Getting to know the Smith River

Started by DRYorDIE, January 01, 2010, 13:57:58 PM

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DRYorDIE

Greetings all.  I recently moved to Durham from Northern Arizona 4 months ago.  Given how far Durham is from any trout water, the Smith is quickly becoming my "home water"--albeit 2 hours away.  I've got 2 questions for some of you Smith River grizzled vets:

1. Where do you find the flow schedule?  I've called 276-629-2432 but found the information to be incorrect and sometimes unavailable.  For example, I'd like to head up tomorrow but the flow information is not yet available.  Also, the first time I visited the Smith, I called and the recording said that they would be releasing all day long.  I went anyways and the water stayed low all day.

2.  If I make the 2 hour drive to the Smith and the water level is higher than expected or the fishing is slow, are there any other nearby options to catch trout?  Preferably a place that wouldn't require another hours worth of driving.
Thanks
If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research. -A. Eisnstein

rjs123

#1
Ive only been fishing the Smith since about last March but Im out there almost everyday when Im not on the road.

I have found the info on the recording to be correct most of the time.  It hasnt been lately due to the weather.  They have been changing it to keep the lake level down with all of the rain and snow melt we have had lately.

Right now, you are correct. They should have already posted the info for the weekend. Ive been wanting to know if I can fish tomorrow or not.   Maybe they were all celebrating last night and havent gotten to it yet.

Anything else would require driving another hour or so.  You could be at the Dan River in 45 minutes from where I live in Fieldale but from what I know about it the river hasnt been that good in recent years.  Small natural browns and stocked fish too. The Dan can be reached going north up Route 8 from Winston Salem.

To check the current flow below the dam go here:  http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=html&period=7&site_no=02072000

and in Bassett: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=html&period=7&site_no=02072500

These are links to the data in Table format.

Woolly Bugger

the phone info is better than it use to be... but like robert said, the snow and rain has caused havoc with the schedule..

you've got a long drive to make just to find out... I don't know of any 'resource' to call to double check

anybody want to put up a mith river web cam?
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

fly4u

I use Robert for my web cam......others on the forum help too, like last sunday I was saved a trip.
" Thank You For Your Support "

DRYorDIE

Thanks for the info fellas.  jrs123, thanks for the url's too.

I think I'm going to throw cation tho the wind and head up tomorrow.
If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research. -A. Eisnstein

Al

Quote from: DRYorDIE on January 01, 2010, 16:07:59 PM
Thanks for the info fellas.  jrs123, thanks for the url's too.

I think I'm going to throw cation tho the wind and head up tomorrow.

Don't do it. I just came from there today and from what I see they are pretty well blown out. My guess is there is a lot of water on the dam side. All that snow two weeks ago eventuality flows into that basin and finds it's way down to Philpott.  In any case it is too cold to be waist deep in water unless you have a chance to catch a steelhead - :-\ Stay home and tie flies.

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: Al on January 01, 2010, 18:32:33 PM
Quote from: DRYorDIE on January 01, 2010, 16:07:59 PM
Thanks for the info fellas.  jrs123, thanks for the url's too.

I think I'm going to throw cation tho the wind and head up tomorrow.

Don't do it. I just came from there today and from what I see they are pretty well blown out. My guess is there is a lot of water on the dam side. All that snow two weeks ago eventuality flows into that basin and finds it's way down to Philpott.  In any case it is too cold to be waist deep in water unless you have a chance to catch a steelhead - :-\ Stay home and tie flies.

8@S

with the high just 31*, it's gonna be ice in the guides all day long...


now i know a guide that has two 'dudes' 'itching' to go fishing on Crooked Creek in VA tomorrow, it's only going to get to 20 there, so the Smith doesn't look too bad in comparison.
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

rjs123

#7
Well this is the first time I know of where they didnt bother to update the recording.  Still no report for this weekend but since they didnt start generating at 5AM maybe they arent going to generate today.  Its really cold but since Im so close to the river, Im going to try it for at least a couple of hours and just keep an eye on the water.

fly4u

Thanks Robert, I may try it to this afternoon........Hey DRYorDie did you go ?
" Thank You For Your Support "

DRYorDIE

I did indeed make it up there yesterday.  I started around 11am upriver of Bassett and fished until 3pm.  As rjs mentioned in his post, the wind was the biggest challenge.  Regardless of which stretch of river I found myself the wind seemed to be blowing downstream.  Thus, my upstream mending suffered.  I did manage to fool 2 small browns but given my mending difficulties I'm not surprised that I couldn't fool any larger (and wiser) trout. 

If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research. -A. Eisnstein