Tribal Waters

Tribal waters
Our region was experiencing a cold snap. My fishing brother, Ernst, was always up for
an adventure. We aimed for the Raven Fork inside the Qualla Boundary that was a
2hour beautiful drive over the mountains to Western N. Carolina.
Born in Germany, then emigrating to the U.S. when he was 12, Ernst loves wilderness
areas and fishing. He worked at Nantahala Outdoor Center for over a decade. He is
very precise in every aspect. The man has elite fly-tying skills, his fly box is pristine, and
casting skills are immaculate. He recently looked at my fly box and said “what a mess”. I
agreed.
When we met, his wife suggested that we fish together, there was a pregnant pause. He
later confessed that he dreaded new fishing partners after being mismatched with
inexperienced “anglers” who would get upset watching him catch fish after fish when
they had none.
We got started at 6:30 AM on a Sunday. This was strategic, many anglers would still be
sleeping after partying Saturday night, or up and preparing to go to church. Ernst and I
attend outdoor church.
On the drive, I thought of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. After I took a job in
Johnson City, TN, my wife and I drove around looking for housing. I paused passing by
a 30-foot wooden statue of the head of a native American. That was Chief Junaluska of
the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation.
As a kid, I lived in South Dakota for a few years. My father took us to powwows and we
learned the native dance. The Lakota lived on reservations, but the land we were driving
to was owned and governed as a sovereign nation by the Cherokee.
We arrived at the Rivers Edge Outfitters to pay for a one-day tribal fishing permit- 10
bucks. I thought for a moment, where did we get the term bucks. A quick search later,
buck meant buckskin(deerskin). This was a form of barter on the frontier starting in the
1700’s. A sale in 1740 documented “5 bucks for one cask of whiskey”.
We looked over the Oconaluftee River then headed down to the Raven Fork. The water
looked gorgeous, so much to choose from. After scouting awhile, we pulled off near
where the water leaves the road for a good stretch.
This was at a bridge that had a nice run with a deep hole. The bait fishermen were
walking around with stringers of meat hanging over the shoulders. I heard one say “I
just need one more”. We walked around them to fish upstream, they were posturing in a
territorial way.

Ernst took to the right side (left-handed caster) and I was on the left (right-handed). We
both had a two-fly set up. Mine was a dry fly with a micro egg, his was a double nymph.
Immediate fish action, 4 out of 5 casts for me. Ernst was moving and grooving toward a
nice bend with a prolonged deep run. The next hour or two was spent in this area that
seemed to house a whole school of large rainbows.
I observed Ernst make a textbook cast 20 feet in front of his position, immediately raise
the rod to remove any slack in the line. His sighter was illuminated then a quick
backward movement of his hand (a twitch), followed by a strong bend of his 2wt rod. He
then exerted lateral pressure but the fish did not move. Ernst who usually is quiet during
“fish on” uttered “a good one”. With joy, I watched the battle.
Finesse replaced outmuscle. Many big fish are lost not keeping a focus on proper
tension to let the fish run and tire. I counted 4 different runs intermingled by slow reeling
at appropriate times. The fish was played and floated to the net. A quick picture and
rainbow swam away promptly.
The day went slowly but quickly. Engrossed in the moment, every second was used.
This makes time inch along, but overall, the day flew past – sorta a paradox.
We were cold, multilayered but cold. Your mind is focused on the stream, the sighter,
the flash, the right tension of the line, the catch then rinse and repeat. Not many anglers
were in the stream. Our communication was by eye contact. Our thoughts were just part
of the scenery, blended in. We had no sense of time. Occasionally a hook would pierce
the skin, garner attention, then thoughts would blend back to the surroundings.
After too numerous to count fish (I have trained my mind to count to 1, then stop) we
looked at each other and called it a day. We know when our attention is drifting, all the
sudden our casts miss the mark and end up in the brush.
The drive home was pleasant. We stopped to view some roadside elk on the way out.
This ended up being a 10 our adventure. Sleep was easy.
Nirvana is described as a state of quietude, freedom and the highest happiness,
liberation from attachment and worldly suffering. Our experience combined a sense of
freedom from the world of stressors and demands, while removing anticipatory anxiety
of future negative events or thoughts of past imperfections.
When you say “peace be with you”, I say “Ernst lets go fishing”.