Hanging out by the river in Chimney Rock, we got to see something amazing. The trout were swimming upstream! We had been laying on a big rock, warmed by the sun, at the edge of the river, when we noticed movement in the water. Squinting our eyes, we realized the water was full of huge fish, and they were swimming upstream! It was remarkable thinking about the energy they must have been expounding to swim against the current for such an extended period of time. 

It's difficult to see, but this was the best picture we could get. You can see the black stripe on the fish, but otherwise, they blend almost perfectly into the pebbly riverbed. 

We assumed the fish we saw were trout, but our notion was confirmed when we saw this Hatchery Supported sign. "Designated Mountain Trout Water. No Lure Restrictions. Daily Limit: 7 Fish." 

We will admit, we know next to nothing about fishing, except for the YouTube videos we've watched about how to gut and prepare a fresh caught fish. However, we do have a North Carolina fishing license, two fishing poles, a bag full of tackles and lures, and an excitement to learn. We were ready to go get the poles out of the car; we were hungry after all the stair climbing and exercise at Chimney Rock Park, and these trout were HUGE and looked delicious. Unfortunately, the sign also listed the fishing season: First Saturday in April to Last Day of Feb. 

One of the things that really amazes me is the curiosity nature inspires. Since seeing these fish, I've spent the morning trying to learn more about trout. Why were these fish swimming upstream? Were they spawning? What kind of trout were they? I'm still not clear on all of these answers. It is agreed that, yes, trout do swim upstream to spawn, but according to the NC fishing website, Fall is spawning time. So what were these guys doing? They were distinctly swimming upstream; we watched them for hours. There is still so much to learn. Traveling, even for just these few weeks so far, has made me realize how little we know about so much. It has also made me excited for all the knowledge we will gain through this trip. 

Some shots of the Rocky Broad River where we saw the trout. 

And finally, there are more and more signs of Spring popping up everywhere!