Fishing With Scent Attractors

 What kind of role does scent play when you are fishing? For me as far as warm water fishing is concerned it is paramount in attracting fish. I know I have been on the water number of times and not catching fish and added a scent attractor to the lure and got the hit. This is especially true when I am using spinning gear. There are lots of attractor brands on the market, not to mention the scent impregnated plastic lures. One of my favorite is the crappie nibblet. I can add a tiny crappie nibblet to one of the hooks on my lure and get the fish to take the lure quicker, especially on those slow days. I have used the sprays and liquids but got away from those some years ago when I realized that the nibblet stays with the lure longer than the sprays and liquid, which usually washed off after numbers of cast.

As for trout fishing attractors, for me there is no substitute better than a well tied fly to imitate the real thing. I feel that using attractor would inhibit the performance of the fly. If you are really into using a scent attractor on your flies then try some mud at the bottom of the stream rubbed over your fly, that is about as close as I would come to odor on flies.

I am a firm believer in masking human scent especially when I am trout fishing. According to research trout have amazing powers of smell, in fact much, much better than humans. Let's say you have used Ole Spice aftershave the morning you are hitting the stream. You get to the stream and tie on your favorite fly and you immediately transfer the smell of the aftershave onto the fly. This sends an alarm to the trout that this particular fly is not real and in a heartbeat the trout is gone. I am not as careful masking scent in warm water situations but when it come to trout you are dealing with a fish that is much smarter and more wary of its surrounding, so you need every advantage you can muster to be successful. What's your take on the scent attractor factor when you are fishing?

What is Your All Time Favorite Fish Catch

I know it may be difficult for some to remember the time they caught that trophy fish, or the time they caught all those fish in one particular place, but I have a feeling that most you guys know that TIME. When it comes to fishing I seldom ever forget the trips or the fish that really stood out in my mind. I can still remember the trip at daylight some 25 years ago with my brother and landed not one but two largemouth on buzzbaits that morning. I have both mounted and both were between 7 and 8 lbs. I can also remember the largest crappie I ever landed in Mississippi a couple of years ago, which was 14" long, really don't know the weight. The bluegills are too many to remember, but the 14 through 16 oz. really stand out in my mind. Most all of the big gills were landed using the fly rod. With all that said----My most memorable trip or fish had to be the 3 1/2 lb. spot I caught last October using the fly rod with a big popper. I hope someday I can best that record. I am curious to know what's the time or fish that you will never forget.

Why Did I Lose That Trophy Fish?

 I often wonder sometimes if I am actually playing the fish correctly using the fly rod. There is a big difference in landing a fish on the fly as oppose to the landing a fish on spinning gear. You have the drag as an aid with the spinning reel or casting reel, but in the case of the fly reel you are dependent on your expertise with releasing and taking up line until you get the fish on your reel. That is why I love using the fly rod so much because it gives me the opportunity to use all my fishing skills to land the fish with pretty much no drag help. It is just me and that fish at each other.

 I know I played the big spot I caught back in September correctly, because I landed him after a lengthy fight; but I can remember times when I have lost fish because I didn't take the time to play the fish to the point where I could land it. The article below is one of the best I have read on landing a fish, and how to release the fish after the battle. I hope the article is helpful to you as well.



How to Play and Land a Trout Correctly

There is overwhelming urge yelling in your mind to lift the rod-tip up before removing all slack between the rod tip and the fish.
It is one of the most important aspects of fly-fishing, yet it is one of the most often ignored in books, magazines, videos and the like.

You can read and view plenty about flies, fly tying, knots, casting, presentation, finding fish, tackle selection, et al, but what about playing and landing the fish once you have inwardly digested all that stuff and actually find yourself attached to one of these fabled fishes? Help is at hand.

O.K. so there you stand, thinking about how much you would like to be back at work, stripping the line in through you rod-hand forefinger. Suddenly your reverie is broken by some damn-fool fish grabbing your fly. What happens next?

The first requirement is to ‘set’ the hook.

Setting the hook means embedding the hook securely in the fish. Achieve this by pulling down sharply on the line using your line hand, but always ensuring the line remains sliding through the forefinger of your rod-hand. But, just pulling down on the line is only of any use if the line is tight to the fish. Just pulling on the line with the rod tip up, while there is any slack in the system, will only lift slack line off the water, and not move the hook at all.

So, many anglers pull on the line hand and lift the rod-tip up, sharply. While this looks spectacular, it is often ineffectual, unless you are close to the fish. But even then there is trouble right here at river city.


If you manage to set the hook, you are now standing there with rod tip high in the air. If the trout moves towards you, you have the Devil’s own job to avoid introducing slack again - you cannot lower the rod because that will form more slack - at which point many anglers select the panic option.

A much better way is to fish with the rod tip low to the water, and when a fish hits, move the rod tip in the direction of any curve of line on the water.

The red lines indicate the fly lines on the water water. The arrow           indicates the direction the rod tip should move to set the hook.

This means that if you have, for example, a curve or slack line on the water, move the rod tip in the direction of the section of the curve nearest to the rod tip. Keep the rod tip just above the water and move it parallel to the water, while pulling down sharply with the line hand. It is important to not take the rod tip behind you.

