Pretentious Snobby Bastard Fly Fishing!

Fly Fishing Reports => Local Trip Reports => Topic started by: Woolly Bugger on June 15, 2020, 17:45:54 PM

Title: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on June 15, 2020, 17:45:54 PM

June 14, 2020 #? 24

Drove up and down Big Springs looking for a favorite spot to pull off, they place was packed, should have stopped at the first one I saw. Turned around and pulled into the open spot. I was actually located right in front of a nice riffle. Might be a tad shallow for big trouts but here was some nicer water downstream. The rod was already rigged from my last Smith outing and I didn't felt the need to change flies.

I saw a few sulfurs in the air and  on the water where the occasional trout would rise, nothing steady, but they revealed their lay and I targeted them one at a time. I wasn't long before I had seven to hand and the puff daddy was beginning to look a little ragged. Changed out to a snowshoe rabbit emerger and and whacked six more. I broke off on number 13, and tied on another one of the same flies. (next fish to hand was counted as 13)

The skies were darkening and thunder could be heard coming from over the ridge. It started to rain somewhere around number 17 or 18 and I was headed to the car by the time I had landed the second dozen.

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


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


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 rain stopped and the thunder became more distant. So back out to catch a few more fish before another cell popped up.

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


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



Things didn't look good on the radar, I popped another beer and nursed it hoping the line of storms would pass shortly. But the rain continued and I finally gave up and took off my waders. Packed up and began to drive home, but as I traveled down the road the skies clear and I decided to stay.

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


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


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 pulse had hit and the fish weren't rising like they were earlier. I switched to nymphs and BBs, I caught some fish and also managed to tangle the rig a few times. Maddening. Switched back to dries and fished until the water rose from the late generation. None of the fish were really big, it's always nice to get an 18 incher or better, but that didn't happen, a few were bigger than the ones in the photos, but they were camera shy. I was good to be back over the mountains, I hope I can return again soon and use that One Hundred and One Dollar License.

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



Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: RiverbumCO on June 15, 2020, 18:17:58 PM
Same on the license. I'm pot-committed now so don't forget to shoot me a text if you want a road dog.
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Onslow on June 15, 2020, 18:49:36 PM
Satisfying day for sure.
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Dougfish on June 15, 2020, 19:23:18 PM
Pretty sweet day of dedication.  'c;
 :cheers
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Grannyknot on June 16, 2020, 07:22:25 AM
$101 is a damn shame 
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Phil on June 16, 2020, 07:44:01 AM
Bastid. I wanna go.  b';
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Woolly Bugger on June 16, 2020, 09:01:36 AM
Quote from: Phil on June 16, 2020, 07:44:01 AMBastid. I wanna go.  b';

you be halfway <-;:  there compared to me...
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Yallerhammer on June 16, 2020, 11:04:47 AM
Hells yeah! Looks like a fine day well spent to me.
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Stone-Man on June 16, 2020, 16:26:38 PM
Pretty damn good,Keith. I prolly would have been over there ,but my back is keeping me off the river

Nice report with the usual great pictures

  JT
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: NCsporksman on June 17, 2020, 20:44:17 PM
I didnt get no fillets, one momore trip and I've been had by the TWRC
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Woolly Bugger on June 21, 2020, 08:18:08 AM

June 21, 2020 #25

https://vimeo.com/431194086

SoHo Saturday, with a break in the monsoon season a favorable generation schedule, enticed me to make the drive back over the mountains. I was hoping for dry fly sulfur action but was disappointed as there really wasn't much of a hatch. So, I tied on a split-back and nymphed the day away.
Again the river was crowded and parking was limited. Fished for about 4 hours, caught a bunch, still prefer sight casting to risers, but had a blast anyway. I was tired from Friday night's activity and I briefly contemplated spey casting on the high water but bailed as I still had a three-hour drive home. Next time...

