Smith-Continued

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 - 20 mid to upper 70s - high clouds

I pulled into an empty lot but before I could get out a truck pulled in and two neoprene Cabela wearing spin fishermen hopped out. I threw on my gear and headed down across the field, I turned to look but didn't see them, maybe the were going to fish up near Townes Creek.

I swung flies at the left hand pool and caught a pune or two before moving on down. There I found the fishemen from the lot, they must have hiked the tracks. Damn that must have been a hot walk wearing neoprene. They were hammering the head of the pool so I sat down and had a beer and watcher them and the water. They got out and hiked around me and entered the bottom of the left hand pool.















They moved on and I began to fish when a double rod carrying trout bro came marching in and declared, "I didn't expect to see anybody down here, have you fished here before?"

"Only about 100 days last year," I replied.

I thought he might have come up from down below so I asked, "Where did you start?"

"I'm at the mirror pland, but I started down in Fielddale. I caught 46" and he turned and marched upstream.

A pair of kayakers came on through and then another angler hopped in above me and he started talking about his friend who was guide.

I don't ever remember seeing that many people fishing this section of the river in the 30 years I've been coming to the river.


The bugs never really got going and I only saw a couple of fish rise. I didn't catch many swinging flies, but I was ok with that. It was a great day to be out, but damn I never expected to see that many people down that far on the river, especially now that the upper dam section has been stocked.

[Dougfish]

19

The kamikaze Cardinal is back. No windshield, side windows or mirrors are safe.



Cloudy, cool.
Bugs?

Nada.
Euro'd a short but good run.





After nabbing a few fish and missing a few more, I switched reels and soft hackled down the long slick water below.
Big, old Medalists rule.



Picked up a few fish, but the streamside action was better.

Bluebells.





Jeffersonia/Twinleaf



Yellow Cordylis



Weird Fungi.





Moved downstream and ran into a gentleman just sitting and watching the non-hatch.
We talked for a while. VT, Blacksburg, Wisconsin Driftless and other connections.

I continued on downstream.
Caught some more.
Looked upstream and saw the Bossman working his way down.

I waded in, undid a grand tangle and we drank a beer.
Fish started splashy rises in front of us.
I claimed them and waded back in.
Keith went lower.





I caught a few more, things quieted down and I headed out.

 

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 21 70s winds some clouds

short trip up to hit some spots "in town". it was hold onto your hat windy. I hit a couple of runs and caught a handful at both locations.

There was a decent caddis hatch and I saw I few fish rise, but the wind kept me from switching to dries.







It was time for a beer and dinner, so I sat on the bank and watched another angler work through the water I had fished, he was a euro trout bro, and I didn't see him catch any. He came up and we talked, he wanted to know where I had fished and how I had done, he headed up beyond where I had stopped.

I checked one other spot and caught a bow.

#23 22 much cooler and overcast, hoping for some bwo action.





With an earlier start I headed up to the old usual where Doug was fishing. I was hoping for a decent hatch on a cool overcast spring day. Nothing was hitting the surface so I started off nymphing up a few at Sally's pool before hitting the left handed pool where I caught a few more. I spotted Doug working the water down below and I headed down there for a beer break.



As we were talking, fish started rising, couldn't tell if they were hitting bows or midges, but there was enough activity for me to rig up a soft hackle. Doug went in to chase the risers and I headed down to a lower run.

Not as mnay fish were hitting the surface there, but I managed to catch a few punes.



I checked in with Doug, he had to head home and I wasn't far behing him.





I brough some leftover venison chili with some collard greens mixed in for added goodness.

[Trout Maharishi]

So you decided to have some left over chili and collard greens for your stream side dinner? do your waders have a zipper?

[driver]

Nothing seem more appealing right not that eating a pot of reheated chili in the parking lot of one of my favorite fishing spots.

I need to fucking retire. 

[Trout Maharishi]

Nothing seem more appealing right not that eating a pot of reheated chili in the parking lot of one of my favorite fishing spots.

I need to fucking retire. 

And then one day you will wake up a little sad but still smiling because you know it's all over. Then you can roll over, fart, giggle, and fall back asleep.   

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 - 23 55 and rain Gas $3.40

Played tag team with Doug today, he left as soon as I started fishing. He had "obligations"!

I was standing at the head of the left hander swinging soft hackles to the spots where I've caught fish before, and I got a few bumps but no commitment.  I was overcast and spitting rain, perfect for a bwo hatch, but they were scares.  I sung through the near slot and then  waded out deep and cast across to the far bank. casting 40 or 50 feet and swinging the tail out I picked off a couple of trout.