This method uses the 'grip' of the water itself, and the current, to 'anchor' the line, and transfer the power of the pull more directly to the hook. If the fish runs toward you can leave the line on the water and use the loop formed on the water by the current to maintain pressure on the hook.

I want to reiterate this point about leaving the line on the water. There is an almost overwhelming urge yelling in your mind to lift the rod tip up before removing all slack between the rod tip and the fish. The water, the current, and the trout, all pulling at the line will hold the hook in a fish's mouth till you can get everything up tight - there is simply no need to lift the rod tip until you are sure all slack will be removed by doing so.

If the line is tight to the fish when it takes the fly, usually only a short line-pull is necessary to set the hook. It is worthwhile to remember a fly hook only needs to move about 2-3mm (1/4") to penetrate past the barb on even the biggest hooks used for freshwater fly-fishing. Very often just the force exerted on slack-free line, when the fish turns away with the fly in its mouth, will set the hook without any interference from you.

Now with the fish firmly attached you can set about fighting the fish, and I need here to divide this bit into two sections - big trout and not-so-big.

Not-so-Big

If you are fishing where it is very unusual for trout to take your line out into the 'backing'the thin line running from the fly-line and onto the reel and fish do not get much over 1.5 to 2kg (3 to 4lb) you can play the fish using the line only, without using the reel at all. Hold the rod at an angle of about 45 degrees to you body, point the rod tip toward the line coming off the water (never at the fish, unless of course the line is tight to the fish) and use your rod-hand forefinger to press the line against the rod handle.

You should try and maintain a constant bend in the rod, by gripping the line to apply tension or allowing the line to slip through your line-hand fingers, and rod-hand fore-finger. If the rod tip ducks down let the line slip. You should in general try to keep the rod at about the 45 degree angle, but if the fish really takes off lower the rod tip. The tip section is there to absorb the lunges of the trout, and to maintain constant pressure.

Your immediate job is to get the fish tight to the rod tip.

When you get an opportunity to retrieve some line, using your line hand, pull line in through your rod-hand forefinger - called 'stripping' the line. As you reach the end of a strip, grip the line with your rod-hand forefinger, and slide your line hand up to grip the line again. Your immediate job is to get the line tight between the rod tip and the fish. Then by stripping and slipping line the fish will gradually tire to the point where you can think about landing it.

If you can get the line onto the reel, you should do so.
Having loose coils of line wafting around in the water or on the ground is inviting disaster. I could not even begin to estimate how many fish I have lost, and seen lost, from line tangling around legs, rocks and boulders, shore debris and undergrowth. Having the line going directly onto the reel will help when you come to land the fish.

Bigger Fish

If you are lucky enough to fish where trout regularly exceed 2kg (4lb) and often a great deal more and backing is something you regularly see flying off the reel, your main aim is to get the fish onto the reel as soon as possible.

If the fish bolts downstream let the line slip through the forefinger of your line hand under light pressure, with no pressure from your rod hand, till the line comes tight onto the reel.

If the fish races upstream leave your rod tip down at water level and facing the direction of the line - not the fish - let any loose line you have, slip through your fingers till the line comes tight to the reel, even if there is a big bow of line between you and the fish. The bow of line will maintain pressure on the hook.

Then once the line is tight to the reel start winding at a frantic pace, following the line with the rod tip until you can lift the rod tip up to 45 degrees without introducing any slack.

If the fish jumps 'bow to the fish'

Once the line is on the reel you can use the reel’s drag system to release line evenly. If you have no drag system use your line hand cupped lightly under the reel onto the spool rim. Try not to get your fingers in the way of the whirling reel-handles when a big fish runs, unless pain is your close and dear friend.

If the fish jumps, 'bow to the fish'. That is, lower your rod tip quickly to give the fish some slack. A jumping fish can put real strain on your leader, especially if it falls back onto taunt line.

You need to be very careful with a big fish that is racing downstream. You may need to lower the rod tip to reduce the strain on the line; this is especially true if there is a bow in the line from a fish changing direction to race downstream from upstream of you. This is another of those occasions when you must fight the urge to raise the rod.

The End Game

So you have done everything right and the fish is now tired and looks as though it might be possible to land it. This is a critical time in this game.

Trying to net a fish on your own is often problematical.
To get the net under the fish you need to lift the rod tip high to reduce the angle between the fish and the net. But lifting a rod tip high with the line running down close to the rod to the fish risks breaking the rod. It is called ‘point-loading’, and means that the weight of the fish is transmitted down the rod, not along it. This puts to much pressure on the weak tip section of the rod. This is a very real problem with fish over 2.5kg (5lbs). The best solution I have found is to use a landing net with a collapsible or extendable handle.

Once you have the fish where you can net it, pull the fish head-first gently over the rim of the net, then flick up that rim and lift the net at the same time. If all goes well the fish will be at the bottom of your net.

If the fish ‘freaks’ at the sight or touch of the net, do not ‘chase’ it with the net, let the fish swim off and then carefully move it into position again for another attempt.

If you are going to release the fish, keep as much of the fish in the water as possible still in the net, remove the hook, lower the net, hold the fish into the current and let it swim away when it is ready.