Average sampling on the day
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


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


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



Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Onslow on June 21, 2020, 19:36:53 PM
All of this goodness gives me the urge to make the voyage.
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: RiverbumCO on June 21, 2020, 22:28:40 PM
The voyage is worth making.
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: bmadd on June 23, 2020, 18:33:33 PM
Quote from: Grannyknot on June 16, 2020, 07:22:25 AM$101 is a damn shame 

This
Title: Re: finally made it over the hump...
Post by: Woolly Bugger on June 24, 2020, 13:41:26 PM

June 23, 2020 #26

$101/3 = $33.67 per trip...

I'm invested in that Tennessee license so I'm trying to make the most of it especially considering that there aren't a whole lot of other opportunities, the New might be fishable in mid-July and Pilpott dam won't be fixed until much later this year.

I planned to fish some different spots but there were cars parked in those areas so I drove on down and not seeing any cars at one of my favorite pullouts I looked no further. Rod was rigged from the previous trip and I was on the water in my leaky Simms wader pants, a brand new pair are arriving on Thursday!

I worked my way down to the run and right off hooked a feisty bow it had a time getting it up to the net in the current. As I looked up I saw a guy standing in my run, where did he come from? Damn it, and he's standing on the fish. Oh, well I'll work my way down to the top of the run and then move on If he's still fishing my spot.

The next little spot yielded a fat brown that probably went 15 inches and I thought today was going to be excellent. Next up was a troubled spot which always holds fish, I got a couple of easy ones on the front side and then asked for trouble by casting on the backside of the downed trees. It wasn't always so jammed up with wood and I used to pull a couple of nice fish out of this spot. Well, I cast a few times and as the fly sank over the ledge I big brown took the fly and ran back up towards me so I was just able to get it up, over and around the submerged tree only to have it run back down, under and around the tangled mess of wood on the near side. Well that was exciting, fun, but tragic.

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


Finally, the guy standing in my run moved on, walked out the usual way, still couldn't figure out where he came from, didn't look like he was catching much other than the pune rainbows. I decided to rest the water for a bit and sat on the bank and drank a refreshing Lagunitas Little Sumpin Hazy IPA. While waiting I saw a number of risers hitting emergers, most were small but a few looked to be fun-sized, so I switched over to a dry.
Right off the bat, I caught a little brown and while releasing it, I noticed another hook in its jaw which was attached to a dropper... I can only conclude that since the flies were in good condition that the guy who left must have put too much pepper into the hook set.

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


I whacked a few more on the surface and then went to the main run which I love to nymph, but I couldn't find a fish.. they still hadn't returned to feeding after that guy finished pounding the water. Oh well, It was about time for lunch...

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


I moved on up to a different spot and found some DSFK near the deer hole.

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

 
The skies were threatening and the rain began light at first, easy enough to ignore but then it really started to come down hard and I made tracks back to the car to pick up a rain jacket.

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


By the time I made it back the rain became torrential and I sat in the open hatch and drank another Stone Tangerine Express IPA while deciding whether to stick it out or bail. Then along came the guy who had low holed me and he stopped and we talked for a while, turns out he was in a camper across the road – bastard and had recently moved back to TN from Utah. He's also a fan of the double-handed rods and we talked about swinging soft hackled flies in the big flat area on high water. The rain continued and although he had rain gear on he sought shelter in his camper.

After another half hour, the rain began to let up and the radar indicated that it may stop soon, so I headed out and found some risers in another old favorite run. The fish were picky and it took a while to fool them. A couple missed the fly and weren't to be seen again.

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


One was sipping in the slack water up against the bank. This would require a hero cast. The first was too far above and another may have been a tad short, but the third was on the money and the brown too to fly with vigor.

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


Moved again and picked off the occasional riser, could have caught more on a nymph, but it wouldn't have been as rewarding as sight casting.

