Fly fishing in the fall compared to fly fishing in the spring for warm water species is different when it comes to catch ratio. In the spring the fish are more active and move into the shallows to feed and get ready for the spawn. The fall brings cooler water temps, low water levels, and cold fronts that cause the fish to become dormant. This time of year tests your skills as a warm-water fly fisherman if you fish small bodies of water or large lakes. As the water cools the fish tend to move to deeper water causing one to work harder for a hit on surface flies and poppers.
Friday's trip fishing Smith was planned before I ever left the house knowing I was going to fish on top using Bea'spopper in a size 8. This popper is not large but still got the attention of some of the spotted bass lingering near the walls. This bass slapped at the popper twice before it finally inhale it. I've noticed the hits are not as aggressive when the water temps are colder. Today the surface temps were ranging between 63 to 65 degrees. Patience is the key when fishing surface poppers on the water this cold.
All the hits today occurred 7 to 8 ft. away from the walls; this area showed a depth of 40 ft. away from the wall. I like to fish in an area of water like this that is silky smooth. Moving the surface fly with a little twitch can at times get a reaction in the water this deep.
The only bluegill of the morning which is unusual when the water temps are this cold. My four-weight 9 ft. was the only fly rod that got tested today. I will have my five-weight 9ft. spooled with a sink-tip line using a wooly bugger or a streamer for the next trip. It's hard to stray away from the top action knowing at any minute you might connect with a super size spotted bass.
I will continue to fish Smith until the water temps fall below 60 degrees. After the season ends on the lake I will move to the tailrace and fish for the rainbow below the dam using my Euro Nymphing ten-foot fly rod.
Aside from fly fishing my second hobby is spending time with our grandchildren and watching them play Flag Football and Soccer. This past Sunday evening Cathey and I enjoyed watching our grandsons play a couple of games of Flag Football. Both Grandsons are the quarterbacks of their teams. The following videos show Cash and Bryson in action.
Bryson and Cash can recognize tight pass coverage, which in turn affords them the open field to pick up yardage.
Guys I can't end this post without showing you what my daughter calls getting ready for bed pic of Hallie---she is really growing!
Guys, you've noticed it's been a while since I posted anything on my blog. Cathey and I have been busy helping our daughter's family with their new arrival. Last Thursday, Jenny gave birth to a beautiful eight-pound baby girl.
Cathey and I are so proud of this little girl!!!
An updated picture of little Hallie at 6 months
We have kept a busy pace traveling from Jasper to Springhill, Tennessee, these past weeks. It was worth every mile we made to get to this precious little girl. Hallie Mae is 8 weeks old in this picture. I wanted to share an updated pic from the original post image. Her brothers and sister are CRAZY about this little girl!!!
We are back home for now but will return to Springhill next Sunday. We will be staying 8 days with our daughter and children while B.T. is in California on a business trip. We're glad to be of service, especially when a newborn is too whole and spoil.
I made a few fishing trips last week on Smith that I wanted to share with you guys.
This past Thursday, Jeff and I fished Ryan Creek on Smith at daylight and landed some quality bass and bluegill. The bluegills were not hitting the poppers, so I tied on the hopper a fly that I hadn't fished this season. The reaction to this fly was some of the most aggressive hits I have seen this year. All the big bulls on this trip had the hopper lodged in their throat. In other words, they were hungry for an insect in the form of a brown grasshopper. They were hitting the hopper 20 to 30 feet from the rock walls. Moving the hopper slowly on the surface film got their attention. When you land this size bluegill using a 4 wt., you think it's bass; the fight is aggressive. Jeff and I agreed we could be in for one great fall fishing season!
What makes landing these big bulls so much fun to catch using the fly rod is the surge after surge they make trying to break off. There is a big difference when landing these fish spawning in shallow water instead of fishing for them in water depths of 20 to 30 ft. Simply put, the water depth is their friend when trying to break free.
This was my first copper nose bluegill to ever land on Smith. Sorry I don't have a video showing the fight this fish put forth, but Jeff and I thought it was a spotted bass in the 12 to 14-inch range; to our surprise, it was this beauty!