Of course having a fishing partner lurking about to net your fish makes life a whole lot easier.

Sometimes it is easier to ‘beach’ a fish. If it is possible to move back onto a bank, it can be easier to slide a fish gently into shallow water. This is often very true when trying to land fish over 3kg (6lb), and sometimes the only way to land fish 5kg (10lb) and over.

If you are planning to release the fish do not pull it up onto dry land – dry sand, rock or vegetation, all will wreak havoc with a trout’s slime covering which is used to repel bad stuff in the water. Instead quickly remove the hook; gently turn the fish back towards deeper water and hold its head into the current till it moves off under its own steam.

The key thing to remember when trying to land a trout (in fact any fish) is to try and keep things as smooth as possible. Constant, unrelenting pressure against the fish’s attempts to escape is what tires it out. Jerking the rod about, not releasing line smoothly when the fish runs, all can lead to the hook pulling out or the leader breaking. Smooth firmness is required when you come to the end game and try and net or beach your prize.

Fishing the Famous Wooly Bugger

 Probably the most famous of all flies in fly fishing is the Wooly Bugger. Whether you fish this fly for warm water species or cold water species you should be successful. Crappie, bass, bluegills, strips, spots, smallmouth, and of course trout hit this fly with vigor. I receive a number of fishing publications each month which give me a lot of great information on fishing. I recently read a great article on the Bugger in one of the publications and I thought I would share it with you guys. As always I learn something I didn’t know about fishing the Wooly Bugger, and I hope you pick up some information you can use as well.

How to Use a Wooly Bugger When Fly Fishing

Fly fishermen tend to agree that the Wooly Bugger lure is one of the best for catching the big ones. The Wooly Bugger is a big lure, and there are a variety of ways it can be cast and presented to the fish.

Instructions

Dead drift the bugger by adding a few jerking actions. Use the bugger for larger fish like lake trout and steelhead salmon. Arctic char, bluegill, northern pike, and even carp have found this lure hard to resist. However you chose to fish this lure, it can't be fished wrong. Crawling, creeping, darting, floating, and sinking are just some of the ways you can present the wooly bugger.

Weigh down the Wooly Bugger by using either a split-shot, a bead, or a cone head on the front of the shank of your rod to produce a bouncing action. When the lures land on the bottom of the lake, use a stop-and-go action. This also is called a rise-and-fall or yo-yo action.

Produce a "breathing" action to the lure by using a slow stop-and-go motion on the retrieve. Place a few BBs ahead of the lure to really turn the fish on. When casting with this method, cast upstream and across the current.

Produce a swimming action, focusing on the marabou on the tail of the Wooly Bugger. This helps to imitate swimming bait such as larva, tadpoles, or leeches to hungry fish. Put a bit of glimmer on the lure to make sure the fish see the bait.

Imitate smaller fish when the water is low and near a steep drop off such as a waterfall. This action replicates the movement of a little fish that has been
stunned by a steep landing. Cast and let the lure drift. Use a quick jerking action followed by a quick retrieve.

Devise different actions according to the water conditions. Slow action is recommended on small creeks or rivers. Faster action is recommended on lakes.

Snowed in with My Daughter and Grandson

We seldom ever get this kind of snowfall in the south, but this one is an exception. I am in Spring Hill Tennessee with my daughter and grandson Bryson. My son-in-law B.T. had to go on a business trip for the week. My daughter wanted some company and didn't want to stay by herself so I volunteered to keep them company for the week. I thought I would share some of the pictures we took this morning. We got around 6" here and places south of us got as much as 13" unreal for the deep south.

The creek behind My Sons-in-law and Daughter's House

Park behind the house

The Auburn Flay flying proudly

Bryson more interested in the snow, not the picture taking

Not happy in Mama's arms, would rather be in the snow

Suitable for Framing

My best buddy

Question About Line Weight

 Thought I would start the New Year off by putting a question out there for all you guys. What is your opinion on using a larger weight line with a smaller weight rod? I know some of you probably have apply this concept to your fishing arsenal, and some of you stick with the given rule of using the same weight light with the same weight rod. I also know there are advantages and disadvantages in going this route, with the line and the rod. So I am curious to know what your opinion is on this particular set-up. Thinking about, planning, and chopping at the bits to get back out on the water.

My 10 Most Burning Things I Need To Accomplish

Today I thought I would give you a look at my 10 most burning things to accomplish before I take to the rocking chair. Everyone has things they would like to accomplish during the day, month, and year or in their lifetime. This list for me will be a work in progress over the rest of my active life. So here we go with number 1----------------

Continue to exercise in the gym and watch what I eat

Continue to work on being a better trout fisherman

Focus on using the fly rod more in my fishing expeditions—I wish I had done this when I was younger

Schedule time for my wife and me to travel and to work in some trout fishing trips when she retires

Continue to stay Tech Savvy, which helpfully will help me keep my senses

Strive to be a good husband and father to my kids who are grown and to my beautiful wife of 35 years

Beat my record Kentucky Spot catch of 3 1/2lb and to land a monster brown on the Caney Fork

Continue to enjoy my time being retired, and not lose focus on what retirement really means A MORE RELAXED LIFESTYLE.