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







Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Phil on June 24, 2020, 16:02:49 PM
Just saw this. Stealin my spots I had planned for tomorrow, eh?  :o

Just kidding. Noice for sure!  'c;
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Dougfish on June 24, 2020, 16:44:13 PM
Nice feesh!  :Dance
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: WC68 on June 25, 2020, 16:09:02 PM
Wooly,
I was on Big Springs on the 14th as well...from about 9:45-1p or whenever the light rain started. Got out and thought about getting behind the pulse. Drove up to the dam to check it out, but decided I'd head back over the mountain and get home by 5:30 and drink a few beers.

Up on 421 where it gets really twisted, ran into some of the hardest rain I've driven in and then the Hail started. Beating the hell out of my truck..was really afraid it was going to dimple the whole thing. Luckily made it through fine.

Caught a few on emergers and even a caddis. Hope to get back one day this weekend. To make it $50.50.
Btw, how do you post pics here?
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Dougfish on June 25, 2020, 17:13:18 PM
https://www.brfff.com/forum/index.php?topic=15562.0 (https://www.brfff.com/forum/index.php?topic=15562.0)
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on June 26, 2020, 10:21:51 AM

June 25, 2020 #27

$101/4 = $25.25

Gas at $1.99/gal

Phil FB messaged me asking about the release times on the river and how long it takes to get to a certain spot. After I replied and gave him the info, he said he was planning to go and asked, "Wanna go"?

That kind of prompt is usually met with an OK but I had to think about it... I told him I would go if I got up in time, meaning being on the road no later than 6:30

Apparently I got enough sleep and I was out the door with an ETA of 9:05, 20 minutes ahead of the scheduled rendezvous and things were going along just fine, until I got to I-74 to cut across to I-77, it was CLOSED! WFT? Here is some NCDOT info https://drivenc.gov/default.aspx?type=incident&id=591069No detour info, just use US 52, gps didn't know the interstate was closed, and I made a na vigational error by thinking it wasn't shut down the entire way to 77. This cost me about 20 minutes in rerouting and I was seriously thinking about bailing on the trip.

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


Got to the location right on time, and it looked like Phil had just pulled in before me...

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


After rigging up we headed down to a productive riffle. I gave Phil the run that I considered to be the better of the two. I had never done very well in the other one.

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


I was still rigged up with a #16 Comparadun and I saw a few splashy rises. It didn't take too many cast to catch a fish.

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


Next cast another fish. The game was on and continued to be easy to score fish after fish in the cool cloudy morning.

The birds were flying in and snatching the sulfurs as they began their flight. I was studying the water and followed one as it struggled in the film and took off, as I watched it flutter a Cedar Waxwing swoop in,  locked onto the bug's path, it intercepted the flying insect with precision. I always find this to be amazing. 

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


I worked the run with long casts and had a lot of fun enticing these trout to take the fly. Most came to the net but I missed a few and broke off two with peppery hooksets.

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


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


When the sun came out, I thought things would get even better, but it was the opposite and the fish shut down in the run, but upon the flat water there were a number of fish still working the surface. It was a long-distance game, but I made the connection.

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


DSFK

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


Lunch is served, the TG's jalapeno hot sauce brings the heat, but the IPA puts the fire out. 
There was no need to go back out on the water, I knew it wouldn't be any better than the morning and the water would be rising shortly anyway.

It was great to see Phil and share the river for the day...

Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Phil on June 26, 2020, 11:36:48 AM
What Woolly neglected to mention -- he gave me the good run and I did miserably. He whacked 'em and I struggled to catch a few. I'm just not a durn tailwater fisherman, I guess -- too many hours spent on little brookie and freestone streams!  b';      :laugh:  :laugh:

Good to see and talk to another human, Woolly. Thanks for sharing the water with me!
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Dougfish on June 26, 2020, 12:05:18 PM
Bravo, lads! V:;
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Phil on June 26, 2020, 12:11:20 PM
I was planning on a trip to VA, but it didn't work out  Sooo -- I decided to go to the SoHo, knowing that I suck at tailwater stuff.  Called Woolly to get info, he said he might come. Cool.

