A Typical Day On the Water With Hunter Banks 7:00 AM - You wake up to the sound of your alarm. Your eyes open to a strange place that looks like a hotel room. You think "Why am I getting up this early on my vacation? I do this every other day of my life." Then you remember "Oh yeah, I'm going to go catch a bunch of fish."

8:00 AM - You arrive at Hunter Banks and walk into the fly shop. "Wow, how did I not know about this place before?" you think. You meet your fly fishing guide and discuss the day. You then get fitted for waders and boots. Your guide helps you gather any personal items from your vehicle and helps you load them into his vehicle. You see the already strung fly fishing rods and the accompanying fly fishing gear and a huge net. You think, "This is going to be a great day ... I can already tell."

8:45 AM - Your feet are submerged in 52 degree water. That's O.K. Good thing you're wearing waders and boots that keep you upright and dry. You hear the sound of the river as it rumbles towards you. You look around and see the sunlight peeking through the trees surrounding the stream that will serve as your nemesis, your teacher. "This place is beautiful," you utter as you gaze at the magnificent scenery of Western North Carolina. You hear in reply, "Yeah, it's not the worst place to call your office."

9:10 AM - You've learned some basic casting and are starting to see the fish. They're everywhere your guide points out. He must live on the water. You attempt to cast to your first fish ... the leader tangles as it extends towards the fish and you look at your hands in disgust. "Don't worry about it ... let me fix that so you can cast at that fish again." Your guide comes over to you and amazes you at his skills for untangling the seemingly destroyed leader. You smile and say, "I know who gets the chore of getting the Christmas lights ready during the holidays." He smiles and responds, "You should see what I do to a leader when I'm fishing."

9:35 AM - You feel a tug on your fly line. You raise your rod to strike the fish. You've hooked your first fish. You think, "Now what do I do?" You're heart's beating through your chest, you're breathing heavy, all sound stops and the river seems to run in slow motion." Suddenly, your fly line releases and falls at your limp at feet. You hear, "That's O.K. Remember to take your hand off the reel and let the drag do the work for you." That's right, you remember hearing that and now you'll remember to do it. Back to fishing.

12:30 PM - You've caught a few fish. Learned more about fly fishing in a few hours than any book could have taught you. You've forgotten more in a few hours than any book could have taught you. Your mind needs a break. You realize that the sound you thought was the river is your stomach reminding you of the time. You're guide signals you to follow him and he leads you to your streamside lunch. Chairs, sandwiches, cold water, and the sounds of the river nearby are all welcome signs as you secure your fly rod and take a seat for lunch. You eat lunch and discuss the day with your guide. You learn more about him ... he learns more about you. You keep thinking, "When are we going to get back in the water? I want to catch that first fish I lost earlier." You look up to hear, "Well, I think you're ready to get back after it." You grab your fly rod as you cram the rest of your sandwich in your mouth and head back down towards the river.

2:45 PM - Your feet are again submerged in 52 degree water. You still hear the sound of the river as it rumbles towards you. You look around and see the sunlight falling through the trees surrounding the stream that will serve as your nemesis, your teacher. "I wonder if I have any missed calls on my cell phone. Oh well, today is a day disconnected from the world," you think as you make your casts with ease. You look up and ask, "How many fish do you normally catch with your clients?" Your guide smirks and responds "You know, about a hundred and fifty in a half day." You know that's ridiculous. Wait, maybe he's not kidding. I've got to catch more fish. You resume casting at the pod of fish you see in the pool in front of you.

4:55 PM - You've caught a good number of fish. Learned how to cast a fly line, select flies based on the conditions, and land fish on a fly rod. The day's a success. You think, "My wife is going to be upset if she knew how much fun I had without her." Then you look downstream and remember that she's the one who came up with the idea for the trip, and she's downstream enjoying her day as well. Your guide walks up the river and asks, "Well it's almost five and I wanted to see if you've had a good time today. You think, "He's either overly concerned or absolutely oblivious." "Of course. I had a great time," you reply as you think about all you've achieved today. "I had no idea this would be so much fun." He smiles and replies, "Too many people put things like this off and never know what they're missing. This is the only addiction your mother would condone."

5:00 PM - You remove your waders and boots. It seems much harder to get them off than it was to get them on. You realize that the day on the water has worn you out - in a good way like the time you closed a big business deal or the trip you made to watch your child play in the state championship game. It was definitely worth it. You pile into your guide's vehicle and begin making your way back to Hunter Banks. You want to pay attention to the roads so you can make your way back to the river on your own. You're distracted by reminiscing about the day on the river and the beautiful fish you've caught. And you relish the notion that those same fish will be there tomorrow and maybe the next time you fish the river because you learned about the benefits of catch-and-release fishing from your guide. Plus, no one wants fish in a hotel room refrigerator.

5:45 PM - Your back at Hunter Banks and your guide unloads the gear you've used and takes it into the shop. He finalizes the transaction and you pay for the day. You think, "This is a pretty small price to pay for a day in paradise." He shows you around the shop and discuss the different types of tackle with you as you gaze in amazement at all the different products. He says, "When you're ready, come back and see us and we'll equip you with the gear you need to fish. We'll have it all setup and ready to go before you leave the shop." You fold up a few bills in your hand and reach out to shake his. "You've thought of everything today and we really appreciate your help. We'll be back to see you soon," you reply as you hand him your way of saying thank you for an outstanding day. "Just let me know when you're coming and we'll either do it all over again or get you ready to do it on your own," he replies as he thanks you.

8:15 PM - You've finished dinner and spent a little time in downtown Asheville. You think, "This is such a unique place. Downtown, the river's, the people ... what a great way to spend our vacation. I know, I've got a few days leave coming up next month. I'm going to do this again. I wonder what time Hunter Banks opens tomorrow?"