Be around long enough to teach my Grandchildren the joys of fishing and the outdoors!! 

Continue to be blessed with good health and enjoy family and friends--We all need to remember we are just visiting this place here; a greater land awaits us all one day!! 

I don't think that this is a list that I will have trouble accomplishing. In fact, this is something I know I will enjoy working on. Anyone else out there care to share their short or long term goals?

Working on That Word Called "Patience"

One of the great things I have learned about fly fishing is Patience. One develops this over time and it is not something you accomplish on your first fishing trip. I know I have been on the water many times and decided the hole I was fishing was not very productive or simply void of fish and I would move on. To my surprise a few minutes later another fisherman would start fishing right behind me and land fish. Patience plays a big role in that situation, because if I had taken the time to change flies, vary my presentation, make more cast and cover the area thoroughly then I might have been the one landing the fish. I found out from the outset of trout fishing that it was a far cry from warm water angling. Patience is not as prevalent there because most of the time you will pick up a small bluegill without even trying, not so with the trout fishing. The factors that determine a successful outing on the river are flying around you or hiding under those rocks you are stepping on; not to mention the size, color, and fly pattern. This is where the word “patience” comes into play. I am still working on this word not only in my fishing endeavors but in everyday life experiences. I have found out it can pay huge dividends and at the same time can be your worst enemy. This is something I work on all the time, how about you does this word give you problems? This is my last post before Christmas Day, so I would like to wish all of you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

The Western Movie Another Passion of Mine

 I just got through watching for the second time: one of the greatest westerns ever made in my opinion. “Dances with Wolves” The weather wouldn't permit me to get out on the water today, so I opt for another one of my pastime--Western Movies----I know this has nothing to do with fishing, but just as fishing is one of my pastimes so is Western Movies.  If you guys have read my profile you will discover that I am an avid Western Movie fan. I guess I have seen hundreds in my lifetime. Not all were great, but most meet my expectations of being authentic. I guess that is why I am into the western theme. It gives one the chance to look back when life was being tuff, enduring hardships, and coping with danger. Not all western movies depict how life really was during that era. An example was the ladies in the saloons. They were not dressed to the tilt and look like they just came off the runway. According to a lot of the books describing the saloon ladies they were anything but that. A lot of pictures showed them to be rugged looking. So the high dollar sporting girl the cowboy got usually turned out to be a low dollar. I like movies that are realistic and the western movie really depicts that theme. My top ten westerns of all time are-------

Dances with Wolves

Lonesome Dove

Shane

Unforgiven

The Shootist

The Outlaw Josey Wales

True Grit

Once Upon Time in the West

Open Range

The Searchers

Any of you bloggers into Western Movies if so, what are some of your favorites?

Different Set-up for the Hopper/Dropper

 I am sure a lot of you have fished the hopper dropper rig. I have use a dry and a smaller nymph as my dropper quite often.  I have also used dries as large as # 10 to fish a larger nymph as the dropper. I recently came across a video clip showing another way to rig the hopper dropper rig, by letting you adjust your dry fly along your leader, just like you would adjust your indicator. I think this clip is an excellent demonstration on how to rig an adjustable dry serving as an indicator. I am going to give this method a try on the Caney in the spring. I like the big dry fly concept because you are not only getting the benefit of the indicator as a fish catching tool, but you are putting a simulator out there for the trout too. Take a look and see what you think. If any of you have a more detail method showing how this set-up is rigged; please share.  Hopper/Dropper Demo Clip

Sharing Unique Websites

 During the winter months I must admit I kind of become a hermit. So one of the most logical things for me to do is watch good westerns, blog, gym, and read and watch anything about fishing. I use a lot of links from the computer to keep me abreast of what is going on as far as products, equipment, new fishing holes, and anything else that has to do with fishing, especially fly fishing. I thought today I would share some of my favorite outdoor websites I use. As most of you know I don’t tie my own flies, it is not because I am not interested in learning it is the time factor. So I like to order my flies from the cheapest places I can find on the net. Some of you might say you get what you pay for; well I have ordered from both of these places and found that the quality is top notch. They used there own in house tiers, and I like to support small businesses to help the country grow. In fact all the websites I used are considered small business. Flydeals is the cheapest place I have found to order flies, .43 for wet and  .53 for dries. I order by the dozen and I use a lot of files. Percy’s Flies is another good place to buy cheap flies at .54 a fly. The unique thing about this company is the fly rod sales. If you order a fly rod from them you get dozens of free flies. I recently ordered two Temple Fork rods from them as Christmas presents and I got 4 dozens free flies with my order. The higher the price on the fly rod the more flies you get for free. Have you price flies lately? They also carry the Redington Drift Ultra light fly reel. I think it is one of the best ultra light fly reels I have ever used. They are extremely light and balance 2/3 wt fly rods really well. I receive 3 dozen free flies when I ordered this ree: again these are top quality flies. Being on a fix income I am always looking for bargains, most of the time they can be found on the net especially if it deals with fishing and hunting. It just gets my goat if I find out that I have paid too much for a particular item when I could have done a little research and got it cheaper. Cheaper doesn’t mean you are getting a bargain store special, and you know who I am talking about, but it just means you need to dig a little deeper to find that bargain. An example, Bass Pro had the same Temple Fork rods I order for 40.00 more, so I found them at Percy’s for 100.00 plus shipping and got free flies with them. Another site I like is Troutlet; this site has some of the best deals on rods I have found. There Daiwa Spinmatic C spinning rods are the best I have found to fish ultra light. They come in 7, 71/2 and 8 ft. lengths. All of these rods are priced under 45.00 bucks. They are much better than the big store rods which are 60.00 to 65.00 bucks. i have two of these rods I used for crappie. I have ordered lots of fly fishing accessories from this site that are top quality. The last site I really like is the Mudhole. I don’t know about you but I want all my fishing equipment to look good. This place can spruce up your fishing rods to the point of making your handles into an inlay design. I am working on changing one of my handles on one of my spinning rods to an inlay design. When I finish it I will be doing a post on its handle design. I have ordered different colored rods butts from this site to match the guides or to match the color of the rod I am using. The flies on this site are over priced. Bottom line is this site is the best I have found to order accessories for adding detail to fishing equipment. I know when I visit a blog I very seldom check out the website links. I am more interested in the blog post. So this is why I am putting these sites out there for all of you to check out. What are some of your unique sites you use from time to time? I can always use more more bargain sites.  