I ended up shy of a handful before moving on down to what Doud has named the Dead Tree Pool and caught 3 or 4 more. I think his reference is to the large dead white pine up on the hillside.

Still not much of a hatch and only a few sporadic risers, I moved on again.




The fly I had been using, my last partridge and orange, was now in ruin, chewed and bare of any hackle fibers and a loose ribbing, I had to swap out to a fly I didn't have as much confidence in, but as I worked my way down the run, I caugh a fish here and there and after wading through three times I added six more to my toatl.



The rain was coming down a littl harder now and I was regretting not adding another layer. It was four thirty and I headed out.

[Dougfish]

20 & 21

Closed out March on Fri.
I had put baybay on the early train so I got to the river extra early.
Kinda chilly, rain was iffy.



Swinging day.





When they're big enough to bite you and draw blood, that's a decent fish.
Worked on down and picked up some more fish.



Pawpaw's are blooming.



Passed the torch to the boss.



Hiked out.
It started raining halfway back to the truck. 

Monday, monday.
Can't trust that day.

But I did. And it was OK.
Not a soul to contend with.
Just some feesh.





Keith and I have discussed how the rainbow catching had fallen off.
I had not caught any in over 5 months?
Reversed that today.
3 to hand.









Lots of bigger adult stoneflies are out and about.





Saw a few March Browns and Sulfurs flying, but not enough for fish to key on.
Temperatures continue to rise. We'll see.



May the Schwarz be with you.

 

[Trout Maharishi]

Who does your nails? Asking for a friend. I do enjoy seeing you guys photos of the flora and fauna.
 

 

 I do enjoy see the photos of the flora and fauna. Is that black fungus you showed last week dead man's fingers? I wish you would name them all. I might know 1/10 of what you show.




]

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 - 24 Gas $3.35 sunny 60s relentless wind


I try to avoid fishing on the weekend but I went anyway. The parking lot below the Beelzebub Bridge was crowded with a half dozen cars, on of which had a trailer. I spotted a couple fishing right off the boat ramp. I drove on and was pleasantly surprised to find no one at the usual spot.

I was getting some hits and caught a few but wasn't feeling totally confident in my fly, it was a bit beefier than the partridge and orange that I usually fish. I wondered if I should change flies. I finally did but the results weren't' any better.

I only took one fish pic (look closely) and it was a flub.











It was a short trip as I had to get back early.

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 - 24 82!  Sunny

follow the truck!


quick and easy trip for a couple of hours of euro nymphing.

Caught a handful of trouts, a big horney head, and a couple of dace.







As I waded back up, there was a pair of anglers coming down, spin and fly, father and son? They went behind the island so I didn't get a good look, but when I got back to the parking lot I discovered that they were from New Jersey! New Jersey, WTF!

[Woolly Bugger]

#23 - 26 mid 80s sunny with a bit of a wind




Another quick trip, drove up in the afternoon, hit the water by 4 o'clock and fished until six.

Spent some time tearing up the car looking for a fly box, a wheatly knockoff, black and filled with Caddis, Soft hackles, midges, get down pat's, not a happy camper, didn't find it...

Back to swinging flies. Nothing happeining at Sally's but the dead tree pool produced a handful as did the lower run. They were all punes, but that was all I needed for the day.





Common Blue Violet ( Native)


Great White Trillium (Native)


Roundleaf Ragwort (Native)


Picked up a couple of ticks on the way out.

also should mention Doug and I seeing a muskrat or two the other day and while I was out I spotted what I think are mink and not otters although I've seen otters in the past.

[trout-r-us]

#23 - 24 82!  Sunny

follow the truck!

Likely a load of Tilapia ex. BRA heading to the Northern Markets.

https://blueridgeaquaculture.com/

[Woolly Bugger]

Found the missing fly box while searching to sighter material —- which wasn't in the car anyway     

[Woolly Bugger]

#23-28 Mid 80s


Back to the usual; empty lot.

flicked off a tick after crossing the field, found a second on my wader leg back at the car, and picked off a third one crawling on my chest when I got home. Oh how I hate those fuckers.



Fishing was so so, not many bugs, just the occasional caddis, stonefly, bwo, I also saw a couple of sulfurs. Not seeing many risers, I stuke with swinging soft hackles and caught a couple off handfuls. I stayed late, as I just love the tranquility of the evening.


















I was fishing the left hand pool around 7 when a couple came down the trail, and inquired as to when I was planning to fish, I told them I  was done and they replied by saying, "We'll just move on down the trail". It looked like the gal was caring a sleeping bag.