting all the right rods and reels, the best waders and boots, the most experienced guide. One can devote hours learning about casting and drag and leaders and flies. One can acquire books and maps to fill a bookcase. But, if the trout doesn't like the way you present your fly...it won't bite. And one leaves longing to return and cast that fly across the stream once again.
Hence, Troutfest 2012!
Everything you need to improve that cast and catch that trout. Everything humankind would want to see, hear and do regarding fly fishing in The Great Smokey Mountains. It's simply a troutapaloosa!
I went to be with my husband. I've dabbled in fly fishing. I have my own rod and reel, but it's usually loaned out to a houseguest. I've resisted buying waders as they are tight and form fitting and not so attractive on a 50 something woman. So I thought I'd go and take pictures and look at the art and enjoy the mountain views and a lovely dinner at the end of the day.
But this guy, Jason Borger, changed all that. Elbow to your side, raise it up and thumb to your eyebrow. Lower your elbow, stop your forearm halfway. One, two, three. Ss...mooo...th! No wonder Brad Pitt looked so cool in A River Runs Through It. This guy was the consultant and fly fishing extra on the set!
I stood there with everyone else, entranced by his comedy of explanations and dead serious expression, holding my imaginary pole and casting my itty bitty imaginary fly. 45 minutes later I was ready to hit the streams. Who cares about the bears...I want a trout! My husband wanted me to come back on Sunday for the women's casting clinic, but I had learned everything I needed to know. Ss...moo...th! can be done from any position. Upstream, downstream, across the stream and I even learned about drag and how to eliminate it. All this in 45 minutes!
Dinner was lovely. The Dancing Bear Lodge is nestled up in the foothills among the trees. Beautifully appointed with rustic log furniture, luxurious fabrics and a fabulous front door.
The restaurant is a wonderful mix of rustic and elegant...fine wines and pottery dishes. A glass of Reisling, the chef's evening tasting menu...pickled grapes, red onion jam, beer bread, an assortment of cheese, cornbread salad, trout with andouille sausage and shrimp and grits, berry cobbler with corn meal topping.
The food is southern with a big city presentation. Okay, I'll bite. I'll have the trout...with shrimp and grits.
