Relating the Prolific Bluegill With my Childhood

 I was reading the local newspaper yesterday about the bluegill, probably the most underrated fish that swims in warm water. The bluegill is the fish I started out fishing for when I was a little tot no more than four years old. My Mom would tell my brother and me to watch the cork and then pull up on the cane pole to set the hook and then retrieve the fish. We were landing some of the larger ones in a creek channel that feed into our small pond below our house. We were excited little boys, to say the least watching that cork go under and then playing the fish to the bank. Another fun part of the trip was catching the green and brown grasshoppers we used as bait. This same scenario would play out on weekends when my Dad was home and not working. As I get older I find myself reliving those days more often. This spring my Grandson Bryson’s will go on his first fishing trip with me and I plan to use the same tactics that my Dad and Mom used with me and my brother when were little. He will be 4 years old and ready for the outing. Of course, it will not be all fishing we will have to do a little exploring too. He loves the outdoors.

 As most of you know I have been challenging myself for the past two years to land 100 supersize bluegills during the spawning season. Well, this year I am going to add a new twist to the quest; I am starting my challenge early in March and ending it the last of June. This early start will give me the chance to land some monster bulls before they ever spawn. No one in the area fishes for these fish until they go on the bed, so the early start will give me the edge. I will be using nymphs in the form of wet flies and weighted nymphs. This means fishing much deeper water as oppose to the spawning depths. The rod weights will also have to be altered as well to compliment the nymphs. I like to use at least a 5 weight when I am going down under and a 4 weight when I am fishing the dries and poppers. I intend to use more dries this year along with the tiny poppers, especially in the clear waters of Smith. I feel the dries will help attract the bigger gills off the rock walls early with all the insect activity happening there.

 One of the best nymphs to use off the deep banks early is the famous bugger

 The black bugger is deadly

 How could I do this post on bluegills and not mention the Black Gnat, as I have said many times the best-wet fly I have ever used for gills-sorry the company that tied this pattern has gone out of business, I bought all he had left, which was close to 50 flies.

 The Humpy will be one of my go-to dries throughout the spawn this year, this fly should be a killer is size 10 or 8

 The Muddler Minnow is another excellent surface fly that will get results

 The Bett's Popper in chartreuse, white and black all three are productive

This little popper is one of the best Betts poppers that I use. I especially like the black/white leg pattern.

Just one of the big bulls I landed last year--10 weeks to go before the quest begins!!

92---5 Star Rating on Cabela's Dryplus Waders

Guys I got two fly fishing reviews that I want to share with you. I am in the hunt for a new pair of waders, which don’t cost through the roof, but yet will take the wear of a day’s fishing. I think I found the wader in Cabela’s Dryplus Prem Chest Waders. I was really impressed with triple layer knees and the fact that they don’t fit loose to the point where they are baggy. The review on these waders are astounding with 144 reviews resulting in 92 –5 star---36 –4 star—6—3 star and only 6 ---1 star.

 Another item some you guys might be interested in is the new Tenkara Temple Fork Fly Rod in 10 and 11 ft. I recently had a chance to actually get a feel for this rod the other day when I was visiting Riverside Fly Shop located off the tailrace at Smith. It was the first chance for me to pick one up and I have to say I was impressed. The lightness and the sensitivity of these rods are astounding. I am still in the thought stage as to purchasing one.

The generators are running continuous at the lake now and fishing below the tailrace is too dangerous for wading. Randy at Riverside told me the other day that there were 1500 rainbow ranging from 12 to 15” released in the tailrace the other day, so I may get to connect with one soon, once the water levels get back to normal. One of my main objectives this year is to fish the tailrace much more as opposed to last year.

Fly Fishing Streams in Mississippi

I use to fish sparingly with the fly rod back during my early days in Mississippi. I was too busy fishing my bait casting combo for largemouth bass mostly from my small aluminum boat. Little did I know that when I lived there that there were 100’s of small streams in the state that was a fly fisherman's dream. This fact really hit home the other day when I was reading the Outdoor Sports section of the Clarion Ledger the largest newspaper in Mississippi. Rex Jones a documentary film maker at Ole Miss had put together a fantastic piece on fly fishing streams in Mississippi. The documentary features David Frazier an avid warm water fly fisherman who has fished some of the best streams in the state for bluegill, spotted bass and largemouth bass. After watching the video, I discovered I missed out on some great stream fishing using the fly rod in Mississippi when I lived there. Hope you enjoy the video much as I did; it is worth the watch.

