Smith River-- Tuesday

[5xTippett]

Left S.C. Tuesday morning and headed to the metropolis of Bassett.  I started fishing near Fieldale around 2:30 and the wind and the leaves whipped my rear.  I did not see any fish moving and I got bored real quick.  I hopped back in the car and headed to downtown Bassett.  I had on a sulpher with a midge dropper.  I did not see anything hatching except a few caddis.  I'm no brain surgeon, but I'm not stupid either, so I switched the sulpher to a caddis and hit the water.  I caught one on the caddis and two on the midge in a few minutes.  The blasted wind was still blowing straight in my face and was annoying the heck out of me, so I decided to move upstream to my normal haunts.  I had wasted a lot of time in the first spot near Fieldale so I had to hoof it.  When I arrived upstream, the midges were hatching and fish were moving on top and to make things even better the wind had died down.  I fished for another hour or so and it was another story.  I caught about a dozen more and had a few more come off at my feet.  Granted, they were all pretty small but it was fun.  I would have caught a lot more if I hadn't lost my fly floatant and had to use Frog's Fanny to float an elk hair caddis.  That stuff don't work too swift on a caddis.  Trust me.  About every other cast it would sink.  It was a heck of a lot of fun (the fishing, not the sinking caddis), and for about an hour it was about as good as it gets on the Smith.  When I got back to my car and took my vest off I found my fly floatant.  It had fallen out of my vest and somehow ended up in my net strapped to the back of my vest.  The fact it had hidden in my net and I had not seen it all afternoon sort of lets you know the size of my fish.  I did not see another fisherman all afternoon.

[Woolly Bugger]

Yeah, that wind blowing down the Smith can be a real pain... sounds like you worked it out though....

[Fire-Fly]

Nice day Ben, glad you got out.

[Al]

Good show 5x.

I'm thinking about curtailing my deer madness and taking up fishing a little early this year. Collected some more deer hair yesterday and my wife is talking about a bigger freezer so it might be time to switch gears again.

[troutphisher]

Nice way to get out!

[Mstash]

Nice job Ben
When you headed back. So we can wade again
Mstash

[5xTippett]

Thanks, folks.  I am going to try to get to the Smith again this week.  Mstash, I am marking all of the deep holes with spray paint.  You get hold of Kim and Ralph and I will meet ya'll up there.  I will be the wade leader this time. :)

[5xTippett]

Went back this past Tuesday.  The wind was even worse.  I stuck with the same stuff I used last week.  I didn't catch but 7 or 8, all on the midge.  I did catch the biggest I ever caught on the Smith, a hair over 16 inches.  If anybody knows what wind is good for, other than sailboats, please let me know. 

[Fire-Fly]

Went back this past Tuesday.  The wind was even worse.  I stuck with the same stuff I used last week.  I didn't catch but 7 or 8, all on the midge.  I did catch the biggest I ever caught on the Smith, a hair over 16 inches.  If anybody knows what wind is good for, other than sailboats, please let me know. 

Obama's going to power the world with it! ::)

[ColdOnTheShoulder]

Sounds like some great fishing 5x. I need to get down there soon, I haven't had time to make a 3 hour drive on any recent outings.


So now the politics have to infiltrate the fishing reports? Some of us come here for the fishing.   

[troutrus]

Went back this past Tuesday.  The wind was even worse.  I stuck with the same stuff I used last week.  I didn't catch but 7 or 8, all on the midge.  I did catch the biggest I ever caught on the Smith, a hair over 16 inches.  If anybody knows what wind is good for, other than sailboats, please let me know. 

Congrats on the 16 incher 5X.  0--0
As far as the wind is concerned, I believe it allows you to get closer to the fish in those big flat pools when there's a little ripple on the water. I also feel that the falling leaves make the fish more easily approachable. Add some heavy rain and you'd have perfect conditions. 

[Al]

Went back this past Tuesday.  The wind was even worse.  I stuck with the same stuff I used last week.  I didn't catch but 7 or 8, all on the midge.  I did catch the biggest I ever caught on the Smith, a hair over 16 inches.  If anybody knows what wind is good for, other than sailboats, please let me know. 

Congrats on the 16 incher 5X.  0--0
As far as the wind is concerned, I believe it allows you to get closer to the fish in those big flat pools when there's a little ripple on the water. I also feel that the falling leaves make the fish more easily approachable. Add some heavy rain and you'd have perfect conditions. 

I personally like to add 40 degree air temp or less to the mix - That makes for a real good day.  One thing for sure it usually ends up being a short trip this time of the year if you slip and take in a little water. Reminds me of why I switch to hunting this time of the year.

BTW, for you hunters out there - Rut is about to kick in. I saw a buck, nose to ground, dogging a doe twice in the past 2 days. She wasn't ready yet, but his biological clock told him time was getting close.

[River Man]

Yep...I keep waiting on an invitation from 5x tippet :(.  I guess he's gonna keep it to himself.

River Man

[troutrus]

Yep...I keep waiting on an invitation from 5x tippet :(.  I guess he's gonna keep it to himself.

River Man

The Smith is open to the public. No invitation required. Lots of public access and the fish are getting bigger, now that they've begun stocking again.
If you don't feel comfortable going alone, here's a guy that would be happy to show you around. http://home.earthlink.net/~aakitt/smithriverguideservice/

[Fire-Fly]

Yep...I keep waiting on an invitation from 5x tippet :(.  I guess he's gonna keep it to himself.

River Man

you let me know when you want to come up and i'll take you out. Maybe even to a couple of the secret holes.