My Son-in-Law's Trout Fishing Trip in The Smoky Mountains

 I am reporting for my son-in-law who along with his wife, son and his parents spent Thanksgiving in the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg Tennessee. B.T. manages to work in a couple of days of trout fishing on the Little River which runs through the heart of Gatlinburg. It is one of those streams that is fed year round with springs flowing out of the high elevations in the mountains. Brook, Rainbow, and Brown trout make Little River their home. B.T. said the trout fishing this past week has been slow as far as dries were concerned. The two days that he fished produced seven nice bows with the largest being a 13” in length. They were not caught on the fly. All were taken on the trout magnet in the color of chartreuse/black. The presentation was tight lining with the hits occurring on the end of the drift. B.T. said they were a blast on his Micro-light 7 ½ ft. rod. This rod is like using a fly rod because you are getting the play that is associated with a 7 ½ ft. to an 8 ft. fly rod. If you are not using the fly rod then this is the rod you need to go with especially in tight places. This is an awesome trip they made, because of all the activities that one can get involved in there. My wife son and I hope to make the trip with them next year.

Nice 13" Rainbow caught on the trout maget. This is a killer little bug for gills as well as trout.

Reflecting on Streamer Fishing This Past Summer

 Well I sitting here still trying to get rid of this persistent sinus infection. Checking my email I found an article concerning streamer fishing and it got me thinking about being introduced to the Bouface streamer this past summer. I must admit I haven’t done a lot of streamer fishing especially for trout. I do use the tungsten head wooly bugger some, but when it comes to fishing varieties of streamers I am kind of void. I know most all of us at one time has use the  bugger with success. I started experimenting with the streamer this past summer when a buddy and I got into some stripped bass. I had just ordered an assorted of flies and one of the patterns was a variation of a bugger but tied with a different pattern and design. It was the Bouface streamer, size 6 with a tungsten head. It made a believer out of me in a hurry after I landed some strips in the 3 lbs plus range. I was using a fast retrieve and they were nailing it usually at the end of the jerk. I had 4 Bouface Streamers with me that day and ended the morning with one, the others were lost in the mouths of some larger strips that I never turned around. That one experience showed me what a streamer was capable of and how aggressive a fish can be when they see this fly in the water column. I really like the Tungsten head version because of the sink rate. I am  looking forward to using the Zunker, and the Bouface in the spring on the Caney Fork and of course on Smith Lake. My son-in-law and I are planning a float trip on the Caney in early spring. The streamer fishing should be hot at that time for some of the big browns. I am going to try some new streamer patterns on the lake as well. I think the streamer would be deadly worked around structure not only on the lake but on the river as well. Can't wait for sping to get here and get back to some great fly fishing.  

The bugger is always a winner. I like the olive and black along with the brown.

The Zonker Craw is one of those streamers I am going to give a try on the Caney and Smith in the coming spring and summer. This fly comes with the Tungsten head and has a fairly fast sink rate. Really a killer looking fly.



Paying the Price for Fishing a Cold Front

 I guess sometimes one has to endure the pain of a fishing trip, and this past week was no exception.  After coming off the water Thursday evening I felt I was coming down with a sore throat, coughing and slight fever. Spending most of Thursday night awake back at home with coughing and sinus drainage, I decided to go to the doctor Friday. I found out I had contracted a serve sinus infection with swollen glands in my neck caused by the sore throat and constant coughing. The doctor gave me a couple of shots and medication for the next 10 days. As of today I am still not on top of the world but feeling some better. The doctor told me the windy conditions and dropping temps fishing those two days was the culprit. I can remember when I would merely wear off this type of cold, but as I get older I find that a trip to the doctors office is the only cure. I usually get one of these infections twice a year, in the spring and always in the late fall, so this is my fall infection. I didn’t anticipate getting sick on this trip because I always look forward to going to my brothers and his wife. Another thing I look forward to is the good food prepared by my brother’s wife and the buffet at the local restaurant. The gumbo, baked chicken and peach cobbler is something hard to beat for lunch, and of course the prepared supper meals my sister-in-law spreads out. Being with family is a big part of my life, and my wife and I are looking forward to family time this coming Thanksgiving. Here’s wishing all you guys a great Thanksgiving with your family.

