News:

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon Link

Main Menu

Recent posts

#1
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by JCB3 - March 18, 2024, 10:01:44 AM
Smith River / Road Clean Up

April 20th 9am-12..!!!

Meet at the Bassett Boat Access,
271 Trent Hill Dr.
(Off Route 57 E. In Bassett)
#2
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 18, 2024, 08:38:33 AM

#24 — 26 a bit cooler with a few clouds,gas $3.18

Gotta fish when you can, even on a Sunday. I got to the lot just after noon and there was only one vehicle there. As I got ready the angler came out and I asked if he was done already. "It's too windy, I only fish dry flies and the wind is terrible. The weatherman said 10, but he was wrong! You've got the whole river to yourself now."

I left the euro in the car and headed out with just the 2 wt and some soft hackles.

The wind was brutal, with hold onto your hat gusts the rippled the water. There was no way to euro or tight line nymph let alone cast a dry. However, swinging the wet was the ticket.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Eight or nine were caught, which I thought was a decent number under the conditions. I found a jar of salmon eggs at the Trestle Pool Creek where the spin guy had been yesterday and added it to the "Trash Pile" behind the TP Bench. I need to remember to take a trash bag in to carry it out next time!
 

#3
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 16, 2024, 22:38:19 PM

#24 25 72 blue skies

I just happened to check the river gauges and saw that the flow had been cut to the new low normal, so I made a hasty exit and drove on up. I had the river to myself for a while, then got low holed at the trestle pool by a spin guy and his dog, while two trout bros came down into the tail of the left-hand pool.

But before that happened, I swung up a few trout and as I was fishing, I heard a crashing sound behind me and as I turned, I saw an osprey fly off clutching a trout in its talons. Pretty cool!

Bluebells are getting ready to pop, the trout lilies are at peak as are the bloodroot.

There was a mixed hatch during the day they brought fish to the surface.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Half-price beer for the win!

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


DSFK
Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Towards the end of the day there were tremendous swarms of small caddis  flies on the water.


#4
Local Trip Reports / Re: finally on the board in 24
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 14, 2024, 09:11:41 AM

#24 -- 24 70s sunny Gas $3.12

With the Smith flowing high for a while longer I headed out to a small stream with the 2wt Superfine Glass rod and a box of dryflies looking for some brookie action. I hiked it about 3/4 of a mile and began fishing a couple of spots where I've found fish before. No luck to start out but I finally got on the board with a pune rainbow. I worked my way up to the homestead and after not getting any love on the surface I tied on a dropper and hooked a couple of pune brookies who wriggled away before photos. The two weight will fling flies up into trees on missed hooksets just as well as a 9 foot five wight. Rigged with another dry, I fished a log jammed run where there had to be a fish. After 4 or 5 most excellent drifts I saw a fish rise right in front of a snag. A few cast later I got the drift right and the fish smashed the fly, but my reflexes were too quick and peppery and that 12 inch rainbow only felt the sting of the hook.

The forest floor was littered with bloodrook, a few blue bells were out and dutchman's britches will follow soon. The trees are budded out but the is no shade and rays of the sun hit with full force. I should have wet-waded but didn't prepare properly and had the wrong boots. 

It was slow going for me and I was done after three and a half hours.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


DSFK
Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login



Tearing up mountains to 4 lane 58...
https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/salem-district/route-58-widening---lovers-leap-in-patrick-county-ppta-project/
Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


#5
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 12, 2024, 18:13:28 PM
Quote from: creakycane on March 09, 2024, 10:03:09 AMIf you pick your spots, there is fishable water all over, but it is amazing how 3 or 4 inches higher water changes the wading game. 




I fished or should I say I tried to fish a run today. It wasn't any fun and I didn't catch anything, but only gave it a half hearted effort. Maybe this crow was an omen.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login



Drove up to the damn dam, ran into an fly fisherman who was taking a break, he had nymphed up a few. We talked for a while, then I went up the road to look at the work being done on the hillside.

It appears that these workers are making a rock barrier fence, but what do I know.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


The hillside has been partially terraced

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Heavy equipment moved into positon.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Don't sell your raft yet.

#6
Local Trip Reports / Re: finally on the board in 24
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 12, 2024, 10:59:20 AM

#24 -- 23 60ish mostly sunny

I hooked a fish in a run and it felt like a good one, there were trees above the run and behind me, I used side pressure to get the fish in to shallow water where it broke the surface and the hook popped free and euro rod flung the jig nymphs up and around a tree branch, lost two flies and a fish. That's how most of the afternoon went. Flies in trees and fish unbuttoning. But I did net a nice brown after picking off a handful of punes.



Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login



#7
Local Trip Reports / Re: Rooting For Ramps
Last post by Big J - March 11, 2024, 13:45:14 PM
I was wondering how close we were to ramps being in season.  This answered that.
#8
Local Trip Reports / Re: Rooting For Ramps
Last post by hcrum87hc - March 11, 2024, 10:19:54 AM
Looks like a fine day to me. That second spot looks sweet!
#9
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 09, 2024, 11:08:27 AM
I'll be after those stickers for the birds when the river drops!
#10
Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued
Last post by creakycane - March 09, 2024, 10:03:09 AM
Lower river stocked this week, so Saw about 10 or 12 guys fishing the pools at the higher water levels Thurs/Fri.   If you pick your spots, there is fishable water all over, but it is amazing how 3 or 4 inches higher water changes the wading game.  A couple of small stoneflies, and a couple of small browns.  Had a very nice brown on a big nymph second cast of the day, but he threw the hook at my feet.   Nothing even close after that.  Had enough by 1 pm and left.   Not good to be tired/wading sloppy the way it is......  Probably will wait till sub 400cfs to go out again.....   BTW, 2 boats in town.