Jeff started the morning off fishing under the lights near the many piers on the lake. We stopped at our first light at 5:30. As I moved in slowly to the light, we saw three quality bass feeding just under the submerged light next to the pier. It only took a couple of casts to get the attention of one of the larger bass. The fish moved slowly to the Boogle Bug popper and sucked in. After the take, the fish started heading for deep water and really didn't realize it was hooked until Jeff made contact with the fish. At that point, the fish had its way with the 4 wt. Jeff was using and broke off.
The fish in this video is Jeff's redemption bass, smaller than the one he lost, but a quality largemouth. We will be back fishing this light in the coming weeks with a heavier-weight fly rod. Stay tuned!
Forgot---one last note, I'm saving the trout fishing below the dam for cooler weather and the winter months---the season ends on the lake in November
Most fly fishermen will tell you they don't use live bait when fishing with a fly rod. I've never seen anyone using live bait fishing with the flyrod on the Sipsey. I have seen many individuals on the Sipsey using a spin cast fishing with redworms, corn, or crappie nibbles.
Live bait works when artificial flies and lures will not produce. Just ask my daughter about the success of live bait fishing when she would go with me years ago and fish the many nooks on Smith for bluegill, catfish, and bass. She was more into live bait fishing than my son.
So many memories here, Jenny was a junior in high school when she landed the largest bluegill she ever caught fishing with me on Smith. She was using a cricket fishing with her 7 1/2 ft. micro-light combo. I've never been able to convert her to fly fishing. She still loves to fish the cricket for the bluegill when she has the time to go. Three children and another little girl on the way keep her occupied these days.
At some point in one's fishing career, they usually land a fish they never forget. This was the case a couple of weeks ago when l landed this supersize Shellcraker or Redear as some would call this fish. What got the big females' attention along with the two quality size bulls was live bait. The live bait thing is something I've never tried using the fly rod on Smith. You might say that anything I try new when it comes to fishing is always a plan in advance for me and this type of fishing was no exception. First, I wanted to get as deep as possible using a sink-tip line and a tiny bb shot crimped onto my 5X tippet about 6" above the hook. I found it is best to tie a knot in the tippet 6 inches above the hook to keep the bb shot from slipping to the eye of the hook when casting a small redworm. The bigger worm was difficult to stay on the long shank hook. The long shank hook is best as opposed to the short shank because you can thread more of the worm onto the long shank hook. I found even with false casting the worm would stay in place. So, in reality, if you want to think of the live worm as a nymph you can, which gives you the feeling of fishing a soft nymph with a scent. On this particular morning, nothing was happening even a nymph fish slow wouldn't produce. The poppers never got any attention from the bass or bluegill. This time of year on Smtih the fishing is extremely slow due to the fast pull-down on the lake. Receding water on any body of water is not the ideal situation to catch fish!
When one thinks of the Caddis Fly they relate it to fly fishing for trout. I have fished this fly numerous times on the Sipsey mainly using it as an indicator fly. There were times when I would get a trout to inhale the Caddis while slow drifting a nymph under it. Which was a plus because I was trying to get the trout to take a smaller nymph drifting below. I use the traditional dry-dropper combo more now on the Sipsey because of the fishing pressure. I remember previous years fishing the Sipsey I never used the dry-dropper combo. I only fished a nymph using the various strike indicator on the market.
On my last trip to the Sipsey, which was a bust for me, no trout touched; started me thinking of using this fly to fish for the giant bluegill on Smith Lake. So two weeks ago, I gave the fly a try casting it near the rock walls in Ryan Creek.
I was impressed with how the bluegills reacted to this fly. At times they would pull it under, and other times they would explode on it. I have written in a past post about how wary these fish can be in hitting a particular color or size popper. So when they are not hitting a popper consistently, it is good to have a backup fly that will get their attention. Enter the Caddis in size ten, but I think a size eight would be better. The extra body on the size eight wouldn't require me to use as much floatant and give the fish a bigger fly to see. Simple to use just cast it using a 3wt. with a 6X tippet and wait for the take while it sits motionless on the surface. I seldom ever move it after it touches the surface. Having success with the Caddis makes me want to give the Adams and the Wulff a try!
Daylight and right before the sun goes down are some of the best times to land fish fishing for warm water or cold water species. I prefer the daylight hours in the summer months because there is little humidity during daylight. One still has to deal with humid conditions late in the evening before dark.
