ncclimber
08-22-2011, 04:51 PM
Well...the school that I work at is about to get started back up, so I've been taking advantage of every spare moment I have to try and get out on the water. This morning I decided to head back to wade the dirty bird for one last time before the kids come back, and my free time becomes much more limited. Upon arriving at the river I walked downstream a little bit to be able to fish a nice large pool that has a great bottom and several currents that come together to make a perfect pool for smallmouth. I made a few casts in the fast water where I crossed the river and got in a good location to begin fishing the pool. First cast into the pool I immediately feel a bump ,set the hook, and the drag starts singing and my line takes off down stream. This smallie tried everything possible to get off of the hook, it ran under two large boulders and tried wrapping me up around another. After some work I managed to land a chunky smallie that went 17" on the tape, and that was so barely hooked that the hook fell out when I lifted the fish out of the water! I continued fishing the pool with little luck except 1 other fish that blew up on a topwater. Upon arriving at the next pool, I noticed the water beginning to muddy up and by the time I waded to the other side of the river, the water began to look like chocolate milk....bummer. I quickly loaded up in the car and headed about a mile and a half downstream to stay in the clear water.
At the next pool, I couldn't buy a fish. I threw everything I could think of and only managed two small fish from a huge ppol....time for a change. I headed back to the car and grabbed the fly rod to try something different and maybe try to catch a carp. I began trowing a black sneaky pete that I tied and immediately began catching fish again. Out of one run, I picked up 8 fish within a matter of minutes and was excited that I had finally figured out a pattern....then the mud got there and everything shut down.
I loaded up once again and headed several miles downstream to give me a little more time to fish at a large pool that I had been wanting to wade. Upon arriving I got into position and began throwing at somme bluffs across the river. Immediately I felt the line tighten and set the hook into what felt like a rock except that it was shaking its head. After a great fight in the deep pool, I landed a fat 18" smallie that tipped the scales at just over 3lbs. Unfortunately, I had left the camera in my flyfishing waist pack and didn't get a picture of this fish. I managed 4 more fish out from under the bluff including a 2 lb largemouth.
The fishing today took a lot more effort than usual, but the 2 big fish certainly made up for it.
Morning on the River
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210645.jpg
17" smallie. Graet way to start the day
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210647.jpg
Cardnial flowers blooming on the banks of the river
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210651.jpg
Flyrod smallie
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210652.jpg
Cheers!
Matt
At the next pool, I couldn't buy a fish. I threw everything I could think of and only managed two small fish from a huge ppol....time for a change. I headed back to the car and grabbed the fly rod to try something different and maybe try to catch a carp. I began trowing a black sneaky pete that I tied and immediately began catching fish again. Out of one run, I picked up 8 fish within a matter of minutes and was excited that I had finally figured out a pattern....then the mud got there and everything shut down.
I loaded up once again and headed several miles downstream to give me a little more time to fish at a large pool that I had been wanting to wade. Upon arriving I got into position and began throwing at somme bluffs across the river. Immediately I felt the line tighten and set the hook into what felt like a rock except that it was shaking its head. After a great fight in the deep pool, I landed a fat 18" smallie that tipped the scales at just over 3lbs. Unfortunately, I had left the camera in my flyfishing waist pack and didn't get a picture of this fish. I managed 4 more fish out from under the bluff including a 2 lb largemouth.
The fishing today took a lot more effort than usual, but the 2 big fish certainly made up for it.
Morning on the River
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210645.jpg
17" smallie. Graet way to start the day
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210647.jpg
Cardnial flowers blooming on the banks of the river
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210651.jpg
Flyrod smallie
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c154/ncclimber/P8210652.jpg
Cheers!
Matt