Landing Dale Hollow Trout

 Anyone who fishes for trout on the Sipsey Tailrace can recognize the Dale Hollow Trout. Most are in the 10" size, which was the size I landed this morning on the Sipsey. Mine you; I'm not complaining, trout is trout. I was using my three-wt. fly rod, which is the perfect fly rod to land this size trout.   

I knew precisely the hole I would fish, the nymph, and the technique I would use before I left the house. I have been watching videos all winter on fishing pressured waters and how to fish such waters. To say I was prepared was an understatement. 

I like it when a plan comes together, and everything worked my way for the two hours I fished the Sip this morning.

I forgot the number, either 8 or 9 of these beauties I landed. I stop taking pictures after this last image. There was no need to take a photo of the same size trout, image after image. I was not amazed that all the trout I landed came from one hole. This place became my honey hole for the morning. 

The water was high when I arrived at 9:30. Several fishermen were already on the water, and I was so lucky to fish in the area I chose while I was there. Why didn't I try other spots? When you consistently land trout in one location, why move to another site and leave the one place you know has trout? I was trying to learn a new technique, and to break my concentration would have interfered with MY PLAN!

I was just thankful that I finally got to fish the Sipsey for the first time since last year and had success. I lost as many trout this morning as I landed because of strike detection. I'm still learning. Today was a warm-up for landing larger trout in the future. 

Finally a Day on the Sipsey

No heavy rains and generators running allowed me to spend some time today FISHING FOR RAINBOW TROUT on the Sipsey! I was fishing with my trusted Streamflex 9 ft. 3 wt. which is my standard fly rod when I fish here. 

I got on the water around 9 and was surprised  I was all along. In fact, I didn't see another fisherman until 10 o'clock. I made the most of that hour fishing three of my favorite holes and landing a trout in each hole. 

The two methods that got the attention of the trout today were dead drifting a nymph and the trusted dry/dropper.

The best of the morning fishing my favorite hole on the Sipsey. The hole this trout was taken from never disappoints me. Of course, the key is getting to fish it before anyone else has a chance to either hook the trout or land it. That should tell you how pressured this tailrace is!

Numerous trout this size is the main reason I fish the tailrace with a 3 wt. This trout can put a bend in a 3 wt. which in turn helps you get prepared for the bigger fish that swims in the waters here.  I am so fortunate to live 20 minutes from the only place in Alabama where one can fish for trout!

Survival of Stocked Trout in Tailwaters

 

I received an email the other day from one of my fly fishing buddies concerning stocked rainbow trout in the Sipsey Tailrace that we fish. The email contained a study conducted by an Auburn University student in partial fulfillment for a Degree of Masters in Science. 

Hypolimnetic discharge waters (the layer of water in a thermally stratified lake that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, and remains perpetually cold)  from reservoirs in the southern U.S. provides water temperatures cold enough to support Rainbow Trout fisheries in regions where they otherwise could not exist. The Sipsey Fork tailwater in Alabama provides such an opportunity and is stocked with Rainbow Trout monthly. In a recent survey, less than 25% of the Rainbow Trout stocked each month were harvested and few trout appeared to persist in the system for more than 3-4 weeks. The objective of this study was to describe post-stocking dispersal and the fate of the non-harvested Rainbow Trout. In March, June, and October 2017, and January 2018, numerous Rainbow Trout were radio-tagged and tracked to document movement patterns and to determine longevity in the tailrace. Tagged Rainbow Trout had dispersed an average of 4.1 km or 2 .54 miles with only 30% of tagged Rainbow Trout remaining alive five weeks after stocking. The extent of predation on Rainbow Trout was assessed using a bioenergetics approach. Electrofishing surveys and diet analysis of predators identified Striped Bass as the primary predators of Rainbow Trout in the Sipsey Fork. Bioenergetics simulations revealed that approximately 500 Striped Bass living continuously in the tailwater from March through October could consume all Rainbow Trout stocked each month. Knowledge regarding the dispersal and fate of stocked Rainbow Trout in this system can improve the management of the fishery.