 

 

 

Interchanging Fly Line Weights With Fly Rod Weight

 

I started experimenting towards the end of the fishing season last year with interchanging different line weights with the fly rod weight. I did this because at times fishing the tailrace I experienced lots of wind in some of the narrow areas. I started using a 5 weight line with my 4 wt fly rod to help cut through the wind a little better. I found the exchange made it much easier to cast and place the fly with more accuracy. I also discovered that with the wind ripples on the surface I didn’t need the longer leader in the 9 -10ft. range; I could actually fish a 7 ½ ft. leader and get even more accuracy. So hopefully I have the wind problem solved when it is whipping down the gorge at break neck sped.

 After trying the “wind scenario” and it proving to be successful; my next experimental pairing will be to use 2 or 3 weight line with my 4 wt 8 ½ ft. fly rod. With this pairing I still have the power in the rod, but I am getting a much softer and lighter presentation of the fly as it touches the surface. Using a 9 to 10 ft leader/tippet size will cause even less disturbance on the surface. The trout here experience a lot of fishing pressure and I feel the lighter the better for me when it comes to producing a take on a tiny dry or nymph. This will be my first set-up I will be experiment with when I get back on the water. I know a lot you guys have interchanged lines with rod weights; what’s your take on line weight verses rod weight?

 

Hope all you guys have a great Christmas!!!

Viewing the Mico Nymphing Technique--Interesting!!

 

I have to admit trout fishing or any kind of fishing is put on the back burner during this time of year for me. The tailrace will be up and going again sometimes this month. There will be 3000 rainbows released right below the dam in the coming weeks. These trout will be coming from Missouri and will be larger than the 9-10" trout we get from Tennessee. I hope to be on the water as soon as the trout get accumulated to the surroundings. In the meantime I fill the days going to the gym, removing tons of leaves in the yard, visiting our children and grandchildren and watching lots of fly fishing videos clip on YouTude. While scanning the tube yesterday I came across this neat little piece of footage I thought was really interesting. It is called “Micro Nymphing” the guy gives an excellent presentation on this nymphing  technique. I learn something every time I watch one of these clips; I hope you learn something as well.

 

 







Converting a Good Trout Stream Into an Excellent Trout Stream

Guys I wanted to share some of the good things that are happening on our tailrace below Smith Lake. There is a mile stretch that Alabama Power is making improvements on. It will give the area a Western look with all the pebbles and boulders they are adding. A lot of the water on the stretch has been diverted to create some natural looking seams, deep runs and fast water with less depth. The improvements were drawn up by the Southeastern Engineering Stream Improvement Firm. Trout Unlimited and the Riverside Fly Shop which is located on the tailrace worked closely with the Engineering group. The results have been spectacular as far as this area is concerned for trout fishing. The following images below can give you some insight into the work that has been done. All of the improvements for this area should be finished by the end of January. The work on the next two mile stretch will begin next fall below the pump station. After that completion there will a little over 3 miles of Western style trout fishing here in Jasper. Think of the revenue that can be produce for this cash striped county.

One will have much more room for the back cast now

Notice the large rocks that have been added

There is very little water that is flowing while all this work is going on.

This image was taken after they completed this area, the water was shut down the next day to start work above this area--can't wait to fish this place!!

Some of the smaller rocks that are being place in the stream bed.

Here is another area that is complete, a lot of rock broaders are being used

Finished stream that has been narrow with depth and underwater logs

Huge boulders at the edge of a deep hole with underwater logs--this should be a great area

This area use to be extremely wide and shallow; it is half the that size now

A little creek area flowing into a small pool which opens up at the other end--interesting place to fish for trout

An Awesome Gift From a Fly Fishing Buddy



 

I have to admit that I am a little behind on my blogging. Reading my new fly fishing book, which one of my fly fishing buddies gave me has limited my blogging time. It is the type book one picks up and just can't put down. The book "The Complete Book of Flyfishing" has to be the total package when it comes to flyfishing. It covers everything from the evolution of flyfishing to small streams, saltwater, salmon and sea trout. I must admit that I am not into the saltwater scene, but it did have some interesting techniques for streamer fishing. The section on insects, equipment, and still water fishing is outstanding. The illustrations and images are extremely vivid and detailed.  One thing that got my attention from the start of the read was when and where flyfishing got its start. I never realize that the first literary description of flyfishing comes about in the year AD 200. Remarkable that this great sport we all have come to love started that far back. I found out that one can never learn everything about flyfishing and this book proves it. The image below gives you some insight into the research and authors who contributed to this "Encyclopedia of Flyfishing". I am sure some of you guys out there have heard or even read this book, but for those of you who haven't had the pleasure; it is worth the read on those days you can't get out on the water.   

