Fall 2008 Smallmouth

I am so ready for the Spring Smallmouth fishing I can hardly wait. These cold, wet, high and muddy water creek days are killing me. So here’s a little sample of what it can be on an afternoon to warm things up.

“A little afternoon love…”

Leaves falling, bubbles in the back eddys, water color has cleared, the amber glow of an afternoon sunset…ahhhh… finally a refreshing afternoon on a local flow. I managed to get out and wet a line for the first time in a long while. Started out a little slow with the occasional goggle eye exploding on a white “one-bug” and a few pumpkin seed to throw into the mix. Was getting a little discouraged until a small sip on the surface turned into a thrashing explosion of water and pure brown excitement leaping across the stream on several attempts to throw the fly! Oh what a glorious site!

The top water action slowed but I noticed fish were still moving in the pools. Tied on a #4 Black on Black wooly worm with a red tail. Was if I had found the perfect fly for the afternoon. On the first cast I hooked up with a fish that was taking line and leaping through the air. It was wonderful to watch the outline of the fish and the spray of water through the afternoon sunset. It amazes me the quality of these fish for such a small stream. Very few places in North AL can hold up to the size of small mouth that can be caught on this creek. A few rivers maybe but only one other creek that I know of even holds a candle to this one.

Managed a dozen or so bream and 5 small mouth. I have been Blessed! I find very few things in life as exciting as catching a small mouth on a fly rod.


Downstream: One of the deepest sections on this entire creek.


Upstream: I Love the rocks and deep runs in this area. The fish like to hide along the edges and lips of these rocks in the back eddys.


Afternoon glow.


Best fish of the day for me- slightly over 3 1/2 lbs.

Wade,

Great story and pictures! One of these days I will find the time to fish just such a creek somewhere.

Thanks for sharing…

That would be great. I hear you have a perfect new Sage Bass rod just for such an occasion! :slight_smile:

Have been in at Tim’s several times over the past few months but can’t seem to catch you there. Missed you by about 15 minutes one day.
Hope you are well. Look forward to some time on the water together.
Regards,
Wade

Wow, that second run would have me shaking, casting and looking stupid…until, I finally slowed down!

Wade -

Great narrative and pics for your day with the bass and bream.

John

Loved it! On my last trip on the Minnesota (reputedly a great smallie river before industrialized farming hit the area in the 1960s, and still have a fine substrate) late in October I brought in a couple of nice smallies using that Tom Nixon take on the Mickey Finn. Just bringing the thing off a shelf into deeper water. The Minnesota was as low as I’ve ever seen it, so the holes were where we found the action. JGW

Great Smallmouth bass. Sure makes me miss the days on the Kalamazoo back in MI. I think I might have found my new local stream though… time will tell.

John, we need to hit the snake where I caught that 19" SMB last year. Fly Tying Expo weekend!

Nice SMB,

I caught a nice 16 1/4" smallie last fall, man that was some fight. That was the hardest freshwater fish I have caught. I would have liked to catch more but I guess it was better than none. SMB are also my favorite fly rod fish.

Waders,

That really makes me want to go fishing. Great pics.

Jason

Great pics.
I love little streams like that.

I’ve been out of fishing now for a couple years, but I finally pulled the trigger on a kayak (native ultimate 12) and these pictures are making my mouth water just thinking about getting out this spring. Don’t have any smallmouth streams or rivers, but have plenty of largemouth and bluegill lilly pad fishing! I can’t wait. Its been too long.

Oh, by the way, nice fish (plural)!