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


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


This don't look like a brookie stream. What do I DO???  :o
Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Representative of my 3 little fish while Woolly was whackin' em upstream. Every time I looked up his durn rod was bent.  b';  :bow
Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 02, 2020, 08:26:29 AM

July 1, 2020 #28

$101/5 = $20.20

Gas $2.09

Sometimes you go fishing because the conditions are perfect, sometimes you go just because you can. The tailwater is calling me and despite short wading times due to early dam releases, I headed over hoping for a repeat of my last visit.

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


I was five minutes from home when realized that I forgot the TG-6 camera, I almost turned back but figures I could use the phone instead, not wanting to shorten the time on the water as the generation flow would hit at two.
After gearing up I realize that I also had forgotten to pack my wading staff, or "old man stick" as some of my friends call it. Well damn, the snot covered bowling balls the make up this streambed make wading treacherous.  The morning pulse arrived just as I got in the water, there were a few risers in the flat water and I targeted and caught a couple of them before moving on down to the run where I had great success the other day. But it wasn't happening today. No risers in the run and no bug on the water, the birds were working but once the pulse arrived they disappeared. There was a stain to the water and low visibility didn't help the wading situation either. After catching a few rainbows, I moved on downriver to see if I could find some feeding fish.


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


Tossed a streamer for a while, better than bobber watching and similar results. I wasn't pleased with the conditions of the day, so I sat on the bank and watched the sky and listened to the rushing water, and waited for the pulse to recede. When I spotted fish rising I went after them and picked off small rainbows feeding at the edge of the current as I worked my way to the top of the run. One nicer fish, a brown, took the fly and put up a good fight aided by the fast water. Best fish of the day at 14 inches.

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


Punes all day...

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


Photo fail: I can't hold a fish and take a photo with the phone.

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


Photo fail #2

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


This is the brown... Photo fail #3

Finished up the afternoon fishing the flat water casting a puff daddy to sporadically rising fish. One better fish bolted on the hookset and broke me off, proving to me that blood knots are better than surgeon knots. I quit at two, just as the water was coming up. After walking back to the car I entertained the idea of swinging flies on the high water, but not having a wading staff to help navigate I thought better of it and headed back home.
Not the best day on the water, but I really can't complain....

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


DSFK

Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on July 02, 2020, 09:23:47 AM
The doll head photo wins as the creepiest shot of the year....
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: bmadd on July 02, 2020, 19:07:28 PM
Blood_sign.jpg
Blood knots for life
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 10, 2020, 11:12:18 AM

July 9, 2020 #29

$101/6  = $16.83

Gas $2.09

RiverBum sent a text declaring that he was "eyeballing the soho Thursday if nothing comes up"
I replied with the thumbs up. But I guess that wasn't good enough for him as he cryptically replied, "I assume you are not interested"

I've been to the Smith on Tuesday and Wednesday swinging flies on the Echo Trout Spey. On Tuesday I worked the Bassett "Library" run hard without a hookup but after moving down to The Great Road access I finally got grabs and caught a couple of stocked rainbows.

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


First spraypole fishy

The grab and tug are addictive so I went back on Wednesday evening to swing again at The Great Road. I had a few grabs early on by failed to hook a fish despite my improving casting. On my second pass through the run I switched to a heavier tip and changed flies. Right off I realized the heavy sink tip was messing up my cast and my timing was off and I had to make some adjustment. Still no fish. Oh well, there will be another day.
That day was Thursday and I was out the door at 6:15 for the 2:40 drive to meet up with the Riverbum.

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


He was almost an hour ahead of me and was fishing away when I arrived. We were low holed on the river but had some good water to work. I was still rigged up with a sulfur emerger and took four fish on that fly before it was chewed to pieces.

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


Caught a few more before Bum and I snuck around and low holed the low holer. We didn't have much luck down there but I did manage a few on the dry.

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


We took a lunch break and I discovered that the Bum doesn't like sardines! He does, however, like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. (he took the lunch photos)

We then worked the risers in the flat water. I fooled a few with a #18 puff daddy.