 

A sidenote here: Am I the only one having trouble loading my post on Outdoor Blogger? I have just about given up on uploading post there. I usually get this message "error timed out" --can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway in Choctaw County

Road trips are the best way to discover new areas and to see some things that just might perk your interest. I made one such trip a while back with my brother Bobby to an area off the Natchez Trace Parkway. If some of you haven’t heard of this stretch of highway; then you are missing a famous roadway that runs through Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. The Trace covers 444 miles through these three states. The first travelers on the Trace were European Explorers as far back as 1742. The Trace during that time was known to be a dangerous place to travel with robbery and killings common. Even Meriwether Lewis lost his life while traveling the Trace.

My brother and I spent the better part of the afternoon at the tiny town of French Camp which is one of the many historical sites along the Trace. The little town is located 82 miles south of Tupelo Mississippi. While there we drove through the campus of French Camp Academy, which is actually a Christian Boarding School for trouble children. The School has made a tremendous difference in so many children’s lives over the years. The following projects are some of the astounding accomplishments that the children have completed while attending school.

 This is one of the many dwellings that was moved from old homesteads throughout the area and reconstructed by the students at the school. Every board and log were moved and mark to duplicate the original dwelling. Even the original square head nails were used to complete the dwellings. This house at the entrance of the "Walking Museum" which is really what this is; is the welcome center with a gift shop which was a bedroom in this house and to the right across the hall is another bedroom.                                          

Another view of the welcome center with a walkway constructed by the students, which is leading you to the Cafe

This building is the cafe where they served some of the best bread pudding I have ever eat. The sandwiches were outstanding as well. They also make all their bread in the cafe which is sold in the gift shop. This exact spot was where the Choctaw Indians had their council dwellings. The Choctaws lived in this area.

   Construction of the Colonel James Drane house began in 1846 using a water-powered saw. This man was a prominent citizen back in the early 1800s in the French Camp area. The foundation and framing of the house are secured with wooden pegs and the ceiling with squared nails. Moved to this location in 1981, the house is now owned and operated by the French Camp Academy. This was the finest house in the area during that period. The house is listed on the National Registry of Historic Homes in the United States. The following is a description of the inside---  There were four principal rooms downstairs, two on each side of a large central hallway, faced with huge double doors but open at the back. The fireplaces in the two front rooms had matched mahogany mantels. A curved stairway led from the left rear of the hallway to three bedrooms on the second floor, two large wing rooms with three front windows each, connected by a small hall at the middle front window, opposite which was a small central room with a single-window opening on the back of the house. The house is fully furnished with period furniture.

 Sorry, I don't have a full view but there was so much reflection from the front until I had to settle for the back of Col. Dranes carriage.

The original old French Camp Post Office 1848.  

This old barn was moved from a nearby farm where the barn was the only building that was left. All the logs and boards were assembled using the original wooden pegs and square head nails. All the plows, harness, and gear are in the barn. This was really interesting in that it was assembled to perfection.

This is the shophouse on the early farm. This one building was ever so important to the function of the farm, because of the tools it housed to repair the farm tools. All the period tools are here in this dwelling.

This house was actually moved from an area north of French Camp--it was falling apart before it was rescued by the students at the school. All of the houses are original except the chimneys, they are all new.

I couldn't let this post go by without showing you some of the awesome looking streams that are found on the Trace. My brothers and I fished many of these streams as young boys back in the day. In fact, my brother and I were raised less than five miles from the Trace.

   One of the scenic waterfalls that are found on the Parkway.  Exploring the trace brings back so many memories of when our family lived here.

    

Tight Lining Using Zebra Midge With Trout Food Low??

I must admit that I haven’t had much time to fish the last couple of months with other projects going on. Smith Lake is on its annual drawdown and it want be back to normal until Spring. When the drawdown occurs the fish become dormant and suspend and become less active. The last time I fish the lake was in August and had limited success. The tailrace has become my main target the last couple of months with some success. At the last Trout Unlimited Club meeting there was a discussion about the severe shortage of food in the tailrace. One can turn over rock after rock and see no evidence of the leeches, scuds, mayfly larvae, or even the tiny shrimps that was there a year ago. Our club is going to do some research with the game and fish to see what has happen in the way of the food chain. The last trip I made was a couple of weeks ago and I manage to land a couple of trout that was in good condition considering the limited of food they had to eat.

