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#31

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 10, 2024, 14:19:09 PM

#24 -- 35 Gas $3.29 Sunny and warm 70s

With just one NC truck in the lot I was surprised to see three anglers fishing below me on a Sunday afternoon. I had struck out on the first run I encountered, there were a couple of risers up against a long on the far side, but I just couldn't get a good angle to get a decent drift in front of them.



I the next spot where I spied the anglers, two at first, but later joined by the third, I did swing up some fish, but unfortunately, they unbuttoned as they jumped clear of the water.

The "Rod of the Day", was a St. Croix 7'8" Legend Ultra 3 wt., I chose it because I wasn't expecting it to be too windy and it has a fast enough action to drive the fly under the rhodo.



The three amigos were staying close to the bank and didn't venture out into the middle, they were casting bobber rigs and reported "We've caught 100s" in jest. Truth was they hadn't had much success, but were enjoying the day away from their homes in Riedsville.

They hadn't been down further than the bottom of the trestle pool, my next stop. I chose to take a beer break and "rest the water" . I made three passes through the pool and brought about a dozen fish to hand. They were just punes but pretty.



I stayed fairly late and caught a couple more in some of the other usual spots.

#32

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by trout-r-us - April 07, 2024, 13:40:11 PM

#24 -- 34 Partly cloudy, windy and low 50s

I had read about this access, so I went to check it out.

Woolly, do you happen to know the area code for that number? I tried a couple of the local ones from up that way, without any success.

#33

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Onslow - April 07, 2024, 07:03:19 AM

Wow.  Trout Lillies have been gone here for 2 weeks and Redbuds are in pedal fall at west Surry/ east Wikes.

#34

Local Trip Reports / Re: Smith-Continued

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 06, 2024, 20:51:06 PM

#24 -- 34 Partly cloudy, windy and low 50s

I usually stop at the bort ramp to check the raft traffic and checkup on mom on the phone before I loose good cell service. A spin angler was fishing the run wearing camo boot foot waters and sporting a ghost net. He caught a pune, well hooked with the treble of the lure. He held it up on the end of the line and took photo afer photo of it dangling on the line and then and took about two minutes to unhook and release. I tried to see if it floated downstream, but I couldn't see from inside the car. He then, looked at his photos and, I assume, posted a picture to social media. He then got out after that for some reason, went back to his car and fiddled with his gear. I drove on.



The lot was empty, probably because most anglers were smart enough not to fight the wind. I took the RPL+ 4 wt, to fight the wind, but I kinda messed up by grabbing the wrong reel which had a 3 wf line. I strung up the rod and tested in on the grass and was pleasantly surprised that the RPL+ would punch the line through the wind.

The redbud is out and it looks like somebody drove part way into the field, perhaps to count hay bails?? I don't know.





There are a few late blooming Trout Lilies around, and the Trillium are starting to take over.





I'm going to try and fish a different rod each trip for until I got through all the mid to light weight rods and I started with the RPL+



I figured that it would be useless to nymph with the whipping wind, which had hold onto your hat gusts. Of course the wind was blowing straight down the river. I saw a few scattered mayflies and I may have seen a trout or two rise. I went with the usual soft hackle and swung up a handful or so.



Finally the wind was too much for me to deal with and I headed back.

I stopped in at the boat ramp and watch the show going on. Three anglers in the run, a truck from Maryland with rod carries. The usual assortment of bait and spin guy down at the honey hole.

The fly anglers in the bottom of the run came back up arm in arm against the strong current. The father and son, from Maryland stuck up a conversation with the local spin guy and the talk turned to stocking schedule, 10 pound rainbows, and powerbait.

The father and son headed on down to the big hole at the end of the road, when the passed the back of my stickered up CR-V, the dad commented, "You're a fly fisherman too? What works here?" I told him that I used soft hckles and he looked puzzled and showed me a black woolly bugger tied on the end of his line, "That'll work!" They headed down the path and I headed on down the road.


I had read about this access, so I went to check it out.



The highlights of the day were listening to a hawk cry out on the walk in, and as I was standing in a run, I saw a bald eagle fly up the river and then, as it approached, it veered off and up over the trees. Pretty cool. Also, the usual palliated woodpeckers calling out. lost the last of my orange and partridges, so Saturday had to be a fly-tying day and I wasn't wanting to deal with any more wind for a while.

#35

The Gravel Bar / mashed the wrong button

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 06, 2024, 11:03:36 AM

an upgrade fubared the forum...

it's going to be a while before I add all the mods back and change things back to the way they were 


- The Bossman
- Low Rent Forum

#36

Local Trip Reports / Re: Is it April 15th yet?

Last post by Woolly Bugger - April 06, 2024, 09:31:20 AM

Nice work! I guess you'll have to return those taxes for signatures and what not, maybe file extensions, and make two or three more trips...     

#37

Local Trip Reports / Re: Is it April 15th yet?

Last post by Phil - April 05, 2024, 15:31:24 PM

I'd be happy to do that guy's taxes for the opportunity to fish his stream!

#38

Local Trip Reports / Re: Is it April 15th yet?

Last post by Big J - April 05, 2024, 13:50:55 PM

Is that an outdoor research shirt you are wearing?

No, it's some cheapo flannel jacket.

#39

Local Trip Reports / Re: Is it April 15th yet?

Last post by The Dude - April 05, 2024, 08:42:13 AM

Is that an outdoor research shirt you are wearing?

#40

Local Trip Reports / Is it April 15th yet?

Last post by Big J - April 05, 2024, 08:33:43 AM

Tax client's health hasn't been the greatest (90's) so I offered to come grab his tax documents for a couple hours of fishing his trout stream.  Arrived at his place in the morning.  Talked half the time about taxes and other half about his life, farming, and fermenting practices.  Fermenting talk led to him giving me some 3 year old fermented ramps which were surprisingly not bad.  Headed down to the stream in sideways blowing sleet and realized wet wading was a stupid decision but away I went.  Sleet and rain was sporadic in the next 2 hours, but fish bite was constant.  Best day I've had there with probably 40 plus fish in that short time period.  Extra water in the stream helped.




The mill stones












Stocker surprised me.  Fish was a good ways from stocked waters.