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We Just Wanted To Know

Started by Onslow, October 27, 2022, 19:16:00 PM

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Onslow


I initially had two fishing days planned this week.  One was going to take place in the central Piedmont (Cape Fear drainage) with Jim, and the other on the Yadkin for Wednesday. Plans changed after some work related matters arose.  After doing a weeks worth of work in three days, and becoming rather beat, Thursday's plans were toned down a bit, and it was decided to do a short float that involved no boat dragging. Boats were launched around 10, and I was struck by how narrow the river was for one that drains 1150 square miles.

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The river did open up a bit, and slowed down after the shoals just below the bridge. Jim was using his trusty plastic helgies at 3-5', and managed to land a couple within 30 minutes, one smallie, and one largemouth.

I changed things up after an hour.  The sink tip spool was replaced with the floating line spool.  I tied on a helgie, and placed a #7 split shot on the leader, and pretended I was nymphing for trout. I picked up a 13 incher.  We both missed a bunch of attempted eats and sucks.  The fish weren't biting, but simply gently inhaling, and they weren't chasing either.

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After a while an island was encountered.  The river changed below, and the fishing dropped off.  The water was shallower.

The river changed yet again as the big bend came near.  The bottom became rock, but not the kind needed for good cover. Some good rapids were encountered, as well as some seemingly misplaced rock formations.

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The loop should have produced some smallies, but they can be fickle.  No Alabama bass were caught.  It appears for now the Bama bass are staying hemmed up in Belews.

The most productive water was the frog pond water with wood.  I did not realize largemouth was going to be the dominate species. 

I did see a pod of very large carp, most of which were over 28 inches, with one being a mirror. The water was clear, and I would see them very well.


streamereater_101691

well dang ken, just come on by the neighborhood with no warning. That stretch is great in the summer. Not so much after cold fronts start pushing through, really shuts down the smallies. They're in there, but get very fickle. I have a private take out above and below the bridge that contains a great stretch of habitat. Did you go all the way to leaksville landing?

Onslow

Quote from: streamereater_101691 on October 28, 2022, 08:13:29 AMwell dang ken, just come on by the neighborhood with no warning. That stretch is great in the summer. Not so much after cold fronts start pushing through, really shuts down the smallies. They're in there, but get very fickle. I have a private take out above and below the bridge that contains a great stretch of habitat. Did you go all the way to leaksville landing?

There is a a new take out midway between Settles and Eden. Big time bucks spent on it. Note the the dot on the map pic. 498 Woodpecker Rd. 


Onslow

I honestly don't give much damn about the smallmouth.  I fish for them because I'm surrounded by them. If fishing was a key factor in where I lived, I'd move to Chatham County, but I cannot stand ticks and chiggers, and there are no chiggers where I live now.

Topwater fishing for largemouth is the best freshwater fishing to be had in NC.  I would argue even further to say that LMB fishing is the the best topwater flyfishing game in the SE.  However, we cannot have nice things because of the stupid LMB haters, and now nearly every river in NC will be contaminated with Kentucky Spots and Alabama bass.  Alabama bass will soon overtake the Chowan, and make there way up the Nottaway and Meherrin as well. They are currently overtaking the lower Tar and Fishing Creek. It seems the Alabama bass thrive more in the eastern part of the state, and not so much in the west.  Kentucky spots thrive everywhere.

Jim floated the Ararat below 268 this Summer.  26 Spots, one smallmouth.  This used to be one of my favorite smallie rivers.



Dee-Vo

Chiggers are here, and I hate them.

Nice report.

Onslow

Quote from: streamereater_101691 on October 28, 2022, 08:13:29 AMwell dang ken, just come on by the neighborhood with no warning. That stretch is great in the summer. Not so much after cold fronts start pushing through, really shuts down the smallies. They're in there, but get very fickle. I have a private take out above and below the bridge that contains a great stretch of habitat. Did you go all the way to leaksville landing?

Have you fished any below Draper landing?  River looks nice between Cascade creek and Danville. Not much access.

trout-r-us

Best luck I've had for bass on the Dan in Eden is the first 100 yards below the Duke Power dam. Been quite awhile though.
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

trout-r-us

They have been adding paddling access points at a rapid pace in the Eden area and though Draper landing is relatively new, I think the next formal public access is over 20 miles downstream. 😳

I have heard good reports from the area near mouth of Cascade Crick, but I have never been there myself.

https://www.danriver.org/interactive-map
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

streamereater_101691

Quote from: Onslow on October 29, 2022, 12:18:54 PM
Quote from: streamereater_101691 on October 28, 2022, 08:13:29 AMwell dang ken, just come on by the neighborhood with no warning. That stretch is great in the summer. Not so much after cold fronts start pushing through, really shuts down the smallies. They're in there, but get very fickle. I have a private take out above and below the bridge that contains a great stretch of habitat. Did you go all the way to leaksville landing?

I've paddled from draper to berry hill bridge(satan's bridge) multiple times. Fished it once or twice. I'd call it marginal habitat compared to further up. Fewer rocks for sure. Most of my time has been spent from jacobs creek all the way to draper with a majority of that spent below the dam at duke. There are quality smallies(for the area) in there with minimal pressure. There are also some nice ones on the smith before it dumps into the dan, but they are very flow dependent depending if martinsville dam releases water.
My personal best luck has been had on the dan below the last dam in danville down to anglers park.

Have you fished any below Draper landing?  River looks nice between Cascade creek and Danville. Not much access.