Rocket's Flyfishing Tales of the Past

Yes , there were Trout fishermen,before Helen was German occupied territory,freeways,and 4 wheel drive SUV,s appeared! My first intro.to the sport was in joining the Izack Walton League,that preceeded TU,and included in the membership,the few and elite of Atlanta Trout fishermen,including Charles Elliot,John Martin and Everett Roach! College days were shared with a job in sporting goods,at Wathour and Hood,@ 5 points,while weekends found me-brother-pals on the Hooch in Atlanta,before Lanier created a tailwater fishery, casting flys/spinners for red eyes and other still warmwater fish,till the no. Ga. trout season opened! We did not know it, but we invented float tubes,by buying a patched up truck tire,tying it to our waists,and floating between deep pools,while wet wading.......not as a young stud statement,but for the sake of poverty adjustment! Thru sporting goods shop talk and Izack Walton meetings,this adult talk of fishing for such beautiful Rainbows,in the FAR OFF mtns.,caught our interest,so before long and under seasonal rules, we were off on a new quest! Now, kiddies,Helen and Robertstown, in 1959,were wide places in a valley floor,the river was not stocked,and the roads were mostly dirt,when you left the few state highways,past Cleveland! Dirt? Actually most were hard packed-slick RED CLAY! Our mode of transportation, was my 1939 Ford opera coupe, with narrow 16 in. post war el-crapo tires, that saw us , more than once, calling on the still active farmer,s to pull us out of ditches, on the way to Dukes, Coopers,Waters, Dicks,and many others! Stocking, if any, was minimal, as was our knowledge, but with our cheepo bamboo or NEW fibreglass rods we faithfully cast/flipped/drug our offerings in any direction,we could manage, resulting in mostly 1- 5 0r 6 fish per outing, followed by a 3-4 hour drive back to Atlanta,after our usual dinner stop at the Smith House,when funds allowed! With a pretty large circle of friends, that shared the love of outdoor adventure{ and to pool up enough cash to make it BOTH WAYS!},There were usually as many as 5 late teens, in that coupe, but we were lean,tough and broke, so it worked,to fuel my 60 year addiction to the outdoors, that led me finally in 1990, to retire to these mtns.! I still wade fish all year long, drive a 4 wh. dr. truck,wear waders, and still have my original fibreglas/short 5 wt. small stream rod......and a few wet flies from BACK YONDER times! Not sure I covered opening day memories, but thanks for the opportunity to share some start-up memories.......but WAIT, there,s more to come.....I make em ever-day! Regards, Rocketroy