KB

I have grown up in Tennessee hunting and fishing since I was knee high to a grasshopper. My older son caught the bug from me. He is studying Wildlife Management and Fisheries in college and plans to make a life of it. We were invited by some close friends to join them on a fly-fishing trip to Ohio to fish for steel-head trout. This was a first for me and I was excited but I was apprehensive until I knew my son, Kyle could work it out with his college schedule. Once the schedules were worked out, we packed the vehicle and headed to Ohio to fish with Steelhead Alley Outfitters.

It was a long drive and once there we had a one day opportunity to fish before starting the 8 hour drive home. We got up early and met with our Steelhead Alley guides. My son and I were paired up with Patrick Robinson. It was bitter cold to start the morning and ice kept forming on our equipment and waders. Everybody seemed to be catching stuff, even my son landed a good-sized trout, but still nothing for me. By afternoon a strong wind picked up but we came to fish and fish we did. It was getting close to time to begin our trip back home, everyone else had retired their poles and were resting and joking with me about how tired their arms were. Patrick and I were walking the stream and he pointed out a particular spot and said it was a good hole to try. Under his breath he told me that I had to catch something just to get everyone else to hush. I decided to give it a try.

The first time I got hung on something in the water, the "kangaroo court" really started teasing and said I was rock fishing or fishing for sticks. I gave it a second try and it felt like I had snagged something again and then all of a sudden my line took off! We fought that steelhead and chased it up and down the stream, the "court" was going crazy. I finally got it up to me and the first net we tried to use broke, everybody was scrambling around trying to find another net. Greg, one of the other guides, seemed to be walking on water. When we finally landed the steelhead it appeared that I got the last laugh. It was a monster! My steelhead was bigger than any of the other ones caught that day...I think maybe bigger than any of them caught that year!

My experience with the Steelhead Alley Outfitters was wonderful and memorable. Not only was I able to enjoy time fishing with my son and friends, I made new ones. Patrick was a great coach and throughout the course of the day we were able to share with each other and find that we had a lot in common. Right preacher? God is good and as I found out that day, he also has a great sense of humor!!!

Kyle Beverly

Pastor

The Potter's House Fellowship

Harriman, Tennessee