Canoe Trip on the Clinch River

Dylan is my son. Stevin is his friend. They have been friends for all of  their 10 young years and Stevin has been visiting Castlewood/St. Paul since he was 5. For weeks I had been building up this trip to them: We are going
fishing and we are going to take our canoe!

We had a wonderful and relaxing morning just fishing and talking at the side of the river. Dylan and Stevin decided to move a little up-river to try their luck leaving my dad and I to continue fishing the hole where we started. We did catch a few fish, including a rather nice bass, but the fishing was actually secondary to just being there.

The shadows became shorter and the shade scarce. It was time to put the canoe in the water and make the trip from Castlewood to St. Paul. We put in just about where the old Castlewood Bridge used to be and the boys, wide-eyed with excitement, and I pushed away from the bank leaving my father to take the van to St. Paul to pick us up. Very soon, they spotted something on the water.

Continue Reading

You never know who you will run into when fishing the Clinch River. Several months ago my son, Dylan, and I traveled to Castlewood with just one thing in mind: fishing. We even have a favorite spot that we often visit . across from old Castlewood near where the old bridge used to be. This trip we were in for quite a surprise.

As we approached our preferred fishing hole, I noticed that someone was already there. A little disappointed, I asked if he would mind us setting up just a little up-river from him.

“Not at all. In fact, you two are welcome to join me right here. I would enjoy the company.”

He didn’t have to ask twice. I was more than ready and so was Dylan. After the proper introductions (he told me his name was ‘June Townes’) and a heartfelt ‘thank you’, Dylan and I baited our hooks and cast them into the water.

“You boys from around here?” our host asked.

I explained to him that we were from Atlanta and that we came to the Castlewood/St. Paul area to visit friends and family and to fish and that we were staying with my grandmother this trip.

Continue Reading