Jeff and I found out just how pleasant the daylight hour was this past Thursday as we fished one of the floating lights near the many piers in Ryan Creek.
This 15" Spotted Bass put a bend in Jeff's 5wt. 9ft. Redington. A slight movement of the curved-faced white Boogle popper got its attention. Jeff placed the popper at the back of the light. The bass hit the popper as Jeff moved it slowly through the lighted area under the light. The male spot didn't disappoint us it headed straight for the deep water.
Right after Jeff landed his Spotted Bass I noticed another bass in the outer rim of the lighted area. The Bullet Boogle Bug I had tied on my 4 wt. 9 ft. Redington paired with a Gloomis 4 wt. reel was the combo I used to land this female Spotted Bass. She hit the popper as I was moving it out of the lite area. I saw the wake as she came up and inhale the popper. She immediately started taking line off the reel. At one point I thought I wasn't going to have enough line on the reel to land the fish. I never use backing on any of my fly reels but after this episode, I may rethink adding a little backing to my 4 and 5 wt. reels. Minutes went by before I got to touch this fish because most of the fight occurred under the floating pier. I thought I lost the fish because there was no movement which had me thinking she broke off and got me hung on something under the pier. As I put side pressure on what I thought was a hang-up I felt the fish coming to me and swimming slowly out from under the pier. That is when I felt I had a chance to land this fish using the drag on my Gloomis reel. She headed for the depths of the lake which was a plus for me. After numerous runs, I finally lifted her in the boat and won the day fighting a worthy opponent in the Spotted Bass! Right after landing the fish, the light turned off by the pier which made Jeff and I thankful for every minute we had to fish before the sun peaked over the trees in the east. The rest of the morning was devoted to landing a few smaller bass and of course numbers of big bull gills.
I've landed hundreds of bass and bluegill with the Boogle Bug poppers and the place I purchase these fantastic poppers is -----BreamBugs-----
I know many of you think I am obsessed with the bluegill. All the post I have published on my blog proves that statement. I never tire of landing the big bulls, especially in the super clear deep waters of Smith Lake.
What makes landing these supersize gills special is how they attack the surface popper. An explosive hit is what one can expect from this size gill, making you think it is a spotted bass. The minute they inhale the popper they go for deep water. The fight even with a 5 wt. is awesome and even more epic using a 3 or 4 wt. In other words, you just don't jerk these fish in the boat. I lost one of the largest gills yesterday I think I have ever connected with fishing Smith using a 3wt. I saw the bluegill and knew he was huge but didn't realize how powerful the fish was until it broke my 5X tippet. Today's catch helped relieve the pain of losing that fish yesterday.
I've said many times before, but this lake has to be one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever fished. The rock wall formations are astounding, with unusual color markings. The water depth surrounding the wall in this nook is 20 to 30 ft. Even at those depths, the fish can still find the popper because of the super clear water. Any commotion on the water surface will get their attention.
So the question I keep asking myself after all these years of fishing for this fish is---which species would I prefer to land the spotted bass or the big gills? I will let the readers of this post answer that question!
This tree is one of the many trees that can be found on the banks of the many rock walls and nooks on this lake. I am wondering if any of you know the name of this particular tree with huge leaves and large white flowers?
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!
One would assume that most all meats are a good source of protein. Beef, Pork, Chicken, Fish, and Turkey are the most common. Fish, Turkey, and Chicken are the three types of meat Cathey and I eat. I no longer eat red meat since being diagnosed with a blockage in my left descending artery some 12 years ago. 2010 was the year the blockage was discovered. The Doctors told me 40 to 50 percent blockage didn't warrant a stent. They recommended a yearly checkup and lots of exercise in the form of walking and a diet filled with fruit and vegetables. Cathey and I thought we were eating healthy at the time walking fairly regularly before this diagnosis but apparently not. As was the case with most all of us when we were younger meals were fast foods and eat-outs loaded with fats. In other words, the bad foods over the years showed up in that arteriogram done in 2010.
