Smith River Debrief (and dethaw)

[Beetle]

Woolly was nice enough to let me tag along today to the Smith.  We started out at Krankies Coffee in Winston and were headed north by 8 am.



We stopped at Sheetz to fill up ($1.59) and get into one car.  From there it was a quick trip over to Bassett.  Woolly showed me a lot of haunts, hollows and spots to fish on the way.  We got to our spot and started to rig in the chilly foothills air (Probably around 20 this morning)



This was my first trip to the Smith and I am really glad I got to go.  It is a beautiful river and the solitude was most relaxing (sans some choice words from Woolly about certain fish!).  We got in the water just as the generation was coming down and started to see some risers.  Woolly was kind enough to help me with some patterns so I wasn't flying totally blind.  I headed up river and Woolly worked a stretch with nice currents and deep pools.



I fished the midges on top for a while but soon started mining the depths hoping to lure something to my net.  We were fishing the special regs section and the fish I saw seemed pretty wary of old guys wielding fly rods.  I soon got frustrated and went to my confidence builder- the Woolly Bugger!  I immediately got some action and caught a dink.  After a while I head downstream to find the human Woolly hooked up with a nice brownie.



I was impressed with how hard this fish fought and was really stunned by his markings and colors.



The sun started peaking through around 11 and we split up again.  I headed downstream to some flats and riffles and started noticing risers.  They were sipping midges and I saw a few nice heads bob up.  Around noon- I saw the prettiest little sailboat come sailing down the river.  I picked it up and it was a beautiful size 20 BWO with medium dun wings.  A sight for sore eyes indeed.  I switched to a CDC comparadun and got some risers and a few takers but nothing connected.  It was fun regardless.

I reconnected with WB around 1 and we headed towards home- but not before Bad Elf made another appearance.



0--0



I cannot believe I have never fished this river.  Woolly was gracious to let me tag along and pick his brain on the way.  I look forward to returning sometime soon (hopefully when it is a tad bit warmer).

[troutphisher]

Nice way to spend the day! and fine way to end the fishing, with a cold one.
Good work gents.

Tomorrow, I head out into the cold/rain.........Oh ya!

[Woolly Bugger]

I planned to go fishing today based on it being the "best" day of the week based upon the weather forecast.  It dipped down into the low 20s and may have been in the upper teens on the stream. Beetle met me @ Krankies. We arrived at the river just as the water was falling from the early release. We were hoping to be greeted by hungry fish sipping midges, but that wasn't the case. There were only a few sporadic risers and they couldn't be induced to rise to a greased lightening fly. Ice was forming in the guides of the Limestone as I stripped the line in, my fingers numb and burning from the cold. A fog hug just above the river and a heavy frost covered the streamside shrubbery. I missed one strike as it occurred in the middle of a mend. Beetle, who was fishing this river for the first time, moved upstream and I moved down to the riffles.

I switched to some midge nymphs and worked them through the runs without any luck. I changed patterns often and finally hooked a feisty brown on a flymph. The fish dove to the bottom and got off leaving me hooked into a rock. The sun was now just above the ridge. John came back down and watched as I landed a small brown on the flymph. He reported catching a small rainbow on a woolly bugger, but was going to move on downstream and check out some different water. Before he could get up the bank I called out, "Now that's what I'm talking about!" I had a nice 10" Smith River brown trout on the line. Bringing this fish to net was almost as much fun as the 24" brute that I had caught last Saturday in Tennessee. Beetle came back down and took a couple of photos and then was off again as I released the fish back into the cold flow of the river.

We fished for another hour and  a half before we departed back into the world of work. We were glad to have made the trip, enduring the cold, knowing that we were the only ones to brave the weather and fish this stretch of the river today.

[flatlander]

You both suck!  Woolly, did you get a haircut?

[walt]

nice day guys.... thanks fer sharin'.

walt

[Woolly Bugger]

you didn't hear about the day after thanksgiving ...??

[walt]

floyd's day off?

[attachment=1]

;hb

[Beetle]

Woolly definitely got clipped and dipped.      I almost didn't recognize him!

WB- I really didn't thaw out until around 4 pm yesterday.  I will dress more appropriately next time.  Even several layers of blubber and fleece could not fend off that cold.  

[9ft4wt]

How is that Bad Elf? Somohow seems a fitting brew for Wb. My daughter says it is made just a few blocks away from her in harrisburg, PA. Have not been able to find it here in richmond. though apparently total wine did have some at one point but were sold out by the time i went looking for it

if it gets the WB seal of approval, i may ask my daughter to pick me up a selection when she comes back home for Christmas.

9ft4wt

[Trout Maharishi]

Woowee looks almost looks respectable, the shifty eyes still give him away  . As much as I love cold beer you can have it when it's that cold after standing in ice water all day Oh yea, y'all both still suck

[Woolly Bugger]

How is that Bad Elf? Somohow seems a fitting brew for Wb. My daughter says it is made just a few blocks away from her in harrisburg, PA. Have not been able to find it here in richmond. though apparently total wine did have some at one point but were sold out by the time i went looking for it

if it gets the WB seal of approval, i may ask my daughter to pick me up a selection when she comes back home for Christmas.

9ft4wt

I like the Bad Elf! 6% in a 50cl bottle is a good bit of beer! Just a hint of winter spice/fruit, smooth not hoppy it has a fine amber color and goes down good!

It's brewed in England http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp

He has an evil cousin; Seriously Bad Elf at 9%. Total wine doesn't carry it, but I've found it at our City Beverage http://www.citybeverage.com/

[walt]

He has an evil cousin; Seriously Bad Elf at 9%. Total wine doesn't carry it, but I've found it at our City Beverage http://www.citybeverage.com/

ya know wb, a man could walk into WCO with a case of that stuff and have some serious barterin' power  0--0

[Fire-Fly]

Sounds like ya'll had a good day on the Smith, Beetle glad you were able to fish the river, come bck in the spring the rivers offers more then.

[9ft4wt]

It's brewed in England http://www.sheltonbrothers.com/beers/beerProfile.asp

Shows what my daughter knows about beer. She is a wine drinker, anyway. unless she is drinking my beer and doesn't have to pay for it.

9ft4wt

[flatlander]

LOL.  Kyle won't be able to refer to you as that " hippie looking feller" anymore.

What are all these tubular shaped creatures you guys keep posting pictures of anyway?  I thought this was a political board.

Man I need to go fishing.  o-o