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Smith-Continued

Started by 5xTippett, June 17, 2012, 16:15:23 PM

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Anadromous, creakycane and 12 Guests are viewing this topic.

Woolly Bugger

#135




Lamenting the fact that I'm too old to fish in the cold with young
whippersnappers, I decided to take the dog up to the river and see
what was hatching.  I knew that the rain from the previous day
would add a stain to the river but I didn't expect it to be chocolate.
There were no bugs in the air, nada, zilch, nothing, not even a midge.

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I dug down deep into my pack and found an articulated Sex Dungeon,
which was not much smaller than most of upper Smith River brown trout.
It was big black and nasty, tied up by a former BRFFF member, Ditch
Monkey, who is now off on another one of life's adventures, snow skiing.
The monkey boy must have been short of lead eyes, 'cause his Sex
Dungeon is more of a floater than the pattern is intended to be.  I swung
the fly into the runs and threw it up against the bank and stripped it back.
It took a little while but I finally got a trout to explode on it. I was so freaked
out that I may have stripped the fly right out of its mouth.   Encouraged that
I might actually hook one of these trout, I continued to toss the streamer.
Five more fish blew up on that fly. Maybe the hooks were too big for them,
but it was fun just watching them go nuts for the big fly. I worked the short
stretch of my favorite water, then drank a beer and started over again.

It was getting late and I wanted to hit a run on the lower river at dusk during
falling water, so I pulled out and we headed on downstream. It was just after
sunset when I started wading down to the run. I was freaked out by the lack
of water, they are now, for some unknown reason, turning the water off to a dribble.

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Despite the full moon, it was impossible to see the fly hit the water and I wasn't
sure how close I was getting to the far bank, but I hoped that I was close enough.
I worked the run and came up empty. That low water was most likely the problem.

The next day I was still thinking about those fish and decided to go back for some
more punishment that the Smith River can serve up so well. I got away much later
than had hoped too and I had to stop at the Citgo to pick up some barley pops.

The water had cleared and was back down to its normal low level, the sky was cloudy
and it was perfect conditions for a BWO hatch. All I saw were a few midges. I hate
nymphing this water and I reluctantly tied on a #22 bwo emerger trailed by a #22 RS2. 
Worked the water, nothing. Fished till five when the water was expected to come up
and hit the trail. Another Tar Heel in the parking lot picked off four fish on a stonefly
pattern, in the riffles upstream from where I was, go figure. I should have hit the
lower river instead.... Next time!
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!

Beetle

Sounds like the Sex Dungeon needs a stinger hook trailing behind.   Jis sayin....

consumnfire1229

The weather forecast changed a bit today and i thought about trying the smith this afternoon.  I'm glad I stayed close to home. 
"Thou shalt know thy waters and be wise about those things upon which thy prey doth feed."  4th Commandment of The Eleven Commandments from the Curtis Creek Manifesto

Woolly Bugger

Quote from: Beetle on December 29, 2012, 16:39:49 PM
Sounds like the Sex Dungeon needs a stinger hook trailing behind.   Jis sayin....

stinger, xtra sharp, already included...


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!

_Fish_Pimp

Quote from: Woolly Bugger on December 29, 2012, 16:49:17 PM
Quote from: Beetle on December 29, 2012, 16:39:49 PM
Sounds like the Sex Dungeon needs a stinger hook trailing behind.   Jis sayin....

stinger, xtra sharp, already included...




Tie anothernnn' on it!  <-;:
the more hooks the better!!

Dougfish

"The next day I was still thinking about those fish and decided to go back for some
more punishment that the Smith River can serve up so well."

I'm due to go back for my continued punishment, also. b'; :;!

consumnfire1229

I went out for some Smith River punishment today, only because I couldn't stand to sit in the house.  I decided on the way that I would fish in town.  Most people I know would consider me crazy for getting out in upper 30 degree weather with 15 mph winds just to catch some fish.  If they only knew!  When I got in town, I couldn't find a place to park.  They stocked the lower section of the Smith a little over a week ago, but people were still out trying to put some food on the table.  I rolled my first loop at 2:30 and was back home by 4:45.  I caught two stockers and called it quits.  I only wore one pair of thin socks and my feet would beginning to burn from the cold.  No pictures because my battery was dead, but you guys don't care about stockers...neither do I...
"Thou shalt know thy waters and be wise about those things upon which thy prey doth feed."  4th Commandment of The Eleven Commandments from the Curtis Creek Manifesto

gonephishin'

I also spent about 2 hours on the lower river yesterday and got skunked. No insect activity whatsoever, water was better than it had been lately but still pretty low. I did happen to see a crayfish and a dink fleeting towards the dam. After 2 hours of nothing and 30+ mph wind gust i cut my losses and headed home to drink my misery away! b';
"Eat, drink, and be merry....for tomorrow we die"

gonephishin'

Another day on the Smith....fished the upper and caught 3, one decent sized, nothing to go on and on about, just good to get out for a while. First time out since the birth of my daughter 3 weeks ago.
"Eat, drink, and be merry....for tomorrow we die"

gonephishin'

BTW, thats no kung fu grip on the last fish, just making sure he didnt slip away! ;D
"Eat, drink, and be merry....for tomorrow we die"

5xTippett

That first brown is nice!

Dougfish

Good on you. Glad you got out. My turn on the bitch tomorrow afternoon.  :-*

22midge

top of the pools under the white water........stoneflies
never let a day go by without telling your children how special they are----make a child smile today and gain a friend for life

gonephishin'

A couple more hours on the Smith today....3 of the typical 8/9 inch browns, not even worth posting pics. Most interesting event was on my way back to the car, i happen to see a large amount of activity under a tree on the far side of the river....instead of seeing the large rock infront of me and i took a swim! Brrrrrr
"Eat, drink, and be merry....for tomorrow we die"

consumnfire1229

Woke up at normal time this morning even though I was off of work.  My body is a finely tuned machine, at least when it comes to what time it is in the morning.  I initially planned to play golf today, but with the recent snow all of the local courses were closed or wouldn't allow carts. 

Wind was in the forecast, but for the most part it was calm outside.  They were supposed to generate from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m., but at 9:15 a.m. the Bassett gauge was showing close to 800 cfs.  So I sat here on the couch waiting for USGS to update.  At 11:30, the Bassett gauge was still reporting a 9:15 a.m. level.  The Philpott guage was showing 60 cfs, so I took a chance and headed out.

When I got to the river, I was pleasantly surprised.  Water was a bit high, but it was off color.

[attach=1]

I decided to bounce around, "hot spotting" if you will.  I felt just like a "baiter".  I saw maybe 2 midges and 1 winter stone fly.  Bug activity was zip.  I didn't see the first rise, so I decided to fish with gas (AKA, nymphs). 

I moved my way into an area that I knew didn't see much pressure.  People fish it, but not like other areas of the river.  I tied on a winter stone fly pattern to use as an indicator and first cast a little brown came up from the depths and nailed it.  A few moments later about 6 feet to my right, a violent rise grabbed my attention.  It was one those places were you wouldn't expect a fish to be.  No cover, no nothing.  I decided to drift my winter stone fly by him, "WHAM!"

Little fella, but still a joy to catch.

[attach=2]

[attach=3]

People throw the most random stuff in this river.

[attach=4]

Really?  A remote?

I only was out from about 12 until 3.  It was good to get out instead of being shut up in the house.

"Thou shalt know thy waters and be wise about those things upon which thy prey doth feed."  4th Commandment of The Eleven Commandments from the Curtis Creek Manifesto