The trip started around 6 AM and ended at 10:30 . The setup for the day was again the 5 wt and 4 wt rods rigged with a size 4 popper on the 5 wt. and a size 4 Zonker on the 4 wt. I was targeting Kentucky Spots and landed 6 in the 12” range, but missed out on the larger fish. They were not hitting the popper as well as I had seen them hit in the past, so I had to really work the bug to get the takes I got. The one thing I have discovered on Smith when using the poppers is you must find a shade to get a take, and after 10 AM that is hard to do. The perfect time to land quality spots on the lake is daylight. After the sun comes up you are either looking for shade or going down under with buggers, crawfish, craws, zonkers, or any other fly that produces a slow fall. This lake is gin clear and shade or daylight is a must for success on top. I did manage to land a quality catfish using the zonker on a slow fall stripping the line as if I was using a streamer, and in a way, the zonker is a streamer pattern. The catfish was a first for me on the fly and I have to say it gave the 5 wt a good bend. I am off the rest of this week because my wife and I are spending some quality time with our grandson in Tennessee
He really wanted the Boggle Bug
The Kentucky Spot fights like the Smallmouth, that is why I love to go after them
The Zonker in craw color, this was a nice male catfish
Catfish on a fly! Congrats! I've yet to accomplish that...used to catch them all the time as a kid fishing with my dad using lures and bait....but none yet on the fly. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteCatfish on the fly are fun. Too bad the big boys didn't come out to play. Hopefully they will when i come down. I'm thinking maybe during the first full week in June. Tuesday or Thursday is best for you, right?
ReplyDeleteJay
ReplyDeleteThat works for me, either day will be fine. We will go on the best day as far as the weather is concerned.