Fishing in the Ragin Cajun Fishing Derby

I normally don’t fish anymore on weekends, now that I am retired; but getting to fish in the Derby Saturday was worth wetting a fly. As mention in Thursday’s post Charles was my fishing partner for the morning. We arrived at the Riverside Fly Shop on the banks of the Sipsey Tailrace around 6 AM. No one could actually go on the water until 7 AM. The 6 AM time was needed to go over the rules and hand out packets including meal tickets and coupons for the drawing of the big trout prize which was the KC kayak. The other prizes were a guided fishing trip, mystic fly Rod combo and cash to be awarded at the conclusion of the event at 2 PM.

There was an excellent turnout with over 45 participates fishing either from a kayak or wading. We were informed at the 6 AM meeting that numbers of trout measuring 16 inches to 20 inches had been released in the tailrace on Thursday, so all the participates perked up when they heard that bit of news. No one landed any that size for the morning. The largest trout recorded for the day was a little over 13 inches which won that individual the Kayak. On the Sipsey Tailrace a trout 12 inches to 16 inches is considered a nice catch.

I can’t say enough about how well the event was planned and organized by Randy and Brandon owners of Riverside Fly shop. Both these guys have done so much to promote fly fishing on the Sipsey and in the state of Alabama. What a pleasure it was to get fish in the Derby this year with my buddy Charles. Both of us agreed we will be back for next year’s Derby.

Early morning arrivals at the front of the fly shop

Some of the first participates signing in

Kyle one of my former students, getting his flies set up for the morning. He is an outstanding fly fisherman, who fishes the Sipsey a couple of times a week. I hope to get to fish with him Tuesday on the Sipsey.

Two retires who love the sport of fly fishing--Charles it was good fishing with you today

We spot one lone fly fisherman in the distance, as we make our way to a couple of runs, which by the way we got to fish

More fishermen going to their favorite spot--it did get a little crowded at times, but there were no complaints from anyone.

My first and only trout of the day; it was tough day for everyone, there were no fish taken at all on dries, the few that was landed were taken either on nymphs or small streamers. I landed my only trout on the Seal Leech tied by David at The Trout Zone. There was no hatch at all during the five hours everyone was allowed to fish, which eliminated the dry action. Everyone was given a ruler to measure their trout and then release the fish. The camera was used for verification of the catch. Ten fisherman scored with landing trout out of 45 participates.

Some of the great eats that was prepared for lunch

The gumbo was outstanding, with the smoked sausage.

Some of the fishermen listening to Bob Shanks, who gave a great presentation on Unconventional Fly Fishing

Mr. Shanks talking about his years fly fishing all over the United States. It was really interesting listening to him talk about his trips out west, especially in Montana. Some of the unconventional ways he fly fishes were intriguing. At 83 he said he still fishes 200 days a year with each trip he makes averaging about 3 hours. He is the author of "Around The Next Bend" Adventures in Fly Fishing. If you are interesting in ordering his book, you may contact him at bshanks29@gmail.com

The KC kayak big prize of the day

Even a wild turkey showed up for the event--thanks guys for viewing  

 

 

 

 

Getting Ready for the Riverside Trout Fishing Derby

 

Ragin Cajun Big Trout Fishing Derby which will be held on the Sipsey Tailrace June 29^th. 2013.  

 

Sign up today for the Big Trout Fishing Derby hosted by Riverside Fly Shop and KC Kayak of Baton Rouge, LA. Early Registration Entry fee is $25 and must be registered and paid by 5:00pm, June 23, 2013. Registration after that time will be $35.00. Derby Entry Fee includes lunch. Prizes include a KC Kayak, guided fishing trips (one in the salt, one on the Sipsey), Mystic Fly Rods, cash, food, plus draw prizes. See the Derby Rules and Regulations for complete details. There is also a BIG FISH pot you may participate in for the largest fish in the pot. Donations and proceeds support our Big Trout project.

Thursday was the practice day for my fishing partner Charles and me to fish the Sipsey Tailrace before the actual Trout Fishing Derby on Saturday.  I was told yesterday by Randy the owner of Riverside Fly Shop that there will be a big turnout for the event. Randy has done an outstanding job of organizing and promoting the Derby. Aside from the prizes and the fishing, there will be some great eats such as the New Orleans style combo which will be served for lunch.

Charles and I assumed we will have plenty of company today with other fly fisherman getting in some practice time too. We left the house at 5 AM hoping we would be first on some of the runs and pockets we normally fish.

As it turned out we were alone as we suited up and made our way to the first access 5 point. Walking from the top banks of the tailrace down to the waters edge we could feel the change in the humidity and temperature. It was like stepping into an air conditioned room, only this room had some rainbow trout awaiting some dries and nymphs to inhale.

I had decided before we left the house that I was going to fish a nymph the entire morning and skip the dry action. I felt I could land a much better trout if I use a nymph as opposed to a dry.