This study proves what a lot of us who fish the tailrace have known for some time that the Striped Bass consumes a large number of the trout once they move beyond the pump station. I have never seen Striped Bass above the pump station which is where a lot of the fly fishermen wade. All the guide trips take place above the pump station. There is less than a quarter of a mile of prime trout fishing from where the trout are released to the pump station. The rest of the tailrace is much too deep to wade. I feel the deep water below the pump station is where most all the trout are consumed by Striped Bass. 1100 to 1200 pounds of trout are released in the tailrace each month which could equal to 1000 trout or below depending on the size of the trout. Consider how many trout would be left in the quarter-mile wading section if trout were released every couple of months.

I respect the findings of this study but see little chance of reversing the effects the Striped Bass have on trout that is stocked in the Sipsey. 

Finally Back on the Sipsey

Tuesday and Thursday are my fishing days either on Smith Lake or the Sipsey. I was surprised when I pulled into the parking lot and saw only 4 vehicles. The last time I witnessed this amount of traffic on the Sipsey was back before the virus hit. 

I always rig my fly rod the night before with the flies I think the trout will take. After 30 minutes with no takes on a tandem nymph set-up I tied on one of Alans Soft Hackles. 

 The first trout of the morning to get things started on a slow day fishing clear blue skies.

One of many runs I fished during the outing. Dead drifting a couple of fly patterns got numerous takes. I lost twice as many trout as I landed because of fly rod selection today. I should have been fishing my 4wt. instead of the 3wt. 

I've landed trout with damaged gill plates before here, could be biting each other in the small tank they are transferred in to reach the tailrace. 

My lunch seat to enjoy my wheat crackers, without my after-lunch coffee.  

My last trout for the trip, fishing the fast deep waters around the numerous sunken logs between access five and access six. This trout had numerous scars on its sides. It looks like a Stripped Bass went after it for a meal. All the trout taken today were Dale Hollow hatchery trout in the 10--11-inch range. 

I hope all you guys have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

The Versatile Soft Hackle Fly

My last trip Fishing the Sipsey was on June 5th. dodging rain showers most of the morning. This past Wednesday I was met with heavy fog thanks to the tremendous amount of humidity we have been experiencing here in Alabama. If you live in the South expect the humidity in the summertime. I've said it time and again summer is not my favorite time of the year.

I made my first cast looking up the tailrace from above access 5. To my surprise, there were only a few fishermen casting above and below me. I usually tie on a particular fly pattern in the parking lot before I ever step into the water, but this morning I wanted to check out the surface activity before I selected a fly. The surface film was super smooth but still had enough current to attract a take. With no surface activity visible I went with a soft hackle thinking I might get a reaction, no such luck. I've found that size and color in the hackle pattern makes a difference when fishing a calm water surface. 

First of the morning in what seemed like a while to get a hit using a cream color hackle. I was using my 3 wt. Streamflex 9 ft. I knew the size trout that was stocked in the tailrace a couple of weeks ago; all were in the 9 to 10-inch range, so the 3 wt. was the right selection.  These trout were having nothing to do with anything above size 18 fly pattern this morning, at least that was my opinion. In order to get a hit, I had to work an area slowly and have a tremendous amount of patience using a small soft hackle. One needs every advantage available when fishing this tailrace, because of the tremendous amount of fishing pressure it gets,. I would land this trout's twin before moving on up towards access 6.

    Another Dale Hollow Hatchery trout taken letting a size 18 hackle drift slowly over a couple of pocket holes. I was using a 6X fluorocarbon tippet to get a better presentation of the fly. I started with a 5X but soon discovered I needed a lighter presentation because these trout spooked easy and had been bombarded with endless flies for the past 10 days. 

My last of the morning near access 6 fishing right below the fast water that exists in access 6. This trout was a whole over from the last stocking either in June or May. It barely broke the surface to inhale a tiny soft hackle. There are very few of these trout left above access 5 now. So when you land a quality trout now consider it a prize. This size was the norm for me dating back to my first trip here in April. I guess I've become somewhat spoiled landing this size trout as opposed to the smaller ones I landed today, but I shouldn't complain because the 9/10 inch was a lot of fun on the 3 wt. 

