Comments on: Road to the Smokies: Hazel Creek Campout

By: Great Smoky Mountains – Fly Fishing Hazel Creek

Great Smoky Mountains – Fly Fishing Hazel Creek — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:06:48 +0000

[...] trip posted on Washington Fly Fishing forum; and Tom Chandler's (Trout Underground) nostalgic account of camping and fly fishing Hazel Creek. var addthis_pub = 'sperrywater'; var addthis_brand = 'Fly Fishing Reporter';var [...]

By: Fly Fishing » Blog Archive » Fly Fishing report, May 9

Fly Fishing » Blog Archive » Fly Fishing report, May 9 — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:31:10 +0000

[...] can see more about the past week on Tom Chandler’s TroutUnderground blog. He backpacked up Hazel while we were there. This was after his float on the [...]

By: Fly Fishing report, May 9 : R&R Fly Fishing Guide Service

Fly Fishing report, May 9 : R&R Fly Fishing Guide Service — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 20:56:01 +0000

[...] can see more about the past week on Tom Chandler’s TroutUnderground blog. He backpacked up Hazel while we were there. This was after his float on the [...]

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Thu, 10 May 2007 19:39:13 +0000

OK, too many comments to respond to each, though I will say “Barfing in the Backcountry” does have a certain ring to it, and as you know, writers are encouraged to “write what you know about.”

As for the fiberglass rods in lieu of bamboo, I just decided I didn’t want to be in a position to convince an airline that the bag they just lost contained $4,000 in bamboo fly rods only to have them send me a check for the equivalent of four Shakespeare Ugly Sticks.

There are some damned pleasant glass rods available nowadays (the feel of bamboo, not the price), and I expect I’ll write a post about them soon.

I’m not eating any toads, live or dead. Nor am I carrying in cans of ravioli. I’m short enough already.

By: Craig Lancaster

Craig Lancaster — Wed, 09 May 2007 21:40:46 +0000

Hazel Creek is a special place indeed. I was lucky enough to go there once and plan on going back after a memorable experience. Glad to see you made it out ok, i can remember there being lots and lots of bears and coyotes…..

One of the neatest things about hazel creek is the old cemetery up the hill from the second campsite. I don’t know if you got a chance to see it but it’s something interesting to see. I couldn’t make out all the dates of the headstones, but i believe some of them were the very early 1900’s.

By: Ian

Ian — Wed, 09 May 2007 17:11:34 +0000

Superb herpetological identification C4C Raine! Your are correct!
Another quick fun fact: the water snake swims with its body mostly submerged. A copperhead in the water is entirely on the surface. Also the hour glass bands on the water snakes are not nearly as symmetrical or consistent down the body as they are on copperheads. However, most snakes are all identified as a copperhead or water moccasin, the latter of which is not even present in the Smokies.

By: C4C Raine

C4C Raine — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:20:54 +0000

Tom, I think I’ve solved the mystery – it’s a Northern Water Snake, and as Ian said, “harmless.” Not quite the righ features for a copperhead – black eyes, copperheads are usually congruent with the color of their body; and it has a shiny body, whereas copperheads are relatively drab. BUT! It does have the hourglass-like patterns tell tale of a copperhead – however, the dark bands are much wider than the light ones at the ass end of the snake which is tell-tale again of the water snake, and does not occur on the copperhead. So, therefore, I conclude it is the Northern Water Snake and you were in fact safe. Most likely, that toad would do more harm to you than the snake. Hope you enjoyed your flight!

By: Jim Webb

Jim Webb — Wed, 09 May 2007 05:47:26 +0000

Oh, yeah. The snake looks a little like a copperhead. If it’s so harmless, have your friend pick one up sometime.

By: Jim Webb

Jim Webb — Wed, 09 May 2007 05:45:38 +0000

I can see it! Tom Chandler’s book “Puking In The Smokies”. Or maybe “Blowing Chunks In the Back Woods”.

Tom, if you eat a live toad first thing when you get up in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day. I promise!

It’s a toad, Tom, it’s a toad. Thanks for the beautiful pics!

By: ijsouth

ijsouth — Wed, 09 May 2007 03:55:52 +0000

7 cans…I’d hate to think how much that would weigh on the shoulders after a few hours of hiking uphill.

Wonderful pictures – that brown in particular was gorgeous – you can’t beat those vivid colors.

By: hawgdaddy

hawgdaddy — Wed, 09 May 2007 02:25:29 +0000

Might be tough to fit that in the pack, but I’ve got a friend who’d probably be willing to try…he once backpacked in with 7 cans of family-size Chef Boyardee. Take care,

hawgdaddy

By: ijsouth

ijsouth — Tue, 08 May 2007 22:10:41 +0000

It isn’t rednecky-enough…there’s no car up on cinder blocks.

By: Insane

Insane — Tue, 08 May 2007 21:23:41 +0000

I agree on the “redneck campsite” comment from Hawgdaddy. Of course, you have to have seen one at some point to recognize it, and yes I have camped in one! I wasn’t too impressed with the packing of the bag, trust me, there are some many more things that can fit into a bag. ;) I remember my first few trips into the backcountry, let’s just say that I looked more or less like a traveling gypsy.

Enjoyed reading about your trip, and it looks like a lot of fun, minus the rain and lack of reading material. Those are some really pretty browns though, one thing I really love about the fish up there.

Insane

By: Bastard Mike

Bastard Mike — Tue, 08 May 2007 18:18:36 +0000

Just how does one get a job as the boat watcher?
Where do I submit my resume? After all, I’ve watched all sorts of things.
One doesn’t really expect one to sit and watch the boats all day do they? They do?

Oh…and toads have big teethy things. Nasty bite, poisonous injection, flesh falls off yer bones. Make sure you get bit in your non-casting hand.

And another thing? Just what was that black rod in the picture? I’ve never seen a bamboo rod with that deep tone of flaming? Can’t say it can’t or shouldn’t be done but that was a rich deep color.

Bastard Mike

By: hawgdaddy

hawgdaddy — Tue, 08 May 2007 12:46:35 +0000

Tom! That camp of yours looks like a true redneck backcountry camp. I thought my group of fishing buddies were the ones to introduce trailer park fashion to the backcountry, but looks like you may be familiar with it as well. Are you sure you’re not from the South? If not, you defintitely possess some of the characteristics and would probably fit in quite well. Glad you’re having a good trip. Always take a book into the backcountry. If you don’t, it’ll rain for sure. Take care,

hawgdaddy