Recent posts

#1

The Gravel Bar / Re: Video of the day

Last post by Woolly Bugger - Today at 10:12:43 AM

#2

Warm Water Species / Re: Shad 2023

Last post by Onslow - Today at 07:09:28 AM

Spring is still young.  Hope circumstances improve.

#3

The Gravel Bar / Re: Al has a new ride!

Last post by trout-r-us - Today at 04:58:49 AM

Neat set-up Al.

Have fun & be safe.

#4

The Gravel Bar / Al has a new ride!

Last post by Al - March 19, 2023, 18:55:32 PM

It has been awhile and I know I said I'd be here more but I'm still reassessing my new situation. I know others here have gone through it and I'm sure they will agree it is not easy. BUT that's not why I'm here -

At 83 years old my balance is not what it used to be so my wading days are over. I'm also not as strong as I used to be so the 12 foot Jon Boat I used to have at a favorite bass pond was getting to be to much if I was by myself so I sold it and now have a new boat.

Here she is. It's an 8 foot Baby Bass Hunter.  I still getting it "tricked out" but so far I like it. Definitely much easier to handle.  It will take two people but so far it's only been me.
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What I really like about it is that it comes with wheels on back which means you can pull it around like luggage at the airport
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Here's what she looks like when I'm getting ready to go fishing
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I'm lucky that I've met someone who lives on a 35 acre lake - bass are on the small size but seem plentiful. Reports of bream, crappie, catfish and carp have not been confirmed but I'm working at it.

More to follow ......................

   

#5

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by JCB3 - March 19, 2023, 17:47:55 PM

Funny you mentioned trash. I reached out to 2 different people who "organize" clean ups if I could make a post on FBook to try & recruit any kayakers or people who fish the smith, no reply. I got the feeling I was somewhat encroaching on them. All I wanted to do was try get more hands to help clean up the river. That they float or fish in. I'll just do my tiny part & move along. 🤷🏻�♂️
It does amaze me how much litter & trash even on the upper, tires, wheel chair wheels, keystone light cans, etc.

SRTU has 4 cleanups/year.  smithrivertu@gmail.com to get on the email list.

I reached out to the people that organize it. Wouldn't that be the SRTU...? I offered to help rally some troops, it was basically a waste of my time & theirs too. It's funny how other watersheds get a lot of participation From their anglers & the smith gets maybe 4. Obviously what they are doing, isn't working too well. Never mind trying to help.

#6

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Dougfish - March 19, 2023, 17:00:46 PM

Funny you mentioned trash. I reached out to 2 different people who "organize" clean ups if I could make a post on FBook to try & recruit any kayakers or people who fish the smith, no reply. I got the feeling I was somewhat encroaching on them. All I wanted to do was try get more hands to help clean up the river. That they float or fish in. I'll just do my tiny part & move along. 🤷🏻�♂️
It does amaze me how much litter & trash even on the upper, tires, wheel chair wheels, keystone light cans, etc.

SRTU has 4 cleanups/year.  smithrivertu@gmail.com to get on the email list.

#7

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by JCB3 - March 19, 2023, 16:11:44 PM

Town was littered with people. Trash everywhere. Spoons and eggs in the trees.

Funny you mentioned trash. I reached out to 2 different people who "organize" clean ups if I could make a post on FBook to try & recruit any kayakers or people who fish the smith, no reply. I got the feeling I was somewhat encroaching on them. All I wanted to do was try get more hands to help clean up the river. That they float or fish in. I'll just do my tiny part & move along. 🤷🏻�♂️
It does amaze me how much litter & trash even on the upper, tires, wheel chair wheels, keystone light cans, etc.

#8

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 19, 2023, 12:52:51 PM

Town was littered with people. Trash everywhere. Spoons and eggs in the trees.

Yeah, I saw the stocking truck go by the other day!

#9

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - March 19, 2023, 10:52:11 AM

#23-17  Windy, very windy and sunny in the 50s, did i mention the wind...

Got off to a late start and arrived to find a multitude of vehicles in the lot. A father and son were gearing up and I went to work getting ready without saying hello. Despite them having a good head start, I managed to beat them out of the lot. I headed to the lower part of the field and when I looked back, I saw them approaching Sally's.

I headed on down the trail, stopping along the way to check for rising fish and scan the surface of the water for hatching bugs. None were found. It was well after 1 o'clock and the sun was high casting harsh shadows on the forest floor. I passed the left handed pool and saw a pair of anglers down below. I wasn't sure which way they were fishing, the women was sitting on the bank dressed in knit hat, her blond hair blowing in the wind stood out like a strike indicator, and the man way casting a bobber rig down below. I stopped and asked which way they were fishing. She turned to answer, she looked older than I had initially guessed from the back of her head, "We're moving down, slowly down stream. Very slowly".

I said that I would jump in on down a ways. I left the Trestle Pool for them and headed for the lower pool, half way across the river I saw a trout bro nymphing pocket water and catching a few dinks. I was now sandwiched between anglers, stuck on marginal water.  I swung flies for a while but the fish weren't interested. I got out and headed to a spot to drink beer and wait for some surface action.

I was upstream of the couple, looking at a deep pool, I rigged up some nymphs and got ready to wade across to the pool. The couple abandoned the pool and dissappeared into the woods. I assume they hiked out on the tracks as I didn't see them pass on the trail.
I was enjoying the last of my beer when I saw a flycraft coming down. I hopped in to protect my pool. I fought the wind and was frustrated as it blew harder and harder. The floatyboat passed behind me and they anchored up in the now vacant pool below. They flogged the water for a while and finally left.

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I decided to take some pictures and have another beer.

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I went back to fishing and stayed till about seven, I only caught one pune and had a half dozen grabs on the soft hackle.
The parking lot had emptied out and I was the last to leave. Weekends, arggg....

#10

The Gravel Bar / Re: Unlimited Wokeness

Last post by Trout Maharishi - March 18, 2023, 20:01:24 PM

I never understood when we were tearing down statues why we didn't get to these.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monuments_in_the_United_States_to_Nazi_collaborators