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


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


Bum had enough punage and abuse and split around two. I stayed until about four, when the heat of the day took its toll and I retreated to the comfort of the car's AC, but not before I enticed a few more trouts to rise to the comparadun.

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


Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on July 10, 2020, 14:18:14 PM
Good show gents. Do I see Riverbum with a net? Thought he preferred using his hat.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 10, 2020, 14:22:38 PM
Quote from: itieuglyflies on July 10, 2020, 14:18:14 PMGood show gents. Do I see Riverbum with a net? Thought he preferred using his hat.

That hat caught brookie might have been bigger than the SoHo trouts that were caught
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: RiverbumCO on July 11, 2020, 13:47:11 PM
Like Keith said, fish were caught but it was far from a banner day....no bugs.

Keith did proceed to school me on the flat, picking up a few risers that i could only spook.

My big fish was maybe a 15" rainbow but it got off at the net.

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


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



Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on July 11, 2020, 16:47:09 PM
Sardines,pickled okra and beer......with that combo, good fishing not required!
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Phil on July 11, 2020, 18:00:26 PM
"Keith did proceed to school me on the flat, picking up a few risers that i could only spook."

Yeah, he tends to do that.  b';
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 11, 2020, 18:10:09 PM
Quote from: itieuglyflies on July 11, 2020, 16:47:09 PMSardines,pickled okra and beer......with that combo, good fishing not required!

and a bologna sandwich!!!
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: WC68 on July 25, 2020, 10:37:34 AM
So is it actually wadable during these 1hour pulses? Or just very selectively depending on location. I've been driving up river to get behind them.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 25, 2020, 12:00:09 PM
Quote from: WC68 on July 25, 2020, 10:37:34 AMSo is it actually wadable during these 1hour pulses? Or just very selectively depending on location. I've been driving up river to get behind them.

Lower on the river they are usually wadable, but the closer to the dam the higer the water, it spreads out longer as it moves downstream...
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on July 31, 2020, 17:55:38 PM

July 30, 2020 #31?

$101/7 = $14.43

Schedule looked promising, weather iffy.

Left home around 7:30,  things looked a bit crowded up by the dam,
drove on down, passed a few good spots, and then ran into more
parked cars. Ended up in a familiar spot. The spot was wide open or
 so I thought, just as I closed the trunk, I turned to see a spin
guy casting into my run.

He stopped after a while without catching and went back upstream.
I was rigged up with a sulfur so gave that a try first despite not
seeing any risers or bugs other than midges. I caught a few on the
surface and probably worked the water way too long it hopes that
something would start soon.

I took a lunch/beer break and then headed to a lower section.
Got a pune to rise before finally switching over to nymphing.
Tied on a split-case and after some thought tied on a #20 rs2.
Well damn if that didn't do the trick. I hooked a fish right off
and several more took the rs2 in quick sucession, and not just dinks
but fat and feisty rainbows and a brown that pushed 18"

I wore out that section and then thought that the pulse would hit
and moved hoping that it would bring a late hatch. Neither materialized.
I don't' know what was up with the water, the app said a 2-hour release.
But I couldn't tell much difference in the water level.

With nothing happening on the lower river I moved back up to the
damn dam. Lot had cleared out and it looked like most of the
remainders were standing on the grates.

I hiked on down and found some picky risers, but before I could
hook nay a monster thunderstorm moved in and with visible lightning
striking too close for comfort I high tailed it back to the lot where
I thought about waiting it out under the bridge with several other
anglers, but after about 10 minutes with no relief in sight I ran
back to the car and drove home. That damn storm traveled up 81 with me

No photos at all this trip, not one, no scenery shots of the billowing
thunderheads, or the grey skies or the torrential rain, No fish picks
of trouts or sardines, and no beer shote either...


Here is some info on the RS2



From the TU Blog (https://www.tu.org/blog/the-rs2/)

>>>For you masochistic anglers out there who actually enjoy fishing tiny emerger patterns, this one's for you.