Landing Crappie Fishing a Cold Front with my Brother

 If you have ever fished after a cold front, then you will understand today’s post. I just returned from Mississippi where I was crappie fishing with my brother Bobby, the past couple of days. We fish a couple of hours late Wednesday afternoon and a few hours on Thursday morning and manage to land some quality crappie the hard way. We were battling a cold front on Wednesday and Thursday, and the fish was far a few between. Wednesday’s trip produced some nice slabs, and Thursday’s trip was shorter because the weather just didn’t cooperate at all. We were fishing with the wind at a time out of the east ( wind out of the east the fish bite the least) and the temps dropping most of the time.  But what can one expect this time of the year? The water temps were fluctuating between 59 and 61, not uncommon for this time of the year, which is ideal for wintertime crappie fishing. The tackle for the two days was the 11 ft. jigger poles and microlight spinning gear. The jigger poles were rigged with tube jigs and tipped with a pink or white nibblets. The nibblet was the attractor that help get the hits on both slow days. The other set-up was the microlight reel and 7 ½ ft. spinning rods. The microlights were rigged with curly tail jigs tipped with a nibblet pulled slowly over the brush piles. These are excellent casting systems for crappie and bluegills, because of their sensitively and light action. We were fishing water depths of 10 to 12 ft moving the jigs over the brush piles. Bobby and I drop all the brush three years ago in 12 different places on the lake. The key was getting the jig just above the crappie where they were suspended at the top of the brush. It worked both days but it took some patience and lure switching to land some of the slabs we brought to the cooler. Wednesday’s trip produced more using the 11 ft. jigger poles. The jigger pole or crappie jig pole is excellent on slow days when the fish are embedded in the brush and not moving to feed. This set-up will enable you to place the jig right in front of the crappie’s mouth. It can be an awesome way to land huge slab crappie, especially when you know where the brush is located. Both set-ups can produce large numbers of crappie. I have been fishing this lake with my brother for years and we know not to let a cold front dampen our spirits. We been there and done that before. I can't begin to tell you how many fish this one lake has produced for both of us. I will be heading back in December with another report. The following pics summed up the trip.

Nice slab to start the action

Landed using the Micro Light

The key to the catch--under that indicator is where some of the brush was located

Another slab --this one with jigger pole

Anything with red seemed to trigger a hit

Both jigger poles are 11 ft. long and excellent at getting the lure in the face of finicky crappie Both rigged with 4 lb. test line

The jigs for this trip--next trip or next day could be different



How Important is Fishing Structure

For the past two weeks my buddy and I have been on water, but it was not for the fishing, but it was for the picture taking and marking. When I say marking I mean selecting the great spots for next years fishing spots and knowing the fish will show up for the taking. Ask any lake fisherman and they will tell you that the number thing they look for when fishing is structure. Structure that is marked and with a description is the very best. I have come up with some exceptional structured areas that I think will be hot in the spring. The places I was looking for were down trees with heavy limb structure 4 to 6 ft. high when under water. I don’t need a GPS to do this because all the spots can be marked with a bank reference. I have found that the best way to create a structure folder is to take a picture of the spot when it is exposed on the bank and label it as mark A or # 1 and so on in sequence. I like to type a brief description of the area as to the height of the structure and how far it is off the bank and at what depth the it will be when the lake is at full pool. Take your typed description and tape it on the back of the picture that way you know what it looks like and you also know a little about the area. You need to remember at full pool the lake is going to look completely different as opposed to 12 to 15 ft. below full pool. So all the information you can have at your finger tips when you start to fish in the spring is useful in making a slow trip into a superb trip. All of these marked areas will hold unbelievable amounts of prey fish not to mention the large amounts of feeding fish. This is where the big boys hang out for all their meals. I know that other fisherman may mark these same areas, but I have the advantage over most of those guys. I can go anytime and fish these areas while the other guys are working during the week and only have the weekends to fish. That is the advantage of being retire and free to fish any day of the week. And with 35 to 40 marked locations to fish, I know I am going to hit on at least half with those mean spots ready to kill that fly in the spring. The following pics can you get you some idea of what I look for in structure.

 Huge amount of fallen trees line this bank

excellent area

This tree can be seen when at full pool by the stump on the bank--still good area because of the high limbs

 Again this tree stump can be seen from the bank but it has the potential to produce some quaility fish in the spring

A bonanza here with this boat house completely under water, who know what can be found here---JAWS

I not only like the structure but the sand bars are really good in the spring and summer because of the spawning areas they can produce. These areas are the ones that the big gills seek out to bed on. Keep in mind that the majority of the these fish will come from depths of 10 to 12 ft. up to hit the fly--but in this lake that is not a problem, because you can see 10 to 12 ft. down. I would say that this lake is the clearest in the South.  





What Do Trout Really Eat???

