Why Small Fish Can Be Fun on a Fly Rod

 My son Jason and I were on Smith Lake this past Tuesday, fishing surface poppers at daylight. The water temps are beginning to fall. Instead of fishing surface temps at 90 degrees, we were fishing a cooler 85 degrees. Fall and spring are my favorite times of year to fish because the fish are much more active then. We were fishing 5wt. 9 ft. Hardy fly rods, which are one of the best lightweight fly rods I’ve ever used. I thought Redington was lightweight, but Hardy is better. It's not only lightweight but also powerful enough to handle a quality fish.

We landed numerous spotted bass this size that morning, which can put a bend in a 5 wt. fly rod. Most fly rods will bend deep when a fish this size makes runs trying to break free; you actually feel the bend through the rod. This size fish can be a challenge if you don’t know how to play them rather than overpower them, which can often cause you to lose the fish. 

For example, I recently landed a spotted bass on Smith a couple of weeks ago while fishing at daylight using my 4wt. Knowing how to play the fish, handle its runs, and apply the right pressure helped me land the bass. This bass fooled me into thinking he was much larger than I thought. The exciting thing about landing average-size fish is the fight on the fly rod and watching the bass strip line from your fly reel while your rod bends and the drag sings. I’ve landed lots of fish this size through the years using my baitcasting combo and reeled them in in a matter of seconds. In other words, it is a lot more fun now for me to land a fish in the 12” or even smaller than it was back when I was much younger. That's why I can catch a relatively small bass on a fly rod and honestly say, "That was one heck of a fight!"

You don't have to land a trophy bass to have a successful day on the water. Of course, landing a bigger fish is always rewarding, but fly fishing has a way of making even a small fish feel like a big fish. 

I Am Still Here

 

Hey everyone, I just wanted to check in. Cathey and I have been supervising a renovation project at our son's house, which started in late September. Unfortunately, this has really disrupted my fall fishing plans. However, as the saying goes, you'll do anything for your children. 

 Jason works in California and doesn't get home often, but when he does, he tries to fish as much as he can. So, the renovation project was something he didn't want to handle himself. Being retired allows Cathey and me to follow a flexible schedule, so we were glad to help him out. 

I hope to go on a couple of fishing trips before the weather gets too cold for me to cast a popper at those spotted bass on Smith. I'm looking forward to learning how to tie some flies for the upcoming spring and sharing them with you all soon. 

The Fall Popper-Action is Close On Smith Lake

Jeff and I made an early morning trip to Smith Lake this past Thursday to test the top action for the bass and some giant bluegill. We were surprised to get some action even with the surface temps still near 80 degrees. The cool nights have started to cool the water somewhat, but not to the point where the hits are more like spring or late fall, as of yet. 

Sorry for the vertical video, my camera was not set a 0 when filming this video. 

The first hit of the morning was this 16" plus spotted bass soft-hitting Jeff's double-barrel popper. The fish put a bend in Jeff's 5wt. rod. Landing these fish never gets old. Even an 11 or 12" can give you a thrill on the fly rod.  

The big bluegill were locked in on the size six black boogle bug popper. I had a feeling they thought it was a black grasshopper or bug. Don't count on them hitting the same colored popper on the next trip: it could be a different color or even a different style popper. I was using my 9ft. 4 wt. Streamflex, which was a blast landing this size bluegill. The side maneuvering using their wide bodies for resistance makes you think you are fighting a spotted bass. The top action will only get better as the water temps start to cool during this month and on into October. Fishing surface poppers in the fall is second only to the Spring action on beautiful Smith Lake!

Some Fall Top Water Action

 There is nothing like landing bass on top during October, especially if you are fishing with your son. Jason is home for a couple of weeks. We launched at Duncan Bridge on Smith Lake this past Tuesday morning and fished the main channel north of the Duncan bridge. 

We were blessed to witness one of the most scenic early morning sunrises ever on Smith Lake. Of course, that is our opinion. 

The blue Boggle Bug size 8 was the popper that got the most attention for the morning. Jason landed this largemouth by moving the popper slowly. Notice the scar on its side, evidence of something attacking the fish.

This largemouth may have been wounded, but it still had enough fight to engage the drag on Jason's fly reel numerous times.

 I landed this bass on my second cast right after we launched the boat. Little did I know that would be the only quality bass I would land for the morning. As stated before, the blue popper was the winner for the morning.  Guess who had the only blue Boggle Bug popper?

Fall and spring seem to bring out aggressive hits using poppers on Smith, as shown in this video right after the sun hit the rock wall where the bass was feeding. This fish hit the popper 10 to 12 ft. from the base of the wall. I've learned, and Jason has learned, to always work the popper some distance from the wall before you make your next cast. The fish will follow the popper some distance before they decide to nail it. You've got to love this fall fishing!!

A side note: I really enjoyed today's trip because it was my first fall trip for this year. I mentioned this in one of my previous posts, but I have only one guy to fly fish with now, and he will not be able to join me again until next spring. I do have individuals who fish, but they are not into fly fishing like me. There is a big difference in having someone in the boat with you who loves the sport as much as you do.