In
2004, I camped at Big Bend in the Monongahela National Forrest. I was alone
since Sue was working. I told her about trout fishing and wading in the river.
It wasn’t long before she bought her own waders and was ready to go.
Unfortunately, it took three years for her to try them. In May, 2007 Sue made
her first trip to Big Bend and our schnauzer, Bugsy, made his first camping
trip. He didn’t have waders but at one point could have used them.
We got there on Wednesday. It was warm and a nice day. We got set up and just relaxed. We set up the screen house over the table because we know we’re going to get rained on. Didn’t know when but knew we would.
We went out for a while trout fishing on Thursday. We
found a spot where Bugsy could hang out on the shore while we fished. I caught
a small Rainbow Trout. He was big
enough to eat, though. Sue didn’t catch anything. That afternoon, we just
chilled and walked on some of the trails there. Sue found a spot to put her
chair by the river.
Heading back to the campsite, we saw them stocking the river with trout. I wondered how they did it but all of my thoughts were too complicated. They stand in the back of the truck with a thing that looks like a lacrosse stick. Or a shovel with a net on the end, if you prefer. They scoop 4 or 5 out and toss them into the winter. I suppose most of them survive from being tossed from that high up.
Friday
was sight seeing day. It was cloudy all day so the photography could have been
much better. We stopped by Seneca Rocks on the way to Spruce Knob. I wanted to
drive to the top and then down the back side to Harmon. Unfortunately, it was
fogged in. Actually it was more like a cloud. Sanity prevailed and we
headed back down the mountain. More of the road is paved than I
remembered.
From there, it was up to Davis and Black Water Falls. The falls were nice but again needed some sunlight
When we got back to the campground, we got an offer we couldn’t refuse. We were offered some fresh trout. Two guys gave us 5 to go with the 1 I caught and now we had dinner. Sue cleaned them and fried them up. Dinner was good.
Saturday
was fishing day again. I knew where I wanted to go but someone beat me there.
We waded across with Sue carrying Bugsy. We went upstream to try in rapids up
there. Nothing doing. We gave that up and went back. Sue would rather fish in
a lake with a bobber anyway.
Sitting around Saturday evening, the rain started. (I told
you it would.). It wasn’t a hard rain but chased us into the screen house. We
had to abandon our fire. The nice folks managing the campground actually came
around in their golf cart offering fire wood. Very nice of them.
Sunday it got cold. Forty-five degrees. It was at least sunny. We were able to drag the screen house and tent into the sun to dry them. I really hate setting those things up in the driveway when I get home.
I like the lower loop campground at Big Bend. Big sites. Very near the river. Nice people. Nice folks as the hosts. We saw several Baltimore Orioles and Indigo Buntings so the bird watching was good too. Now we just have to improve our trout fishing.