-Smith Lake Caves

Smith Lake is one of those lakes in the south that treats all anglers to some fantastic fishing. It also possesses some of the most beautiful scenery along its banks in the Deep South. I always enjoy viewing all of the Mountain Laurels that line the banks of the lake in the spring. Behind all the greenery, Laurels, and awesome rock formations are numerous caves that could have been used during the Civil War. Some are big enough to store supplies and even provide human shelter for an extended period of time. One of the best times to explore these dwellings is in the dead of the winter when the snakes and other varmints are in cold storage.

A little climbing required to approach this cave entrance

Foliage concealment

Another cave in the same area, an exploring trip is in order for winter.

A lot of the banks are decorated with the Mountain Laurel this time of year

The crystal clear waters of the lake yield some of the best spotted bass fishing in the south. This spotted bass was taken Tuesday morning on the dreaded Boogle Bug popper. The fight was intense while the fish made numerous runs to break free of the 3X tippet. One only has to land just one of these fighters on the fly rod to make a daylight morning trip. The very best time to land quality spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing surface lures or poppers on this lake is daylight right before the sun breaks the horizon.  Another spotted bass this morning would fall prey to the deadly popper before the sun turns the bite off.