Popular fly fishing writer John Gierach says , The secret places are the soul of fishing." I agree. I have had and still continue to hold a few streams and creeks secret. They are not secret because the trout are big, which seems to be the thing most fishers are after, but they are secret because they are special. I'm not going to go into detail about what makes them special, because special to me may seem rather insignificant to you. What I will say, is that I have had experiences in these places that mean something to me personally. It could be something as simple as spending time alone and cherishing the solitude, or as simple as spending some time there with someone I enjoy. Or it may be as simple as loving the way the water looks, the sound it makes, the environment it runs through, or the species of trout found there. These streams and creeks are not necessarily secret because they are out of the way or not known to others. All of these creeks and streams fall under the name: Notellum Creek. I'm not the first to coin the term, but I use it. People have asked if I went out fly fishing over the weekend and I will tell them, yes. "Where did you go?" they will ask. "Notellum Creek," is often my reply. It's not the best answer if you are looking to win friends and influence people. In fact, I would guess that I have ticked a few people off with my answer. I have to explain, the reasoning for my answer. In the past I have shared some of my secret places with "friends". I have sworn them to secrecy and asked them to not tell anyone else about the spot. They commit to it. On one occasion I took someone to a "secret" spot and asked them to keep it a secret. The next weekend they were there with two buddies. The week after that, his buddy was there with a couple more people, and then a few weeks after that, there was nine guys on this little gem of a creek. Way too many people for its size. One day I will go back there and see if the crowds are gone.
Today, I was able to share a little spot with my wife. We have been here a few times together. She likes it. Today, we planned to fish for a couple of hours and then keep a couple for lunch. The water was a little high and the trout not as willing as they are in the fall, which is usually when I fish this area. I did manage to catch a few and we kept one for lunch. It wasn't much, but building the stick fire, cooking the trout in tinfoil, and sharing it was fun. Twenty-six years ago I took my girlfriend to a little creek to catch a trout and cook it in tinfoil. My Blazer got a flat tire on the dirt road. I had no spare tire. (I know, I know, Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared.) We ended up walking down the road to a girls' camp and asking if anyone was going to town. Three lady leaders said they were going back and we bummed a ride to the nearest town to use a phone and get help. I called my brother and he and his wife came to the rescue and brought us a spare tire. We ended up going home so they could follow us in case something happened with the spare. Walking down that dirt road with that girl was comfortable. She never complained. I ended up marrying her. Strange as this may seem, with all the fishing I have done, I never did cook a tinfoil trout for her. I've brought a few home and cooked them, but with my admiration for trout, I have mostly practiced catch and release. Today, I cooked her a tinfoil trout.
Being outside makes me frivolous. It keeps me young. I swear, these secret creeks are the fountains of youth!
Popular fly fishing writer John Gierach says , The secret places are the soul of fishing." I agree. I have had and still continue to hold a few streams and creeks secret. They are not secret because the trout are big, which seems to be the thing most fishers are after, but they are secret because they are special. I'm not going to go into detail about what makes them special, because special to me may seem rather insignificant to you. What I will say, is that I have had experiences in these places that mean something to me personally. It could be something as simple as spending time alone and cherishing the solitude, or as simple as spending some time there with someone I enjoy. Or it may be as simple as loving the way the water looks, the sound it makes, the environment it runs through, or the species of trout found there. These streams and creeks are not necessarily secret because they are out of the way or not known to others. All of these creeks and streams fall under the name: Notellum Creek. I'm not the first to coin the term, but I use it. People have asked if I went out fly fishing over the weekend and I will tell them, yes. "Where did you go?" they will ask. "Notellum Creek," is often my reply. It's not the best answer if you are looking to win friends and influence people. In fact, I would guess that I have ticked a few people off with my answer. I have to explain, the reasoning for my answer. In the past I have shared some of my secret places with "friends". I have sworn them to secrecy and asked them to not tell anyone else about the spot. They commit to it. On one occasion I took someone to a "secret" spot and asked them to keep it a secret. The next weekend they were there with two buddies. The week after that, his buddy was there with a couple more people, and then a few weeks after that, there was nine guys on this little gem of a creek. Way too many people for its size. One day I will go back there and see if the crowds are gone.
Today, I was able to share a little spot with my wife. We have been here a few times together. She likes it. Today, we planned to fish for a couple of hours and then keep a couple for lunch. The water was a little high and the trout not as willing as they are in the fall, which is usually when I fish this area. I did manage to catch a few and we kept one for lunch. It wasn't much, but building the stick fire, cooking the trout in tinfoil, and sharing it was fun. Twenty-six years ago I took my girlfriend to a little creek to catch a trout and cook it in tinfoil. My Blazer got a flat tire on the dirt road. I had no spare tire. (I know, I know, Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared.) We ended up walking down the road to a girls' camp and asking if anyone was going to town. Three lady leaders said they were going back and we bummed a ride to the nearest town to use a phone and get help. I called my brother and he and his wife came to the rescue and brought us a spare tire. We ended up going home so they could follow us in case something happened with the spare. Walking down that dirt road with that girl was comfortable. She never complained. I ended up marrying her. Strange as this may seem, with all the fishing I have done, I never did cook a tinfoil trout for her. I've brought a few home and cooked them, but with my admiration for trout, I have mostly practiced catch and release. Today, I cooked her a tinfoil trout.
Being outside makes me frivolous. It keeps me young. I swear, these secret creeks are the fountains of youth!
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