Seeking trout advice

This is about the mid point of my most frequent trout fishing float. The Hooch is flowing right to left. There are fish located at the 2 o'clock through the 8 o'clock positions. I know these because of fish caught and strikes missed. The area to the left of the rock outcropping is a large eddie pool that is fairly deep (10 ft. or better) with some down trees and other structure in the pool. In all the time I have fished here I have only caught one fish from the pool, I do not see fish rise there. I would think they would feed off hoppers from the field adjacent and other bugs from the trees and brush along the bank. In my mind there should be fish in the pool, maybe some large fish in the pool. What are you suggestions in dragging that hawg out of there?

The little current shown on the right, that's just enough to flip a float tube with about 230 lbs. sitting on it.

Attachment 11486

I would try a deep nymph but, you say there is structure in there so try at the edges of the pool with a deep nymph or streamers down deep

Jesse,

I will make an attempt at this and understand that this is just what I would attempt and it may not work. First, there are fish at the 2 to 8 positions because of more oxygen and food coming in from the "float tube eating" current.

I am not sure that the fish in the deeper hole need to come up for food because the current is bringing plenty of food to them down deeper. If this is an eddy formed by the current, that means that water coming from the right past the point of rocks is circling back on the opposite side of the rock point and forming an eddy and since this hole is deeper, food is circling down deeper. If I was there and presented with this, I would probably tie on one of my weighted flymphs and cast it up into the current and allow the current to carry the flymph down past the rock point and you should notice that the fly line will stop and start to circle back into the eddy. When this is noticed, you should mend some line upstream to allow the reverse current to pull your fly up and into the eddy. I would make sure there is enough fly line out so the flymph can be carried to the fish in the deeper pool. If it is a true eddy, the current will also drive the flymph down deeper as well as carry it back upstream into the eddy. If there is trash in the eddy, it should be close to the bottom and I feel the fish will rise from the trash and take the flymph and if the hole is 10 foot deelp, you may not see the fish take the fly, but, your fly line should let you know if you watch it closely. If I was there to actually see this situation, I may tackle it differently, but, from the picture and your description, the above is what I would try.

Now for the problem with sunken logs and brush, that is why you tie your own flies.

I added a few graphics to better explain; there are really two eddy pools a smaller one just off the tip of the outcropping and a larger, slower current that comes up the bank. In my mind there should be fish in the center of the larger pool.

I added a few graphics to better explain; there are really two eddy pools a smaller one just off the tip of the outcropping and a larger, slower current that comes up the bank. In my mind there should be fish in the center of the larger pool.Attachment 11489

Actively feeding fish may move from the hole to the edges of the shallows around the rocks where you have caught them before. Those foam lines represent a constant source of feed which the fish will use as a feeding station while retreating to the safety of the deeper water when disturbed. If I were to try to fish the eddies I would use a weighted streamer. Cast it near the hole from above and mend to let the current carry it into the hole. Then take up the slack and let the current swim it out and across. This method seems to work best at first light when the big night feeders are still active.

Without being there and not knowing the water temperature, I would guess that the smaller eddy would hold the most trout because it gives the best ambush location for food coming from the "tuber eating current". If the water temperature is in the upper 60's, I would guess the larger pool would hold warm water species such as bass. Water temperature, in this situation, would play an important part. Sure wish I could be there to test out my suggestions.

This is approximately 8 miles from the spillway from Lake Lanier, this water very rarely if ever see's high 60's degree level. Water stays from low to mid 40's to mid 50's, low 60's in the hottest part of summer. I have never heard of a bass being caught from this part of the river, I have caught bluegill further south.

I have seen a big white carp in the river it may have a friend in the larger pool. It just does not make sense to me for there not to be fish in the slow current with food from the brush and trees in the summer.

Jesse,

Just some food for you to chew on.....2 weeks ago the air temperature here was around 45 degrees and the water temperature was around the upper 40's low 50's. I was around 800 yards below the generation dam and caught 7 trout and one Kentucky Bass! Don't ever think that there cannot be bass in cold water. They will be very sluggish, but, put the fly in front of them and they will eat. Are there any smallmouth bass in this river anywhere? They do like cold water and will spawn when the water temperature is in the low 60's. The next trip you make to this spot, try using some larger flies like a weighted olive bugger in size 6 or 8 in the larger eddy. You just might get surprised what is in there.

Warren, If there were any smallmouth, I would not be chasing trout. Roughly 40 miles from the dam at Lake Lanier is another smaller dam at a location called Morgans Falls. Before that dam there are shoal bass and part of the year there are striped bass (the saltwater natives) This section is a delayed harvest that offers good trout fishing this time of year, in the summer the stripers and warm weather do in many of the trout that don't get caught. I didn't say there weren't any bass, just I never heard of anyone catching them. Suwanee Creek empties into the river about a mile further downstream. I am sure some bass and bream enter the river or hang out around there. During the summer it probably heats up the water quite a bit after a rain, it certainly muddies it up.

Uncle Jesse,

My initial thoughts are there should be more than one fish in that deep hole/run of water. I also wonder if you are getting the flies to the bottom quick enough. A nymph with a 2.0 or 2.5mm tungsten bead will get down but will take some time and presumably be passing over the top of some fish. I have a friend who ties what he refers to as a depth charge. It's a stonefly nymph pattern that uses a 3.5 and a 3.0 tungsten bead. I fished this fly in Cherokee where the water was deep and kinda fast. It worked. I also dropped a small soft hackle or midge pattern of the depth charge and was very successful with that. If the submeged trees have you concerned you can always close the hook or cut off the gap of the depth charge and just fish whatever you have as a dropper pattern. Instead of tying off on back of the hook you can tie he dropper off the eye. Good luck!

Uncle Jesse, I would probably try working a streamer, leech, bugger, etc... around the area between the two eddys. In effect, I would treat like over-sized pocket water. I might even cast into one eddy and retrieve into or through the other. I would also listen closely to Warren, who has a habit of knowing what he talks about.

Ed

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by EdD

I would also listen closely to Warren, who has a habit of knowing what he talks about. Ed

---

Actually I find most of the information I get from the great state of Tennessee is reliable, you just have to know when to add salt.