Iowa Smallies

[FishnDave]

Despite nearly saturated ground and following an overnight/morning rainstorm, I was alarmed that this small river was actually wadeable. This river has pretty much dried up a couple times during the summers in the last 4 years. By the looks of this, it will do so again this year. But for now, it was nicely wadeable and the fishing was as good as I've seen it, in terms of sheer numbers.
I flyfished for 5.5 hours and waded 0.75 miles of stream. I caught 42 Smallies, 3 Creek Chubs (a first on the fly rod for me), 2 Largemouth Bass, and one Green Sunfish.
Some of the fish came on a beadhead gold Woolly Bugger, but most of the fish were caught on an FC Pearl Shiner I had tied.






I got to watch a wild Turkey fly out of the top of a large oak tree on the top of a high bank next to the river, and fly across the river. Pretty cool. And technically I caught this "on" my fly rod, since it kept landing on it while I was fishing.

[1hook]

Looks like a sweet day of fishing

[NJTroutbum]

Dave, That looks like an awesome day on the water! Thanks for sharing!

[lee s]

Nice dark damsel,
The Russian River, here locally, used to fish quite similar for smallies. However, under the "watchful" eye of the Sonoma County Water Agency and due to their supervision, that is gone now too. And they still try to sell the idea that they are trying to help the dwindling steelhead....yeah, right. Can't even keep smallmouth in the system.
.....lee s.

[Wetsocks]

Man that's a great day of fishing!

[smij]

Gotta love the eyes on those bass! Nice report!