  A very short lesson today in Entomology featuring some of the bugs we see every time we make it out to our local stream. I was really impressed with the information in this 8 minute video. It shows you how to match your flies to the different bugs one finds under those rocks at the bottom of the stream you may be fishing. I for one don’t take the time to inspect the rocks in the streams to see what the trout are really feeding on. I do notice the hatch but I don’t  the brother with the rocks, which could be very beneficial, when it comes to selecting the right fly to tie on. This video is only one in a series of great videos that include fishing the wooly bugger, and many more helpful videos in this series--Check out the video on what trout eat and see what you think.

Terrestrials Do We Use Them Enough

  How important are terrestrials in your fly box? I for one don’t use terrestrials enough. I know that there are certain times of the year when they are deadly and then at times they are non existence. If you think about it none of the traditional terrestrials spent their life cycle in the water. The ones that come to mind are the bees, wasps, houseflies, butterflies, caterpillars, spiders and others I probably forgot. An amazing thing I found out when I was doing this post was that less than 1% of these land bugs make up the trout’s diet during a season.   Most of the time these bugs are consumed by the trout after it has fallen from an over hanging branch. Of all the terrestrials my favorite is the grasshopper. I guess because it is I consider the most available in the summer months. There are lots of patterns out there that imitate the hopper, but the one I have found that resembles it best is the bug at Bass Pro. This is one of the most realistic grasshoppers I have ever seen. The special thing about this bug was the detail and the rubber legs. They are spread out as if the hopper is ready to leap. I notice when it lands on the water it still has the same position as on land, which makes it even more realistic to the fish. I found this fly about two weeks ago when I was in the fly shop at Bass Pro.



I bought a couple and can’t wait to try them out in the coming season. They come in a couple of sizes. I always thought a large hopper was the ticket when fishing for trout, but my buddy at the fly shop told me that the smaller version is perfect in early spring and early summer. They are a little pricey for a fly, but if they catch fish I am for it. Can’t wait for spring!!!

Saturday's Caney Fork Trip with my Son-in-law

 Saturday was a day on the Caney for me and my son-in-law. We were fishing below the dam on Center Hill Lake. It was great day just to be outdoors and especially on the beautiful Caney Fork River. We arrive after lunch and got our waders wet around 1:30. There was no top water action at all and no hatch to speak of until just before dark when the small midges in spots starting to move. Most of the afternoon was spent with nymphs and tight lining in fairly fast runs. For some reason the trout were either bumping into the fly and just bumping it out of the way. I lost a number of good fish because of what I just described. I had one good trout on for a few seconds but the fish broke loss of the fly and I never got a look at the size. I know he was good from the pull I got on the hook set. I finally landed one of the stockers using a black bugger and landed another stocker on the bugger later on that afternoon. I was in the company of anglers all around me who was experiencing the same situation. My son-in-law landed 8 or 9 stockers using live bait on his micro light setup. He decided to fish the bait because he wanted to land some of the larger browns. The browns were not cooperating.
 You always come in contact with nice individuals on the Caney and Saturday was no exception. We fish close to Patrick Trenthamp the latter part of the afternoon and he told us one of the best ways to fish the Caney is floating the river. By floating the river you are getting to fish areas that are not pressured as with the areas my son-in-law have been fishing. He offered to carry us in the spring in his 15 ft. canoe-----WE ACCEPTED!! He has been fishing the Caney for years and knows the river much better than we do. B.T. and I are really looking forward to the trip and really glad we met Patrick. I told Patrick I had never met a fisherman who was not friendly and helpful and Patrick is no exception. Thanks Patrick!!

One of the stockers--fun on the 4 wt.

Nice Rainbow from the Micro-light



That Fish is Still on my Mind*********

 I thought I would give you guys a little background into the Spotted Bass. The catch the other day is still on my mind and I just wanted to share with you why this fish is so special with me. I told you the other day that I put it in the class with the smallmouth. It never knows when to quit fighting. That is what intrigues me so much about the fish—it is like the energizer bunny it just keeps going and going and going----the following is an article from our Bama Bass Fishing Magazine –hope you enjoy***


Spotted Bass Fishing
Don’t forget the Spotted Bass! Thousands of Alabama anglers seek the popular largemouth bass as their primary target, although many say that catching a Spotted Bass gives them a better fight. Both species live in many Alabama lakes, explaining why you can catch the occasional “spot” while fishing for largemouth bass. The bass are well known for their aggressiveness once hooked; however there are many other distinct differences between these two black bass species.
Spotted prefer cooler water. This is why you don't find them in farm ponds where summer surface water temperatures can reach 90 degrees. They also favor areas low in turbidity, which excludes sites that receive excessive runoff. Spotted Bass tend to stay in rocky areas and avoid mud bottoms and dense vegetation. Two Alabama reservoirs that have excellent populations of the bass include Smith Lake and Lake Martin, both of which are deep, clear water systems with abundant steep rock ledges.
The bass reaches sexual maturity when they are one to two years old or about 10 inches long. The normal spawning period in Alabama lakes occurs from mid-April to late May, depending on geographical location. The spawning period typically lasts around 30-45 days. This is much shorter than the largemouth, which can last over 65 days. Spotted Bass generally spawn deeper than largemouth bass and nest sites can be at depths from 3 to 21 feet.
Adult bass primarily eats crawfish, fish and insects, with a strong preference to crawfish. In one study, stomach analysis revealed that crawfish made up 73 percent of the total diet of the bass.
You will find two types of Spotted Bass in Alabama. The Kentucky Spotted is found in the Tennessee River drainage in North Alabama, while the Alabama version of the Spotted Bass is restricted to the upper Mobile Basin. The Alabama bass usually grows bigger than the Kentucky.
The current Alabama record for spotted is 8 pounds 15 ounces and was caught from Smith Lake in the late 1970s. This fish once held the world record and still remains one of the largest spots ever caught. Spotted Bass do not achieve weights as heavy as the largemouth bass but, pound for pound, many anglers feel the spotted bass is second to none.
Don’t forget the spotted bass while fishing in Alabama. We all love the largemouth, but there is something to be said about a feisty Spotted Bass on the end of your line.