P.S. I was going to fish fast water today but it wasn't possible, because------next Sipsey Tailrace post

Avoiding the Crowd

I wanted to take a break from my bluegill fishing from last week so I worked in a quick outing on the Sipsey. A good number of fishermen were on the water, which made me think that access 7 would be less crowded. This was the week before Labor Day Weekend, on a Friday and not a good time to fish the Sipsey. I knew they were going to stock the place on the following Thursday right before the holiday weekend. So I was going to try to beat the crowd. Most all fisherman know when they stock this place.  

Just above access 7 close to the dam, there is one guy out of camera range, close to where they release the trout. I was surprised to find no one near the steps at 7.  

One to hand right after I got in place. All the trout that are stocked in the Sipsey are extremely healthy.

Keep an eye on the indicator--after filming and landing this trout I got my trout fix for the morning. I enjoyed the fight as much as this trout did!!

Awesome Morning Fishing the Dry Fly "Gnat"

The metal stairs of access six was a welcome site Tuesday morning as I made my way down to the gorge to fish the Sipsey for the first time this year. Heavy rains have kept it high and out of its banks for most of the Spring. So to say I was ready to fish was an understatement. As I set foot on the wet slippery rocks at the bottom of the stairs I was met by a young couple from Birmingham fishing with spinning gear in a distance. There was one more individual fishing upstream. I couldn't believe I partially had the place to myself. I decided to start working in an area I hadn't fished since last fall which was near the dam at access 7.  As I made my way to the area I notice the trout were feeding sparingly on top, which I had seen before numerous times here. So the most logical fly for me to try was one I 'd fished many times before here and that was the size 20 "Gnat". When in doubt what dry fly to use on the Sipsey with no hatch try the Gant. 

My first cast was made above one of the seams below access 7 that drops water into the larger deep mini pond, which I like to call it.  Here the water slows and lets the fly really get the attention where the trout were feeding. As the tiny Gnat broke free of the fast water and entered the slow water a trout nailed it on my first cast of the morning. Sorry to say I lost my first trout, either by poor hook set or not expecting a take that fast. Little did I know that this missed take would prove to be the best dry fly action I've ever experienced on the Sipsey. 

First trout of the morning using the tiny Gnat letting it do its magic. I am not a fan of fishing tiny flies. It's hard for me to see the fly on the surface. This morning I had no problem seeing it because the takes were so aggressive. 

The water was crystal clear and ice-cold making it the perfect place for trout to survive in of all places near Jasper Alabama. This is the large pool area where most of the feeding was taking place below the seam. As I was landing numerous trout here one of the guys at the fly shop showed up and started fishing below me with a client. He had the guy fishing with a nymph. 

Another willing taker on the Gnat. I decided to change the sizes of my Gnat to a size 18 which increased my catch ratio, bigger fly wider gap hook. I was using my 4wt.  9 ft. Redington with my 3/4 wt. Gloomis free spool fly reel. I've written a post on this reel before, because of its ability to take up lose line at your feet extremely fast by spinning the face of the reel. This feature that this reel has is so useful when you're wanting to use the drag to play a big fish. I really didn't need this feature today because all the trout I landed was in the 11" to 12" range. 

Extremely slow water here where the trout had slowed some in there feeding frenzy, but still taking the Gant. The difference now was the take was a sipping motion, which caused me to change tactics with the fly. I stop adding floatant to it and started letting the fly drift a little subsurface. Another fly I like to use when the trout are sipping is the Alans Soft Hackle. I completely forgot about other dry flies today because the action was so good on this one fly it blacked out all other patterns.

 All good feeding sprees have to come to an end and around 10 AM it was over. The rest of the morning was spent fishing nymphs in around the huge logs near access five and the shaded area entering access five. I added to my total with some better trout in deeper water in the log jams. I don't like to talk numbers when I'm trout fishing, but today's trip had numbers pushing close to 20! Wonder if I will be back tomorrow?-------YES!!

Filming My Fishing Trips

I have been spending time this past week working with some Video Editing software. I needed a more advanced version than I've been using in the past. I'm still in the process of learning all the ins and outs of this newer version. I've decided I am going to film more of my fishing trips this year, especially on Smith Lake. Smith is the only place that I haven't filmed a video. The video below was filmed using my Contour camera. The camera is attached to a cap I wear and anywhere I point my head I get video action. One of the things I have to get used to is moving my head fast which will affect the quality of the video. So I'm posting a video I recently completed for you guys to view.  This video is from previous videos I've filmed on the Sipsey.

