Fun and Frustrating Day on the Smith

[rjs123]

I went to my usual spot just below the special regs section and didn't stay long since I didnt even get a hit in about an hour.  I was thinking about possibly going to check out the Dan River but instead fished right in Bassett on the Smith.  After checking things out downstream where there was some riffles and pools I decided to head upstream where the water looked fairly flat. It wasn't as flat as I thought and I found some nice places to fish. The first fish I hooked was a nice brown better than 12 inches. I got a look at him and he got off. I got that one on a #18 midge dropper off of an Elk Hair Cadis. I moved up a little bit more where I saw a lot of fish feeding on top.  I guess it was about 3PM when a hatch really got going.  I really wish I knew my flies better.  They were light in color and I'd say about size 12.  There were also much smaller flies coming off the water that looked similar to the larger ones, just smaller. I think they were all mayflys, I just don't know what kind.  I caught 2 more decent browns about 12 inches and a few smaller ones.  I also caught a nice rainbow that was a hold over from the last stocking. I ended up with about 8-10 fish. The thing that was frustrating was if I just could have kept fishing when they were going crazy over the hatch I could have done much better.  It was one of those days where I just couldn't cast and I spent way more time tying on flies and tippet material than fishing.  I was using 6X tippet material because the water was pretty clear.  Every time I use 6x I really have trouble keep the line straight.  The dropper off of the dry fly doesnt help either and that always seems to get caught up when I make a less than perfect cast and I end up with a rats nest of leader and tippet. This happened multiple times when I really should have been fishing  o-o

I caught most of the fish on a hares ear nymph hung off of a yellow sulfur.  When the fish were really rising I even got a double header! My first ever with trout.  About a 10 inch brown on the sulfur and a smaller brown on the nymph.  That really surprised me.  It was also a frustrating day for pictures.  When I went to get a picture of one of the nicer browns he flopped out of my hand and that was that.  I did get a picture of him in the water before he swam off though. The one in the net also slipped away before I got a good pic.

So it was frustrating but,  it was a beautiful day on the river and I got a few.  I also found a new spot (new to me)  that I really like.


Beautiful day  for once after all the rain we've been getting.


I was going to get a better pic of this one but like the one below he also decided he didnt want to be photographed :(


The one that flopped out of my hand before I got a good pic.

[Z-Man]

Very nice - sometimes frustration is okay.  You had a good day on the water.

[Beetle]

Tough days make you appreciate the really good ones.  Glad you got out and found a new piece of water that you like.

You could be quarantined at home with strep throat...... :(

Great report

[troutphisher]

Very nice!...... way to get out and find some........ 0--0

[jwgnc]

Great fishing day - sometimes the days with the most knots are still outstanding.  And I like the "flopped out" picture the best.  CLEAR water - I guess so.

[WRector]

Always fun to try new water.  It is definitely good to get humbled every now and again.  Why we call it Fishin and not Catchin! 

Beautiful pics by the way  0--0

[rjs123]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement.  I am really getting to like fly fishing a lot!  I havent touched the spinning rod in over a month and don't really want to.  I guess Im "hooked".  Im looking at a new fly rod and already thinking I will need more than one.

I got out for a few hours today to the same spot I went to yesterday and things weren't as good. I only saw maybe 2 fish rise the whole time I was there. I wish I knew what the difference was from one day to the next.  Not many flies hatching today either, not at all like yesterday.  It did cool down and the sun wasn't out like it was all day yesterday. I did manage a couple fish and a couple LDRs.  I caught a rainbow on a #18 zebra midge and a brown on a hares ear. I lost the only hares ear I had late yesterday so I decided I would try to tie on up myself.  I wasn't real sure the hares ear would catch fish but I got a lot of hits it.  I guess in this case my lack of tying experience may have helped.  The fly looked pretty "buggy". No where near as good as the one in the youtube video I used for instruction.

By the way I really like this persons (Davey McPhail) videos.  Check them out if you havent already.

That's is for me till next week.  Good luck to everyone who gets out this weekend!

[rjs123]

So I lied  :) I fished for a couple of hours this morning.  Now I really am out the door and on the road.  I got 2.

Im not sure what happened with the generation schedule but the water didnt go down in Bassett till between 10 and 11AM so I dont think they stopped at 11PM like the recording said they would. In the couple of months Ive been here Ive never seen that happen.  I guess that's why they say its subject to change without notice.

Couple of iphone pics.

[WRector]

Just couldn't get away without one last try huh??   :j

Those iphones take some great pics!  If I didn't feel like switching to an inferior carrier I probably would pick one up during my next upgrade...

[tbird4]

I know who I'm going to call when I get to finally fish the Smith, and it's not ghostbusters.   That's a nice brownie ;hb