A unicorn float Dream Trip can be yours
Since I have never fished west of Arkansas, and wanting to promote the Dream Trip, I have been getting stories from friends who have been lucky enough to have fished out west. Some of these folks are in the Coosa Valley Chapter of TU and some are not.
One friend of mine grew up in South Carolina but after college she found her way out west, smack dab in the middle of Trout Heaven and deservingly so. Beverly Smith is the vice president for volunteer operations with the Trout Unlimited national office. Beverly loves to fish, especially for trout, and has skills with a fly rod. The following are her words of a float trip with her family:
My family and I take a weeklong “staycation” each summer, the last week before the kids go back to school. This is sacred time for us. It’s a camping trip that is unplugged yet very connected. It’s also always set on a river. The kids wake with us early and go to bed with us late. We live life fully during this week.
On the last day of our trip, we decided to float a section of the river we had never explored before. For a western river, it had a lot of what we call “frog water,” which usually means it’s near impossible to fish on a sunny day because the fish can see you, your line, your splashy cast, everything. But, the kids had been so great all week, and they wanted to float on their new inflatable unicorn tube and swim. This was the perfect section to float for them, so begrudgingly we agreed.
I started behind the oars. My husband tried nearly every fly in his box. But, again, really calm water and two small children splashing with the sun high in the sky. We’d largely given up the day as the Unicorn Float Tube Day. Four hours later, it was my turn. Over the mountain came a storm, a pretty menacing one. We deflated the tube, brought the kids into the boat, and set up a “fort” in the back where they could escape the rain/hail under a tarp. In the fort, they eventually fell asleep.
Like a crazy person, I kept casting as the storm moved through. Since I had run through all the logical flies, I had moved to the crazy stuff. On a whim, I chose a periwinkle Chernobyl ant.
Periwinkle, boom, a massive brown trout as crazy as me just couldn’t resist. My children were asleep, so I managed decorum on the hook set amazingly. This trout had shoulders. He was so incredibly strong. My husband on the oars kept coaching me away from mossy sections or log jams in a hilarious whisper in order to keep the kids sleeping.
At last, we jumped from the boat and landed this beauty. When he finally made it into the net, I gave up on the napping children and celebrated. They instantly woke up, confused why their mom was screaming.
The kids saw at once a gorgeous creature from below the surface and true joy in their mother. They needed to wake for that. My eldest even jumped out of the boat to capture the moment and held the trout’s tail as we released him.
Unicorn Float Tube Day redeemed.
Congratulations, Beverly, on a great fish and a trip you will never forget.
Wouldn’t it be great to take a float trip during July 23 — 28, 2023, on a beautiful western river with an expert coaching you on choice of fly, fly placement and the proper drift? You and a companion might get lucky and win a Madison River guided float trip. The Madison River has it all, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 trout per mile, it has become a destination for anglers from around the world.
Along with the float trip, the Dream Trip winner and guest can each have choice of a Winston AIR2 3 wt.-6 wt. or Alpha + 5 wt.-10 wt. fly reel with Scientific Anglers or Winston Energy fly line, a fly box and flies.
In order to win the five days of fishing, fly rods and reels, six nights of great food and lodging and $500 traveling cash, you must enter the Dream Trip Raffle. Visit go.TuLocalEvents.org/georgia-tu-dream-trip. There are also 11 great runner-up prizes.
This is the only fundraiser the Georgia Council of TU has and it helps us to fund the trout camp and the many conservation projects in Georgia.
TU MEETING
The Coosa Valley Chapter of TU will meet on Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6:30 p.m. in the Rome Floyd ECO Center in Ridge Ferry Park. Nationally known outdoor writer Jimmy Jacobs will be our speaker. Jimmy has written many books on fishing in the South, trout and fly fishing. He will have books available for purchase and autographing. The public is invited.