  

Quality Trout Landed Fishing the Sipsey Tailrace

We finally get a break from the tremendous heat we have experienced here in Alabama. Today's high was 87 which is quite a contrast from the 100's we have been experiencing. As I left the house this morning for the Sipsey a cool breeze was blowing with no humidity. One of my fishing buddies was going to meet me at the pump station near access five. With fly rods already rigged, we headed for access six. As we enter the gorge we were met with some really cool windy weather, which made me glad I was wearing my long sleeve shirt. To our surprise there was no fishing, so we had the place to ourselves, which is unusual. There was no surface activity at all so nymphs fishing deep was the choice to begin the morning.

This crystal clear tight seam produced the first trout of the morning. I was fishing one of Alan's Soft Hackles drifting it through this seam when it was inhaled. I was standing above the seam and letting the hackle drift through the fast water. I really like to fish this pattern because there are very few ways to screw up the presentation. Just cast out and let it do the work. 

I'm glad I was fishing my 4 wt. because I don't think I would have landed this trout fighting it through the fast water. Thanks to Charles for netting him and getting the pic. A big thank you to Alan for tying up some killer patterns that is working for me on the Sipsey. 

The trout were released to fight another day. I lost two other trout that was this size simply because of hook set and fast water. The hackle proved to be the fly of the morning, after a really slow start. No trout for the first hour and a half, then this beauty made my day!!! 

Quality Rainbow Landed on The Sipsey

This time of year when one fishes the Sipsey they can expect high humidity which will produce heavy fog over its cool waters. I'll admit it adds beauty to the place but it also hinders one's ability to see a dry fly take. Sound most of the time is what you rely on to detect the hit. Fortunately, I was spared the blind dry fly take this morning because there were no rises in the area I was fishing. All the trout taken this morning would come from fishing a nymph.

This beauty was landed hovering close to the bottom, in fact, I was adjusting the depth of the indicator numerous times as I search for trout to take my offering. Getting a good drift was somewhat hard to achieve this morning because the release at the dam was slower than usual which gave a slower drift. I've found when the release is slow at the dam one needs to fish deeper for a take.

This trout displayed plenty of fight as it went airborne a number of times trying to throw the nymph. A trout tail walking along the water surface is water ballet at its best.

The two hours I had to fish this morning was very productive enabling me to land numerous trout this size. I'm having to plan ahead for the days I'm going to be fishing now because of the construction on the house has moved inside.

Notice the boots of another fly fisherman in the picture, he was willing to let me use his net to land this trout. Forgetting your net and leaving it at the truck is not being very organized. I lost 20 minutes of good fishing walking back to the truck and back to the tailrace to retrieve the net, hopefully, there's a lesson learned here.

 The net came in handy right after I got back on the water helping me land this colorful rainbow. It was good to take a break from the lake fishing and get to land some really quality trout!!

Dead Drifting the Nymph

As I made my way down the steep steel steps and long ramp of access six I notice the leaves are already turning. By the way, it's easier going down than going back up. The dog days of summer are here and Fall will soon follow. As I get older the seasons seem to appear quicker now, causing me to squeeze in as much fishing time as I can. Wednesday was my squeeze day, to wade the crystal clear waters near access six on the Sip.

What I like about access six and seven aside from landing the trout there is the amount of shade both areas have on into the morning hours. Shade is the ally of the fly fisherman whether it's fishing warm water lakes or cold water streams.

First connect after experimenting with different flies and techniques. No surface activity at all which cause me to work nymphs the three hours I was there. A fly Alan at Small Streams Reflections tied for me got the attention of this injured rainbow. I don't know what caused the cut on its gill plate but it didn't affect his fight.

After the bite slowed with the indicator nymph, I switch to the dead drifting technique. I fish nymphs this way sometimes on this tailrace and the Caney in Tennessee. It's a simple way to present the fly giving the angler an advantage of adjusting the depth of the fly without using an indicator.

