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#1

Warm Water Species / Re: Strange creatures in the J...

Last post by itieuglyflies - April 17, 2024, 15:27:04 PM

The Lampreys seem to be much more active at night...strange looking critters. We are at prespawn time for the blue cats and they are very active.

#2

Warm Water Species / Re: Strange creatures in the J...

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 17, 2024, 14:42:24 PM

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#3

Warm Water Species / Re: Strange creatures in the J...

Last post by brownhunter - April 17, 2024, 12:35:22 PM

Was checking this out about 1:30 this afternoon and a bunch of catfish were on the screen. Some quite large, but that was all I could make out. Water was still quite brown and stained.

#4

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by JCB3 - April 17, 2024, 11:01:32 AM

The Smith River TU chapter is having a cleanup day
April 20th. It'll be a road & or river clean up. We'll
meet at 9am, go to 12pm. Bassett Canoe Access,
271 Trent Hill Dr.
(Off Route 57 E. In Bassett)

The Cub Scouts from Oak Ridge will be helping, so come lend them a hand on cleaning the river we all fish.

#5

Warm Water Species / Strange creatures in the James...

Last post by itieuglyflies - April 17, 2024, 06:53:39 AM

The James has been up and down this Spring and has limited shad/striper fishing due to high and muddy water. In addition to watching the gauges,I often look at the camera at the Bosher Dam fish ladder located just upstream of Richmond to check on water clarity.

Right now the river is high and muddy but large numbers of sea lampreys are moving through the system along with Blue Catfish (a few in the 20lb and larger size). Before the camera I never dreamed these weird creatures even existed in the river! (and no Woolly,I have never taken one on a fly)

If interested in looking at what appears to be a blank brown window go to https://dwr.virginia.gov/shad-cam/ . There seems to be more action at night but for me better than most TV. (once I saw an otter go through!)

#6

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 16, 2024, 07:52:52 AM

#24 -- 40 Is it summer yet? 83 degrees, gas $3.56!

Driving in, there was a police presence at various points along the river below the CVS and I wondered what was up with that. There was a lot of activity at the Basset Rescue Squad too.




With the heat and the tick hatch I couldn't face walking the field, so I drove up to the damn dam for a look see and was surprised to see the low flow valves cut off. I thought that was a bit odd. I couldn't get motivated to fish and just drove around a bit while listening to the latest episode of , part 2 of "All Along the Watchtower"


Finally it was fish or go home, so I pulled into to a roadside attraction, took the 2 wt out and began to swing through the run. I got a bunch of grabs and brought three to hand, when I guy up on the bank hollers down to me, "Is that your car over there," pointing to my CRV. Is it okay to park there?" he asked. He was looking for places to fish didn't know where to access the river and he also asked about the "generation" So this was a fairly long conversation shouting across the sounds of the rushing water. He thanked me and moved on, while I finished working that section.

I moved upstream a bit and got into a number of fish, all brown trout, if I caught a rainbow it would have become bird food, but I put all the browns back.



I fished on until the heat of the evening left me parched and I headed out for a beer!

As noted above the authorities were searching for a missing person, not a fisherman or a boater. Speaking of boats, there were some rafts about and a few kayakers too. Hillside work continues up at the damn dam and they are still looking to bring the damn dam back online in 2025/26, fish it while the current conditions continue 'cause once they complete the work it'll got back to an all (1400 cfs) or nothing (80 cfs) peak power generation.

#7

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 15, 2024, 19:15:06 PM

They cut the low flow valves off today to search for a missing person, an elderly black man who was seen near one of the bridges — search was performed, nothing was found. Flows will increase to 440 for sometime to reduce lake level

#8

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by creakycane - April 15, 2024, 17:16:59 PM

Beautiful Monday, a bit too hot.  Fishing I found slow compared the the last few weeks, but a few stoneflies and mayflies around.  They jumped it up a bit this afternoon, so be careful wading if you try this week.   2 trucks with trailers in Bassett, a few kayakers and a couple of anglers. 

[Question, do you think KRTB caught any fish?]

#9

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 15, 2024, 08:21:59 AM

#24 -- 39 Mid to upper 70s and sunny with scattered cloud

Driving by the takeout I was a bit surprised to see the lot full of trailers. Troutbros and guides!



There was only one trailer at teh devil bridge, I think it was EJ's. Busy day of the river with kayaks too.

I was expecting a crowd, but the MP lot was empty and as I geared up, I found this critter on my waders from yesterday. A pair of war birds flew up the river. The situation in the Middle East is troubling especially after listening to Dan Carlin's interview with the author of Nuclear War.



A pair of war birds flew up the river. The situation in the Middle East is troubling especially after listening to Dan Carlin's interview with the author of Nuclear War.

Just as I was ready to leave a F150 King Ranch with Georgia TU tags, pulls along and backs in next to me. You guessed it, it was one of the assholes from August, as he got out I said, "Hey asshole!" in my mind, but kept my mouth shut. He was all business; I think he might have known who I was.

Across the field and down the path and into cold water.



I sat down on the bench to cut and retie my tippet and saw a pair of tick racing up my waders -- little fuckers.



I swung up some fish and moved on down to big pine where I saw the King Ranch Troutbro (KRTB) working the trestle pool. I didn't see him pass me on the trail, he may have walked the tracks.

After catching a few more fish I went on down to the next bench and had a beer, thinking that the troutbro would move on up through the pool.



this NoDa IPA was impressively fresh tasting with a robust hoppiness!


I checked on KRTB, he was still in the same spot in the middle of the pool. I decided to go down around the bend. The water was a little pushy at 415, but I got down there ok. Swung up a fish or two but the water is really moving though that pool at this flow. Went dark and rigged up with some nymphs and split shot. It tood a bit but a got into fish in a lower run, one of which was a stockerbow who was a little beefier than the wild browns.



I spent about an hour down there and then headed back to retrieve my cooler that I left on the bank. It was a bit of work for me to get back up against the flow and I don't think I'll head back down there until the water drops to a manageable level for me.

KRTB was pretty much in the same spot flailing away. I sat down and popped a beer and watched the troutbro cast and cast, I wanted to yell out, "Too much wrist!" but started filming instead.

Question, do you think KRTB caught any fish?

I finished that beer, but the show wasn't over and I popped open another beer. EJ came down with a dude in the bow and he asked me if I had a spare beer, last one I said.  He then aske how it was going and if I had seen any March Browns? I had not! He's thinking they'll be out in another week or so.

I moved back up to the bench to cut and retie. KRTB came wading by, didn't say a word, interestingly he was carrying two rod tubes. He settled in at the tail of the LH pool and I headed up a ways, and swung up my last fish of the day.



Shadows of birds were crisscrossingg the river all day, most were the usual buzzards, but this time when I looked up it was a bald eagle.

Back at the lot the King Ranch the the GA Troutbro were gong. I checked my waders for ticks and then headed for home.

#10

Warm Water Species / Re: Another Annual Trip to Sha...

Last post by driver - April 14, 2024, 11:20:31 AM

I should also mention the fish of the day. I had quite the battle with a one fish that was difficult to bring in. Could it have been a large striper? Time revealed that it was a Quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus), also known as the quillback carpsucker that was foul hooked in the motor, right behind the dorsal fin!

I also caught and released one blueback herring.

I foul hooked a Quillback fishing for stripers once. I thought I had a 20lb striper on. I was very disappointed.