Smith-Continued

[Al]

On Thursday, December 4, Smith River TU will have our last meeting of the year.  It will once again be held at Hugo's restaurant in Martinsville starting at 6:30.  Our special guest will be George Palmer with DWR.  George will provide an update on the health of the brown trout population in the Smith River.  This is always a great update from George so please join us. Come early and grab a bite to eat.

[creakycane]

River in Bassett town a bit discolored/greenish, but low.  Clearer downriver.  Air Felt colder than the 51F on the bank thermometer.  Usual small browns scattered about. I noticed they would chase a lifted nymph fished off a dry and pulled up.  Feet got cold quickly, and with no sun, stayed chilly. This year electric socks are on my list.   Worth the trip, but if you have a better offer, wait till 26! 

[OldKent]

I would love to hear what Mr. Palmer's thoughts were on the health of the Smith if anyone could share. As an aside, I was able to fish it a couple of weeks ago, and like mentioned above, I was surprised at how "green-murky" it still is; usually by this time of year it is fishing relatively clear. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the Holiday season!

[shackfishes]

Was wondering if anybody knows when they're gonna bump the flows back up or how much rain it's gonna take- had some surprisingly good fishing on the warmer days in december even with the low water, but I'm ready for "the real smith"!! A few of my favorite holes are unfishable or extremely difficult to fish at the moment...

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[Onslow]

A lot of rain.  Minus the Sierra Nevada and the lake effect snow areas, the whole damn country is in a drought.

[Woolly Bugger]

Was wondering if anybody knows when they're gonna bump the flows back up or how much rain it's gonna take- had some surprisingly good fishing on the warmer days in december even with the low water, but I'm ready for "the real smith"!!

This is the current lake level, below guide line and only rising very slowly with the prediction of not exceeding that line anytime soon.

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So it would require a major rain event for them to increase flows to the 300 level that we have enjoued for the past several years since the mudslide event that shutdown the powerhouse.

Current schedule for resumption of generations was scheduled for this coming June, but I've heard that there was another event that put that date into question and may add another year to the scheduled resumption of generating power at the dam.

Keep in mind that when they do start operaing for power at the dam flows will return to their historic fluctuations; 55 cfc minimum flow to 1300 cfs or higher during generation.


PS; nice brownie!

[streamereater_101691]

Was wondering if anybody knows when they're gonna bump the flows back up or how much rain it's gonna take- had some surprisingly good fishing on the warmer days in december even with the low water, but I'm ready for "the real smith"!! A few of my favorite holes are unfishable or extremely difficult to fish at the moment...

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See that lake level get to 971-972 and it'll happen. I predict late February or early March if we stay in this current weather pattern. Nice to see people actually realizing trout feed via bio mass and elevated flows(to a certain extent) preset the fish with more feeding opportunity.

[Woolly Bugger]

#25 -- 3

55 and windy with scattered clouds.

Took the spey pole up to Bassett and swung an intruder through some runs for a couple of hours in the afternoon. All I got for my efforst was a couple of rainbows and cold feet.

As I was finining up a run, a surveyor hollered down and said he had some queations when I got out.

He was surveying the powerlines for a fiberoptic cabel and he had a lot of questions about the spey pole. How long? Great roll casts, how do you do that? etc. I told him what all about spey casting/fisshing and learned that he had just started fly fishing this past summer, was from Damascus and was thrilled at the progress on the Creeper Trail, stating that without that attraction the town would become nothing but section 8 housing.


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