Semper on the Fly: Forest Bathing

Matt, Jeff, Paul and Frank

Paul’s brother Frank was visiting from the Rockies and life-long friend Jeff was joining them for a fishing adventure and I was lucky to be invited. We met at the familiar Newport boat launch on a dazzling-perfect Shenandoah Valley summer day.

Frank w 1st Smallie (no comments ...they get bigger)

In contrast to our last visit the river was running optimally low at 2.14 on the Luray gauge as we slid into its warm flow. Paul outfitted Frank and Jeff w float tubes and flippers. I had my kayak and took my Patagonia Sling Pack (thx Ritchies) for a shakedown cruise (loved it).

Bernett family reunion in the best of places

Typical small smallie

The strikes were oddly slow for such a seemingly perfect day and we really had to work for our hookups (although leaving your rod over the side and ignoring it seemed to work as well ☺. It was a nice crew, Jeff, an avid biker, quickly fell in tune with the rhythm of the river and looking upstream it was hard for me to tell Paul and Frank apart in their tubes as their graying stubble looks about the same.

Looking back up-stream Jeff, Frank and Paul fish the disaggregated water under the cliff

By lunch I was convinced that I’d have to enjoy the scenery and be disappointed by the catch-rate, but as often happens the bite began to pick up lifting our spirits. I enjoyed looking back over my shoulder, hearing the banter of friends enjoying time on the river. I’d recently listened to a radio essay about forest bathing and being on this river, in this paradise, reinforced to me the powers of this ‘forest’, a place and chance to wash. As I was flush with 6-9” smallies Jeff hooked a 14 incher and Frank, not to be outdone, tamed a water walking 17.5 incher, she wasn’t girthy, but the length filled the scale on Frank’s tube.

Paul smiled at their success and kept us apprised of his hits and misses ☺ with his hearty exclamations.

Rod holder points to the deep(er) seam in last rapid

The last rapid was fantastic; I arrived ahead of our team and brought 10 bass to hand in about 15 casts. Fighting these water walkers up current, rods bent over tips pointing toward the catch is about as good as it gets. Darn they are ferocious fighters. Jeff and I wrangled the left third of the rapid, Frank took the middle with Paul on the far right, where the flow was greater than 12” deep there were aggressive bass.

Jeff stands...fish on in the fast water of the last rapid

At 1840 we’d had enough and were eager to put a win in the books before the fast river claimed one of us (ok me) so we floated passed the site of my Canoe wipe-out last week with Hen and made it safely the takeout winding up another great day on this fantastic stretch. Thanks for inviting me along!