Adding to my Super Size Bluegill Goal

I made a quick trip to Rock Creek yesterday to fish areas of Smith that I haven’t fished in years. I forgot how beautiful the Rock Creek area is, especially the high rock wall formations with all the cave holes carved out in the walls. I was competing with a huge bass tournament with some 125 boats zipping up and down the creek most of the morning. I felt good about landing fish on top especially some nice Spots, but they were not cooperating. Even fishing the fly rod by myself in Rock Creek couldn’t entice a hit. I was fishing the Boogle Bug brand on my 5 wt and had my 4 wt rigged with size 8 Wooly Bugger. I have to add a plug here for the Boogle Bug; it has to be the best of the best when it comes to poppers. This popper is so durable and tough that they will last season after season. Back to the trip, I fished from 6 AM until 9 AM using nothing but the white Boogle Bug which during that time produced some nice bluegills to add to my total count for the spawn. I did release some smaller bluegills that for some reason thought they were big enough to inhale the size 6 Boogle.  The key to getting the big hit was placing the popper right against the rock wall. The hit would come 10 to 15 seconds after the popper had landed lightly on the water’s surface. These big bluegills seem to know when the presentation was heavy instead of light meaning no action. I never used my 4 wt all morning, because the action was fairly consistent on the popper, so why break up a good thing. After today’s outing, I am 48 away from my goal. Saturday morning I hope to add to the total and have some quality Spots to report on.

This bull inhaled the size 6 Boogle

Supersize gill off the wall

Three of these bluegills were between 8 and 9 oz. I said when I started my goal I would only count 8 oz. and above --the top and bottom gills were 16 oz. --they are like landing a spot when they turn their wide bodies sideways. They gave the 5 wt a bend!!---these 5 put me 48 away from my goal.

My Favorite House on Smith Lake--- and Fishing With Jason

I made an outing today with my son Jason. He had a day off so we decided to fish the lower end of Ryan Creek on Smith Lake. We were at the lake at daylight which is the best time to land quality fish using the poppers. The morning started off with a bang when Jason landed a nice 18” spot using an olive Wooly Bugger. The fish gave the 9 ft. 4wt. all it could handle by stripping drag numbers of times before he finally landed the fish. Jason is really into landing nice quality Spotted Bass. Nothing was happening on top, and the morning was slow especially after the sun came up. I will be making another trip tomorrow in hopes of adding to my bluegill goal---stay tuned.

Not big but quite a fight on the 4 wt he hit the size 6 crawfish

Jason with his 18" spot--they never quite fighting

This was a male spot caught in one of the many treetops on Ryan Creek

The Rhododendron is in full bloom all over the lake

One of three Bull Bluegills I landed using the size 6 crawfish--really surprised the bluegill's hit this pattern--but these big boys must have been hungry---I am now 53 away from my goal!!

There are a lot of big homes on Smith Lake, if I was offered any home on Smith this would have to be my favorite. The lumber in this house was transported by train from the countryside in New York. All the rafters, floor joists, exposed beams inside the house, and parts of the interior walls were removed from a barn in the countryside area. The sunroom in this house is setting out over the water; steel beams that are anchored in the rock wall support the sunroom itself. The garage is off to the right. The house is actually called the barn. I saw the owner one day on his pier and told me the story behind the house. 

Another view of this outstanding home on Smith Lake