Friday, August 10, 2012

A Work in Progress Using The Bomber Dry Pattern


This post is dedicated to rest of the summer and into the fall fishing. I am referring to the tailrace fishing below Smith Lake. For the rest of the summer and late September I will be trout fishing the tailrace below Smith Lake. I will forgo the lake fishing until fall. The lake this time of year is extremely slow due to the tremendous generation and extreme heat and humidity. One can just take a look at the parking lots on the lake and figure out right quick that there is very little action.

The tailrace fishing will give me a chance to hone my skills for trout and at the same time learn more about some of the different areas on the Sipsey. I am going to devote more time to fishing the extremely slow water below the pump station where bigger rainbow have been spotted. Those trout are extremely weary and harder to land due the constant pressure in that part of the tailrace. Streamers are the choice of flies there and it will present a challenge for me to fish this pattern because I seldom ever fish a streamer. My trip Tuesday proved to be another work in progress as the images below will show.
I arrived with the usual fog and mist on the surface due to the tremendous amount of humidity in the air meeting the cool water surface of the tailrace--really a peaceful view early
My first rainbow of the morning using Alan's Bomber, I am sooooo impressed with this pattern
One of many log jams in the fog one has to encounter while either wading or walking the banks. Some of the larger rainbow hang out right below this structure. A dry works best in and around these logs because you can't get much of drift here with a nymph.
This flower is native to this area, I don't know what it is called but I wanted to see if I could get a good image in the flower mode---better than I expected
The Bomber comes through right before I called it quits. I never landed a fish all morning on nymphs.
Drift wood everywhere in this place--did you guys know people pay big bucks for a chuck of wood like this?
Looking up hill from down below only a few feet from the cool waters edge. Once you descend down into the gorge the temps drop 15 degrees. This is what makes coming to place really nice especially in the hot humid days of August.

16 comments:

  1. The bomber definitely looks like it did the trick. Let the lakes rest...harass those trouts for awhile :-) I like it.

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  2. Hey the flower is lobelia cardinalis, or "cardinal flower". I enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for sharing

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  3. Isn't fishing always a "work in progress"? I think people who buy driftwood are just too lazy to go out an get it themselves.

    Mark

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  4. Sanders
    I am going to get an image of the Bomber on the post sometimes today. Thanks for the comment

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  5. Mark
    Yes fishing is a work in progress, but isn't it fun working at it? Take a look on Ebay and see how much drift is going for---crazy!! thanks for the comment

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  6. Hawkbird
    I am glad someone knows the names of some of these plants. I am only familiar with the flowers my wife has me to watch out for in the yard when I cut the grass. Glad you enjoy the blog and thanks for the comment

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  7. Bill, glad to see that Bomber still working for you.
    Happy to for that cold water.

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  8. Alan
    I don't think the trout here has seen the pattern, the closest thing to it is the Parachute Adams. I like the Bomber much better because of the fullness of the hackle on the fly and the ease at which it stays afloat. Thanks for the comment

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  9. You don't need to twist my arm for more trout posts.

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  10. Yes my friend three cheers for times past and now to celebrate the late summer early fall! And you heard it here first...come on Fall.

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  11. Blake
    I am going to do a little experimenting with different patterns in the coming weeks on the tailrace. I hope to find a pattern that will attract the bigger trout. Thanks for the comment

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  12. Howard
    Fall trout fishing, less humidity, and of course football can't wait!!
    Thanks for the comment

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  13. Well, yay for the "bomber"!! I need a better dry fly, as those funny trout keep taking the dropper. Maybe they know about me being the nympher of the river. Ha. I guess that I am a "work in progress" too!

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  14. Hey Bill,

    Are those big trout near the pump station hold-overs? I don't know much about the Sipsey and was just wondering if some of those trout hold over year after year and grow large.

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  15. RD
    If the dry is your fly of choice, then the Bomber is your pattern or a close variation in size 18 all the way to a 12. I have learned that with trout fishing we are all a "Work in Progress"--thanks for the comment

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  16. Ty
    All the 20" Rainbow and even bigger are trout that were released some years ago. There have been reports of seeing numbers of these big trout, but they are seldom caught. We should find out after the first of of year if we will be getting brooks and browns. Thanks for the comment

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