(And, yes, on occasion, I'm one of you. Insert face-palm emoji here).
The RS2, which stands for Rim's Semblance 2, is one of the most effective
 small emerger flies ever crafted—it can be absolutely deadly in the fall
and early spring when Blue-winged Olives are emerging.

Original:
https://youtu.be/21Kc57URG14

Tim Flagler's version
https://youtu.be/4-1A656P3wQ


Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on August 01, 2020, 08:53:30 AM
Very likely there will be no wading for a while.....reason? I am back in the area for 10 days and that only means one thing....rain and more rain if history repeats.....hurricane, monsoons. Glad you got out before I arrived.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 01, 2020, 09:15:05 AM
Quote from: itieuglyflies on August 01, 2020, 08:53:30 AMVery likely there will be no wading for a while.....reason? I am back in the area for 10 days and that only means one thing....rain and more rain if history repeats.....hurricane, monsoons. Glad you got out before I arrived.

Tie up a bunch of those #20 RS2s!  d:b
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 10, 2020, 10:18:51 AM

August 09, 2020 #32

$101/8 = $12.63

Gas $1.95 although I passed $1.77 at Love's on the VA/NC border

Couldn't get going in the early morning.. I really hate the drive now. Indecision. Finally left home around 8, scoped out the dam area... decided to try for the 44 bridge... that was a CF with anglers all over, went back to the middle section of big springs, flat water, worked several risers who were eating midges, no luck there, put all of them down. Looked downstream, didn't see anybody down past the flats. Walked on down and damn if there weren't a couple on the far side. Went on down further. Took some punes on the dry. Then switched over to a split case/rs2 combo and whacked them for a while.

Went back up to the car ate some lunch and then hit the runs above the flat water and worked the puff daddy to risers. Caught them here and there. Watch a big fish rise and cast to it, saw it rise ever so slowly and open its mouth on the fly. Did I wait for it to turn? Hell no, I set the hook and pulled it straight out of the fishes mouth. Watched it turn and slap its tail, Damn it. Shortly after that I had the opportunity on another larger brown but put too much pepper on the set and broke that one off on 6.5x. Pune rainbows and browns continued to entertain me until my back said it had had enough and I left the water at 6:30 and it was really slowing down and I didn't think I could hang until dark. 

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


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


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


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


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



Water was low and clear. Not a cloud in the sky! Planned to wet wade, no wadersocks so I wore my wader pants and it was hot!
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Dougfish on August 10, 2020, 10:56:28 AM
Nice dedication. :cheers
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on August 10, 2020, 15:24:26 PM
Keep humping Woolly! Even a slow day is a good day.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 23, 2020, 11:16:49 AM
August 22, 2020 #36

Gas $2.09

TN Fishing License $101/9 trips  = $11.22/trip

Plan was to get to the dam as the morning pulse was receding. Stopped in at the SoHo Flyshop to check intel and pick up some comparaduns. Sign at the door says masks required and they were worn by shop rat and customers. I took my selection of four #16 flies and when they were rung up and the total was announced, I uttered, "Jesus" in exclamation on the $10.93 price.
Lot was looking packed but I found a spot, geared up, no waders, and headed on down the trail. Put in at an empty run and braced myself for the cold water. There would be no waist-deep wading today! Soon more and more angles staged up and down the river, hemming me into a short run. No bugs at first but eventually fish rose as little yaller bugs popped off.

I counted 27 anglers on the water from my spot in 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


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


I had just caught several fish in quick order, and was retying a fly when a douche walks right into the far side of my run. "Really?" I blurted out to him. "I'm going down there," he replied as he pointed to the run below. "I had fish rising right there!", I informed him as I pointed my rod a him. He walked on down and right into the middle of the fish in his claimed spot. I wanted to yell at him that if you were planning on fishing down where why didn't you walk in below me, but I bit my tongue and went back to fishing.