Finally Found the Right Ultra Light Fly Reel

 I did a post a while back on ultra light fly reels, and why I am interested in fishing with these little light items. I have discovered that fishing lighter than 4 wt. can be a rewarding experience. When I first started fishing with the fly rod I fished with a 6 or 7 weight, and thought it was the perfect rod for all species and all sizes of fish. Little did I know that the fight of the fish could be enjoyed more if the equipment was tweeted just a bit?  A couple of years ago I was fishing on a local lake near our home for bluegills and was using my 5 wt. and was having a time landing some monster gills. Upon leaving the lake that afternoon I ran into a gentleman who seemed impressed with my catch and the size of the fish I had caught. He told me he never used anything above a 3 wt. to fish for bluegills. He said that the lighter reel and rod would make my catch even more rewarding and challenging. He suggested a 3 wt. 7 ½ ft. rod for the small nooks in the lake with a matching reel for added balance. It only took me a year and half to finally get the right combination starting with the Temple Fork 7 ½ ft. 3 wt. and finally a Redingtion Drift Ultra light reel 2/3 wt. I can’t believe the balance of the rod to the reel. The lightness of the combo is amazing and the casting and false casting is effortless. I used the combo yesterday at a small park pond where I landed some small gills that were a blast. A big thanks to Chris Barclay at The Bream Bum Blog for putting me onto this reel. He is an accomplished ultra light fly fisherman and knew what he was talking about when he recommended the reel to match my 7 ½ ft. Temple Fork rod. Now all I have to do is get out to the tailrace and test it out on some of those rainbows.

My Largest Kentucky Spotted Bass Ever Using the Fly Rod

For me today it was not my ordinary day on Smith Lake. Mike and I were fishing shade with some cooler temps in the 50’s. The water temperature was running between 69 and 70 degrees. The fish were far and few between. The water was extremely clear and extremely low. The lake this time of year is down 10 to 12 ft. getting ready for all the spring rains. We moved into one of the high rock walls areas in the Ryan Creek area where I had landed some quality spots earlier this year. I had been using my 5Wt. 8 ½ ft. Redington all morning with a dark turquoise size 4 popper. The poppers I have started using is the Booglebug brand because of their finish and the eye detail. With only limited success on the turquoise (small rock bass and a couple of largemouths, I decided to tie on a # 4 size charturse black-legged popper. I was using a 5X tippet. I chose the light tippet because of the clear water. As I have mentioned in previous posts the water is so clear in this lake one can see 10 ft. down. So the lighter tippet gave me a better chance of getting the hit. As I moved the boat into a position to make a long cast into one of the rock overhangs, I notice some movement under the rock overhang. I twitch the big bug a couple of times with no success. So another cast was in order to the left of the rock overhang. As I twitched the bug lightly I saw the wake and then the bug was gone. I immediately set the hook and the fight was on. The fish started to move into the 50 to 60 ft water trying to strip the hook out. I was using my line at my feet to give the fish all the lead way it wanted. I told my buddy to take control of the trolling motor as I moved to the back of the boat to get a better feel for the fish which I had not seen. As all my line at my feet was gone I finally manage to get the fish on the reel, which helped out because I needed my drag to help handle this fish which I still had not seen. The drag was humming and the fish was still going even deeper as the depth finder registered 110 ft. I told Mike that I had a big catfish, because of the depth dives this fish was making. After about two minutes into this battle, I finally was able to see the fish as it came up about 50 ft. from me, and that is when I went ballistic. This was the largest spot I had ever caught on the fly and as a matter of fact the largest spot I have ever caught period. It weighed in at 3 ½ lbs and proved why the Kentucky Spot is one of the toughest fighting fish around. I would put it on the same level as the smallmouth. They are extremely hard to catch in this pound range because they didn’t get to be this big by being dumb. I have caught a lot of fish in my life and I would have to say that this catch is at the top of the list. For 2 minutes this morning, I experienced something only a few fishermen can experience in a lifetime---landing a huge Kentucky Spot on the fly rod. I was told at the dock that this could be a record for Alabama on the fly rod. I will check and let you guys know.  -----Side note: little did I know this would be one of many big Spotted Bass I would land on Smith in the coming years!!    

     

  The big bug had a death hold

A proud guy even if part of his hat is gone--all that

matters were the fish

The rock wall the big male came from.