My Cardiologist told me on my last visit that test studies prove now with diet and exercise blockage can be decreased if it is not severe. By the way, I am not part of that study, but I gladly accept the findings. I've come to realize as we all get older we need to be much more active. That is the key to keeping all of us on the water even into our 80s!!-----
These bluegills were landed last week using the light 2/3 weight fly rods. All were taken early in the morning on top. Excellent meat source just as the title of this blog post states. Thursday will be my first visit to the Sipsey since last year because of generation. I hope the water is at the level I can wade---wish me luck !
Weather conditions have changed drastically since I was a boy growing up in Mississippi years ago. We are seeing many more tornados and hurricanes today compared to what my brother and I used to call the good old days. The good old days are for another post. With tornadoes and hurricanes come heavy rains, wind, and flooding. It seems we have four or five days of great weather then all hell breaks loose for a couple of days with tornadoes in fact, as I type this post we may be under a tornado watch tomorrow. We are in this cycle through all of Spring.
The Sipsey Tailrace pictured here is an example of the last tornado we had here a week ago. This tornado produced some damage to homes and businesses but thankfully no deaths. After the aftermath, the areas affected must deal with the clean-up in the form of flooding and the debris left behind. The image above shows the tailrace flowing downstream at 8 ft. above normal flow. When heavy rains occur Smith Lake above the dam rises above full pool quickly and last year overflowed into the parking lot at the launch. This year we are seeing it rise again 11 ft. above full pool as I type this post. The Alabama Power Company which manages the lake has to release all the excess water so it flushes through the two generators at the base of the dam. When both generators are pumping at full force you see the results in this image. One can still trout fish using a spinning reel, but no wading using the flyrod will get results with water this high.
So, what does a weary fly fisherman do when he can't trout fish------the images above show the answer! I fillet 14 of these pre-spawn beauties and threw back a bunch of future bull gills fishing Walker Lake yesterday.
I have started wearing Orvis fishing gloves. I had two sunspots removed from the top of my hands in the winter months and one sun growth from the top of my head. My Dermatologist told me I needed to start protecting myself much more from the sunray when I'm on the water.
A lot of tree pollen covered the surface of the water on the lake yesterday causing me at times to use a dark popper to get the attention of the fish. All the bluegills were scattered and not in a spawning mode. The water temps are still well below spawning activity. The 2 and 3 wt. got all the work yesterday one rigged with a popper and the other rigged with a dry fly coated with Orvis Hy-Flote. It was my first time using this product and I have to say I was impressed. It is much better than any floatant I have ever used. Simply drop the dry fly in the bottle shake and remove blow the dust off and you are ready to fish a dry fly that will float high enabling you to land at least three or four fish. It becomes waterlogged once the fish inhaled it numerous times. You can use it again once it dries then repeat the process using the Hy-Flote.
I checked the lake level when I fished this overhang or cave last year and the lake level at the time was 497 ft. 3 feet below full pool. Today this area is covered with water resting in the trees above this rock wall. I am not a fan of fishing water this high on any lake, especially a lake as large as Smith Lake.
The Grandchildren were having their Spring break this week which gave their Mom and them an opportunity to come and visit their Meme and Pops. Their Dad couldn't make the trip because of work. Their next trip in the summer will bring the whole family. Our Grandchildren are the center of our lives just as our children were when they were growing up.
The fish wasn't huge but it's not always about the size fish the children landed. At their age its more about just being able to land a fish and that they did. We lost count of the hand size bluegill they got to touch. All the fish were taken on live bait in the form of juicy worms. The water was a cool 63 degrees causing the fish to hover on the bottom of the park pond.
The city was supposed to stock Town Creek with trout in November the plan never developed. Kids would have enjoyed seeing trout feeding in the stream. Some pocket holes would attract trout in the quarter-mile stretch flowing through the park. Parks are a substitute for iPhones that most kids nowadays are addicted to, including our grandchildren.
I was surprised to hear of Alan's passing of "Small Streams Reflections"--my heart is broken to hear this because he was like a brother to me. I look forward every week to one of his inspiring posts concerning fly fishing, tasty meals, and colorful outdoor images. I felt he was the glue that held all of us bloggers together now, he's gone but not forgotten.
I'm thankful I have numerous flies and streamers he tied for me and my son Jason. I did a post some months ago concerning the colorful streamers he tied for Jason's Christmas a couple of years ago. My condolences to his wife Jennette and children
This picture is hanging in Jason's house and will always whole special meaning for Jason and I
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