I was making long cast across the water column so I could work the nymph slowly letting it drift in the current. Watching the end of the fly line for the slightest movement let me know to set the hook. Sometimes the take can occur after the fly has drifted a short distance or as you retrieve it back as the fly line forms a half-moon sharp on the swing. Today I had a number of takes on the short distance drifts and as the fly approached the swing pattern and even as I retrieve the fly slowly back to me. Don't give up on your cast until you've worked the fly back to you within the length of the leader. I've had trout to take the nymph within eight or nine feet. There is mistaking the hit as you work it back against current. The dead drift is a fun way to fish most any nymph without the aid of an indicator. This rainbow nailed the nymph working it back against the current within ten feet of where I was standing. It was determined to have its way with the 3 weight, but after a number of runs it landed in the net.

 I ended today's trip where I started in the shade of access six and thinking how lucky I am to have another day to land trout below the dam of beautiful Smith Lake.

Flies Used Flies Replaced

How many flies do one use on any given outing on their favorite stream or tailrace? 5 or 6 flies is tops for me, which got me to thinking the other day do I really need all these flies I carry in my fly box? I had flies in the fly box that I hadn't used in years and some had never touched the surface of the water. So to make space for the new flies I was going to add I starting culling those I seldom use. Take note of the words “fly box” because that is the only box I use nowadays when fly fishing.

This little Orvis metal fly box 2 ½ by 3 ½ has all the flies that I will use on any given day on the water. It fits easily in my small chest pack that is lightweight and compact as well. The older I get the more I want to eliminate weight when wading and standing for long periods of time in 55 to 60-degree water. Notice the difference in the number of flies in the box before culling and after. 

Given the fact I had a well-organized fly box and the Sipsey Tailrace was fishing some better than a couple of weeks ago; I decided to test the waters with some of the newer flies that I had added to the box. I was met with cloudy skies and of course high humidity and lots of fog on the water surface. As I waded into place at access 5 I could barely see the surface film for the fog coming off the water. I decided to cast one of my new flies a size 18 Black Drake dry in the direction of some trout feeding near where I was standing. I got a hit after a few casts and thought I was in for some rapid top action. To my surprise, just as quick as the surface activity started it ended I surmised I was fishing the tail end of the surface feed. 

With the generation schedule changed I had to use my time wisely so after surface activity slowed I moved on up the gorge. I replaced the Drake with a fly Alan at Small Stream Reflections sent me sometime back. I thought today would be a good time to give it a try. I tied on the Salars Nemesis tight-lining it across a wide section that had some fast water in the middle and slower water on both sides. As the fly drifted from the edge of the slow to fast water I got a take and lost it just as quick; poor concentration and slow hook set, not a good combo. I kept working the Salars slowly with some short jerks mixed in when a trout nailed it in the middle of the swing, strong hook set, and the trout was in the net!!

Today was one of those trips where one fly pattern didn't produce on a consistent basis. In fact, that can be the norm on the Sipsey at times. These trout see a lot of the same flies in the upper section of the tailrace so it's good to show them a little something different. My next stop was the log section in deep water where the better trout hang out below the submerged logs. I decided to tie on the Seal Leech to fish this section. This is a fly that David Knapp gave me some years ago to work in deeper water. I fish this fly a little unconventional by casting it downstream and working it back slowly against the current. As I work the fly I let it pause in the current and flutter, usually during the pause is when I get the hit. Today this type of retrieve helps me land a couple of stocker trout just above the logs. I was hoping for the bigger trout but I will take what this section gives up.

I ended today's trip at the Guide Hole, which is where the guys at the fly shop bring a lot of their clients to fish the slow water in this section. This part of the tailrace has a small seam with some fast current above some slower water below. I think this little seam is one of the best areas in the guide hole section. I've landed some nice rainbow in this little seam. I've had much better luck in this area using a small nymph with an indicator. I choose a red size 16 Copper John to drift through the fast water and hopefully watch the indicator sink quickly. It didn't happen quickly but I did manage to land one more rainbow using the little nymph. All the flies used for today's trip were some that I had never used here before and some that I hadn't used in years. As I was leaving at access 5 the trout were into the sipping mode, so I stopped to try to get a take with no success. I'm still having problems getting hits when the trout are feeding in this manner. I suspect they are feeding on tiny midges, but the color and the actual size is still a puzzle. I am thinking of purchasing a stomach pump----any suggestions are welcome!!