Not what I was after, but fun nonetheless...

[AL trout bum]

My goal was to catch rock bass, that's right I said rock bass. I have never caught one, but I hear stories that it is the fish that most people can't keep off their hooks. Naturally, that meant I would struggle. Got on the water around 6am, on a Saturday  :evil: in hopes that I would beat the redneck crowds to this area. I get to the first spot and find a nice rope swing/ewok village.


I started casting around the submerged structure, bud light cans, old flip flops, and some things I couldn't identify.

Pulled this little guy out pretty quick.


Nothing after that fish. The water is surprisingly cold. The fish are definitely not active. Regardless, I decide to head farther away from the redneck footprint.

I arrive here, to nice water...


Found a nice pool just downstream.


Saw a spotted gar cruising, but he wouldn't play. I kept casting hoping to at least annoy a fish into biting. I see a red flash and I'm hooked up....


I like red breasted sunfish, probably one of my favorite panfish, but I have caught so many in the last year that I wouldn't mind a break from them.

I head back upstream and come to a some shallower water in the sun. Maybe the fish will be more active in there?


Oh, you again..


Please, something other than a redbreasted sunfish hit my fly!

Oh, well, I asked for it.


I see a nice little eddy off to the side that had some foam on top and looked to be deeper than the surrounding water.


Hmmm....well at least I caught something....


I fished down maybe a mile, then made the trek back. Caught another redbreast. :roll:



Any of you amateur botanists know what these two plants are? They were everywhere...



It was a nice morning. I caught fish, can't complain. Maybe I will get into the rock bass when it warms up some. I did see a few mr. no shoulders which made wading through grassy areas a little unnerving. I seem to have bass kryptonite every time I fish creeks or rivers. Panfish however, love me.

[benben reincarnated]

Nice chit man.  I like that ewok-esque village

I have smallie kryptonite.  Almost every time I fish the French Broad near my house I end up with mostly sunnies.

[AL trout bum]

Nice chit man.  I like that ewok-esque village

I have smallie kryptonite.  Almost every time I fish the French Broad near my house I end up with mostly sunnies.

Hell, maybe if we fished together our bad luck would cancel out! 

I did catch a panfish-sized largemouth today, damn't. 

[phlyfisher]

cool stuff man
if you really want some rock bass you can have some of ours from yankeeland....
seriously the damn things are everywhere...
but they put up a hell of a fight, so i have grown to really not mind seeing them crush my fly

[attach=1]

glad to see someone catching fish on top...its still cold as hell up here
0:0

[overbrook]

Holy freakin sheet! You look EXACTLY like Mclovin!  Thats funny as hell!  -0- -0- -0-

Good stuff ATB...those are some damn pretty fish....not a bad way to spend an afternooon at all! 

[tomato can]

That picture made me do a double take.  I believe the first plant is Mountain Laurell. I am unsure of the 2nd.

[OldDominionAngler]

Sounds like a good one.  Yeah, brookies are purty, but those are redbreasted sunnies are some of the coolest looking fish on the planet.   

[AL trout bum]

Sounds like a good one.  Yeah, brookies are purty, but those are redbreasted sunnies are some of the coolest looking fish on the planet.   

They seem to have a chip on their shoulder too, man do they fight compared to other panfish!

[tomato can]

We always called them brim; robin and the brim with the orange ear shell cracker.