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


The hatch petered off the fishing slowed down. I hooked a couple of rainbows and one was pushing 16", I was going to take a photo of that one but as I brought it close to net, it fought vigorously to get under a submerged branch and broke me off.

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


The warning sirens went off at three and I worked the now deserted river and made my way back up to the parking lot passing two women in small tube rafts. They were waiting on the dam water to ride downstream. When they asked if I caught any I replied, "of course!"

"Any keepers," they inquired.

"I put them back," I replied, and then added, "sort of like women!"

That had them laughing and I wished them a safe float.

Back up at the lot it was snack time.

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


I watched the rafts and drift boats stage up in the river and at the ramps. 14 in all, perhaps more would come along a bit later. Talking to the guides they lamented that the sulfur hatch this year was pretty sparce with the exception of some major bug activity down low on the river earlier in the spring. As we talked about their drift, a four hour float to Big Springs, I mentioned that the river isn't the same as it was 20 years ago, The guide got wide-eyed and said, "20 years ago? I was born 20 years ago!" Guess that makes me an old-timer..

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


I hope to avoid weekend clusters in the future...

Ready for the next trip with a 6, 3, and 4 wt...

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


Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on August 23, 2020, 18:27:48 PM
It still amazes me that even with that kind of pressure up there it can still produce.....but 27 souls in sight, nope.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Onslow on August 23, 2020, 18:30:23 PM
Nice work!

Lotta wankin going on there.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 27, 2020, 08:32:01 AM

August 26, 2020 #37

Gas $2.09

TN Fishing License $101/10 trips  = $10.10/trip

I had been talking about hitting the SF but when they announced the soho dam would be sluicing at 350 I made a quick call to the fly shop at 3 o'clock on Tuesday to ask about conditions and the reply was, "get over here now"! There was a four-hour hatch on Monday that started at 11 and a two-hour hatch on Tuesday that ended at 5.

I arrived at 11 not wanting to take a chance missing the morning hatch if it came off. Not too crowded, a few were fishing below the grates and on down to the power lines. Grabbed some water, a couple of beers and a snack before heading down the trail.  I found a clear area and hopped in. I did wear waders this time, it would have been chilly without them.

Nothing but midges coming off in the morning.  A few fish were rising but I couldn't get them to take a bug on the surface.

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


the bank while waiting on the hatch to start and drinking the second beer that I realized that the Fantastic IPA was an imperial IPA, IIPA, at 9% ABV.
I had a slumpbuster with me and tied that on and swung it through the run for a while without attracting any fish. Oh well, I'll crack open a beer. It was only later after sitting on

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


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


Many of the anglers called it quits early, I guess the heat and lack of success drove them off the water. I couple of spin guys snuck in below me but didn't stay long. I had plenty of open water to choose from but didn't wander far from the run I had picked out.

Bugs began to pop off around 2:30 and fish were rising regularly by 3:00 and the game was on. Not a prolific hatch but enough to get a lot of fish looking up.

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


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


It was over all too soon, the bugs slowed way down and the fish stopped taking dries around 4:00

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


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


Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: itieuglyflies on August 27, 2020, 09:28:14 AM
Hopefully those $2.50 flies worked for you.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Fishbug on August 27, 2020, 10:05:36 AM
Wooly you headed there tomorrow? Have a rare Friday off and a greenlight to fish.
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 27, 2020, 10:22:16 AM
Quote from: itieuglyflies on August 27, 2020, 09:28:14 AMHopefully those $2.50 flies worked for you.

they did along with the ones I tied up.. #16 comparaduns  d:b
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Woolly Bugger on August 27, 2020, 10:23:51 AM
Quote from: Fishbug on August 27, 2020, 10:05:36 AMWooly you headed there tomorrow? Have a rare Friday off and a greenlight to fish.

don't know, long way to drive for such a short hatch... Friday will be the last day of the sluice...
Title: Re: over the hump trips!
Post by: Fishbug on August 27, 2020, 18:17:26 PM
the sluce is fishable/wadeable right?