There was no action at all on top for this day and the only way I could get a take was to use the midge tight lining. I had read an article a while back on this method of fishing and decided to give it a try. This bow was taken using a size 20 Zebra Midge using a tiny weight above the midge. The current was  slow so I was simply high sticking through a small seam that was about 4 to 4 1/2 ft. deep using a 9 ft. 4 wt. The takes were extremely light, so I had to be on my game to get the hit. The only complaint I have with this style of nymphing is the hang ups at times. I found out that if you don't react even at the slightest tug, then you diminish your changes of landing the fish. I tried this same area with the indicator but couldn't get any takes, so that was really what brought on the tight lining method. I am always up for any new method in trout fishing and today I got to try one that proved to be successful.

Notice the midge right in the top of the mouth where it should be. With leaves all over the surface, it made for a mess trying to do anything with the dry. Either a leaf would hang the fly up or the leaves would interfere with the line. One theroy most of the club members agree on as for the lack of food is less generation which creates more moss on all the rocks. I could make this same trip last November and land at least a half dozen trout. Of course the food was there then as opposed to now. Considering the limited amount of time I had today and the shortage of food for the trout I think I did pretty well. Does anyone have any suggestions as to why the food supply has dropped off?

Fantastic Deal on Redington Fly Rods Check This One Out!!

Guys it is good to be back and once again talking fishing with all my buddies. I am finishing up on my Ancestry Book after two years of work, and decided to give each one of my children a copy for Christmas.

I am coming back with what I think is a fantastic deal on a Redington Fly Rod. As some of you know I am fan of the Redington Drift Reel and of course the Redington Fly Rod. I purchased the Redington Trout Classic 5wt. 9 ft. last year for the regular price of 150.00 which at the time was a great price for a fly rod of quality and with a priced far less than the other name brands on the market. I find out this morning while searching for fluorocarbon tippet on the web that this same fly rod is now on clearance for 75.00 with the traveling case included at Cabelas. I did a post a while back on the lightest fly rods on the market and this fly rod beat them all for lightness. Cabelas told me this morning Redington is coming out with a new version of the fly rod and the Trout Classic will be discontinued, with the new version being priced at 170.00. So if you want a quality fly rod at a super price this may be your ticket. I can’t let this one go by without getting the 3 wt. 7 ½ ft.  Since I haven't been posting lately this news may be old to some of you, but here it is for you first time readers.

Hope to be Back Soon on the Blog Circuit

Just letting you guys know I have been really busy trying to finish up on my Ancestry Tree book. I am trying to complete it by end of this year. After I finish, Ancestry will bind it for me into book cover form. I didn’t just do the family tree thing where you see your ancestries listed; I have written and researched articles dealing with the Civil War period and how it effected those who fought in the war; how the individuals lived, where they lived, what the towns look like back in the day and many other segments that were prevalent during the 1600’s, 1800’s and the early 1900’s. This is taking a lot more time than I anticipated, but for me it is one of the most interesting things I have ever attempted. No I am not neglecting my fishing duties; I still have a little time to trout fish the tailrace between the traveling research and typing. So just letting you all know that my blog activity will be very limited from now until the first of next year. I will be checking in from time to time to see what everyone is up to, so don’t forget me!!

Will This Fly Pattern Land Smallmouth & Spots in The Fall

While fishing at the tailrace the other day I meet a guy who told me about this unique Frog Pattern he uses with a 9 ft. 7 wt. We both were leaving the tailrace when he started talking to me about fishing Pickwick Lake in Tennessee in the fall for Samllmouth bass using this swimming frog. Being the always inquisitive fisherman I am I immediately started questioning him about the exact time of the year, water temp, presentation, leader/tippet size and length, depth, retrieve and was he fishing it over structure?  He gave me the name of the website which of all places is located in United Kingdom. I know I like to buy all my fishing tackle in the U. S. but I couldn’t resist seeing what this go getter of a fly look like up close and better yet to see if it would actually produce on Smith in October. Long story short I ordered half dozen last week. I don’t know about you guys but I am always willing to try any new fly pattern that may produce action for me. I will have to wait 16 days for the thing to get to me but I think it will be worth the wait.

This is the FROG I will wait 16 days for---I have a feeling it will produce

Since I am on the subject of FROG I thought I would share a few more with you guys. This frog cost twice as much as the frog from England--4.00

The Dry Ryn by Orvis is more a simplier pattern, I like my frogs jazzed up some

The Boobyfrog is from the Field & Stream blog. It is unique because it is tied with the hook upside down, I may have to try this one too.

The orange belly frog from Riverbum is yet a variation in colors and pattern

This frog is tied by Dusty Abney who tells quite a story involving this frog---great piece!!