News:

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

Main Menu

Off the beaten path

Started by Onslow, July 31, 2016, 19:09:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Onslow

Had planned on hitting some trout water in SW VA yesterday prior to receiving a text from Jeff.  Jeff suggesting floating a section of river I'd longed to fish years prior,  but never had any willing accomplices that had the skill sets join.  My feelings about floating this section this time of the year were luke warm  at best, mainly due to the low flows.  With many of my locals muddy, and due to time constraints, and the fact that Jeff did not have a VA license, It was decided that this was in fact where we were going to float.

Some streams specifications

Drainage size, 95-125

Altitude,  2420-2310

Trip distance, 5 miles

Drainage, Ohio River

Estimated flow, 110 cfs

Woke up at 4, left the house at 5, arrived at the river at 6am, and was on the river by 6.30 after running shuttle.

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


We messed around near the put in where quality water abounds.  I normally score something in this area, but neither of us could elicit a response from the fishies which is odd considering this stream has treated me fairly well over the years yielding more 16-18" smallies than any stream of this smallish size.  There have been some days however where the fish simply did not cooperate.  When the fish are not biting on this river, they ain't biting, period.

After a half hour, we boarded our vessels and set off down the river.

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


Splendid vistas are plentiful, some pastoral, others a bit more alpine.

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


The first of many rapids.  There are class IIs within a quarter mile of the bridge.  Below is the the top of ragged rapid #2.

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


Plenty of habitat and ledges for the fish bury themselves.  I believe hour #2 came an went and still no fish. 

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


Finally stuck one.  As I proceeded to pull it in, a 18-19 bass made a persistent effort to steal the streamer from this feller's mouth.  A couple casts later, stuck another smallish bass, maybe around 14", but it came unglued.  Jeff managed to stick some Rock bass, a smallie, and a surprise largemouth.

About 3 miles into the trip, both of us caught a glimpse of a bald eagle.  Wish the bird wasn't so camera shy.  Also observed the largest otter I've ever seen.  Damned thing had to weigh about 20 pounds or more.

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


:embarassed:

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


The rapid above was the steepest and most interesting on the trip.  Kinda tight with good wave action.

The trip seemed to never end.  Dragging, extensive maneuvering, and walking the dog took time.  Unlike what is necessary on rivers such as the Yadkin or New, nearly all downstream movement required some degree of attention.  I'd day we had a 3 hours spent on paddling and a few poorly placed casts embedded in the paddling effort, with about 3-3.5 hours of quality fishing taking place, if that.  That is the nature of the game when fishing streams in this manner.




RiverbumCO

My real name is Chad Farthouse.

Dee-Vo

1. I'm jealous. I want to see a bald eagle. I hear they're around more than most people assume.

2. Sorry you broke your rod.

3. Rivers will be blown for a while. Super heavy rains are happening as I type this out. Just drove through some of the heaviest I've ever seen.

Glad you fished. Wish I could've gone as i had planned.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

DRIFTS

Rod breakage sux...good ya got out though! /'/
l><))))))))))))))))),/*>~----------------------dave

Onslow

Quote from: Dee-Vo on August 01, 2016, 00:32:05 AM
1. I'm jealous. I want to see a bald eagle. I hear they're around more than most people assume.

2. Sorry you broke your rod.

3. Rivers will be blown for a while. Super heavy rains are happening as I type this out. Just drove through some of the heaviest I've ever seen.

Glad you fished. Wish I could've gone as i had planned.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This river clears up in 48 hours no matter what.  It had rained some in the watershed the night before and it was still good.  Row crop farming on steep terrain is whats degrading the rivers in the Yadkin watershed.

This trip was just a warm up for a truly brutal trip on the Little near Floyd from Rt. 8 > Copper Valley.  11 miles of water with a .5 shoals from hell, and 3 class IIIs.  Also a larger river than this.  Will need 12 hours...  Maybe next year.

Yallerhammer

Looks to me like a great way to spend a hot day. My son and a friend and I got to watch two bald eagles fighting for about five minutes while we were running some catfish jugs on Clark's Hill lake last weekend. Very cool, they would scream, hit, grapple, and somersault a hundred feet or so down to just above the water, then disengage. They finally flew off in opposite directions.

Sux with the broken rod. Where did you find that dark brown/black fly line? Seems like all of them they make nowadays are always some hideous, fish-scaring bright fluorescent neon color.
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff

Dee-Vo

Quote from: Onslow on August 01, 2016, 04:22:15 AM
Quote from: Dee-Vo on August 01, 2016, 00:32:05 AM
1. I'm jealous. I want to see a bald eagle. I hear they're around more than most people assume.

2. Sorry you broke your rod.

3. Rivers will be blown for a while. Super heavy rains are happening as I type this out. Just drove through some of the heaviest I've ever seen.

Glad you fished. Wish I could've gone as i had planned.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This river clears up in 48 hours no matter what.  It had rained some in the watershed the night before and it was still good.  Row crop farming on steep terrain is whats degrading the rivers in the Yadkin watershed.

This trip was just a warm up for a truly brutal trip on the Little near Floyd from Rt. 8 > Copper Valley.  11 miles of water with a .5 shoals from hell, and 3 class IIIs.  Also a larger river than this.  Will need 12 hours...  Maybe next year.

Yes, clears very quickly. Good to have a river to hit when rain has ruined the rest for a bit.

Dougfish

Good on ya for getting wet. Wish you had more fish cooperation.
x2 on the broken rod suckage.  >:D
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here?
 Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change? "
Kelly's Heroes,1970

"I don't wanna go to hell,
But if I do,
It'll be 'cause of you..."
Strange Desire, The Black Keys, 2006

Big J

Nice work.  We need to hit some smallies soon.  My local I tried hitting Saturday but it was blown out bad.

Jfey

Quote from: RiverbumCO on July 31, 2016, 21:00:39 PM
Still a pretty cool trip.

I agree.   That was some good looking water.
Yup, going fishing

Onslow

Quote from: Yallerhammer on August 01, 2016, 07:24:02 AM

Where did you find that dark brown/black fly line? Seems like all of them they make nowadays are always some hideous, fish-scaring bright fluorescent neon color.

What you saw was simply the sink tip portion of some gaudy Cabelas Prestige.

jwgnc

Quote from: Yallerhammer on August 01, 2016, 07:24:02 AM
somersaul a hundred feet or so down to just above the water, then disengage

Were they spinning down with talons engaged?  Could be getting frisky
Stalk softly and carry a green stick.

Michael Toris

Quote from: jwgnc on August 02, 2016, 20:45:59 PM
Quote from: Yallerhammer on August 01, 2016, 07:24:02 AM
somersaul a hundred feet or so down to just above the water, then disengage

Were they spinning down with talons engaged?  Could be getting frisky
.

Yallerhammer

I wondered myself. They were screaming and feathers were flying.
Women want me, doughbellies fear me. - Little Debbie Prostaff