A Relaxing Day on the River

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by Justin Belleme
on Monday, March 30, 2009

Even if you have never gone fishing, or don't particularly enjoy fishing, you really can't beat the beauty and relaxation of a guided float fishing trip on the French Broad River.

Last week I joined Chris Manderson, of The Whitewater Sportsman, for a half day trip on the river. I had just launched the new user system on the site after several weeks of marathon coding and really needed to let off some steam. We hit the river just before 10 am, and by 10:15 I had forgotten about all the bugs in my programming and the slew of meetings that I had planned for the next day.

For the first hour or so the action was slow. Chris had warned me that during the early season the fish are often sluggish. The smaller fish are still too cold to actively feed, but the larger, more mature fish can be caught in the right spots, with just the right presentation. Around 11 am, when I was just starting to get discouraged, I got my first bite and was fortunate enough to land the fish, a 12 inch smallmouth bass.

Over the next hour, the fishing picked up and at one point around noon we caught fish on three consecutive casts. A few moments later we both had fish on our lines at the same time. During the day we caught a total of 19 fish, including three that were over 16 inches. All the fish that we caught were released back into the river.

The scenery was also wonderful. The trip took place on several miles of undeveloped river north of Asheville. In this stretch the river is very rocky. In order to get down stream, Chris skillfully maneuvered the boat around rocks and through small rapids, occasionally dropping anchor at a favorite fishing spot.

If you enjoy the great outdoors then you should consider booking a fishing trip on the French Broad River. I have already scheduled a trip for mid-April, and will likely go again in August. Last year my cousin and I caught nearly 100 fish in 5 hours with Chris at the end if July. What an amazing experience!

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About the Author - Justin Belleme

Contact Justin Belleme:
AshevilleNow, LLC
828-273-1280
jbelleme@ashevillenow.com
www.ashevillenow.com

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