Charles and I managed to land a couple of nice rainbows before the generation took over and ran us off the water. This trout was my contribution, which was taken on a Prince Nymph.  Charles landed his trout the same size on a Mayfly pattern. There was very little dry action, so that is what convinced me to go with the nymph.

We could have fished this stretch if the generation schedule had been in line with their predication for the morning. The schedule showed no generation until 1 PM. That all changed at 8:30 AM when huge waves of water came rushing down the tailrace at break neck speed. With flows that fast it wouldn’t be safe in a canoe or kayak. Charles and I agree that the one trout each was enough to make the morning, and get both of us primed for Saturday’s Derby.

 

Sorry for the limited images but my camera wasted both batteries right after the fast stream shot. I hate I didn’t get an image of Charles’s trout. I will have new batteries in place and be ready for the day Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Fishing the Mystery Nymph with Success

I was back on the Sipsey Tailrace on Tuesday at daylight. There was a slight fog on the surface but I could still see the Bomber dry fly floating effortless through some of the runs. I had the luxury of not being so rushed to fish some of my favorite spots, because I had the upper tailrace to myself. I saw my first fly fisherman about two hours later.

I actually needed the extra time given me to try and present a pattern that the trout would take. It was the Bomber for a short period, but after the dry action stopped I had to go with a nymph pattern.

The one and only on the Bomber for the morning. I missed a number of takes before this bow actually pulled it under. It is so frustrating when the trout are sipping at the fly instead of actually nailing it. When I see this type action I know I have to start nymphing.

  Working my way up the Sip, through the fog and some awesome runs in front of me.

 Nice rainbow on the mystery nymph

 Yes the mystery nymph, this little fly was tied by David at The Trout Zone. It has no name at the moment, so hence the mystery fly. This was the one fly that I fished while nymphing the rest of the morning and landed some really quality trout in the process. I was fishing it under an indicator, but soon discovered that I needed some extra weight to get near the bottom of some of the runs. A tiny shot crimped about 10" above the nymph worked to perfection.

One of the runs on the far bank that produced early, it was kind of difficult determining a take, because of the fast water in the narrow seam, so when in doubt still set the hook; which enable me to land one of the better trout of  the morning in this run.

The better trout was this guy which gave the 9 ft. 3 wt. a real workout, especially against the current.  I discovered the fight was not over after I landed this bow. He wasn't about to pose for a pic in my hand, so an image underwater worked well before he darted off.  

Access 6 walk way right to the waters edge, where I started fishing early.

Some of the Mountain Laurel that line the banks of the tailrace. We are very lucky to have a place that offers some great trout fishing like this in the state of Alabama.

 

 

An Eventful Evening of Fishing With my Grandson

Getting to fish with my Grandson last weekend was a hoot to say the least. It brought back so many memories of some of my first trips with my son and daughter. We lived in Tupelo Mississippi at the time and we would go out to the local park on Sunday’s to walk the trails and of course fish for the bluegills that were stocked in the small 3-acre pond.

Well, all of those memories came back to me when Pops and his Dad carried Bryson out for his first fishing trip Saturday afternoon. His Dad told me on the way to the small pond that I was in charge of letting Bryson land his first fish. I had been talking to him for some time about this memorable trip and he was ready and pumped to go, to say the least.

We begin the journey by digging for night crawlers or red worms in the backyard. The name didn’t matter to Bryson; all he wanted to do was grab the worm as soon as we unearthed one and pull it apart. I kept telling him we needed the whole worm to make a nice meal for the fish, but his theory was that if you break the worm into, it would make 2 baby worms. So with that sound explanation in mind, we continue to dig for worms until we had enough for the evening fishing trip. Upon arriving at the little pond I notice there was some small bluegill still bedding in the shallows near the bank. So I showed Bryson how to bait the hook and we made our first cast towards the beds. I had explained to him that once the bobber goes under he needed to start reeling because that meant he had a fish on. We were lucky to be fishing in a pond that had lots of bluegills, because, within a few seconds, Bryson had his first fish with his Pops. I must admit it was a teaching experience for him to get the hang of reeling that first fish in, but after the first catch, he got better.

We battled mosquitoes, gnats, and extremely high humidity, all afternoon, but Bryson was a trooper and so was his Dan and Pops. For me, the elements were minor on this trip, because I got to teach my Grandson about the joys of fishing and how to enjoy the outdoors. I am looking forward to our first fly rod outing when he gets a little older.

One of many bluegills fisherman Bryson landed for the afternoon.

Is this little guy excited or what????? He is already asking Pops when are we going again.
Hope all Dad's have a great Father's Day!!!

Beauty of Smith Lake+Ragin Cajun Big Trout Fishing Derby

Guys today’s post starts with the announcement of the “Ragin Cajun Big Trout Fishing Derby” which will be held on the Sipsey Tailrace June 29^th. 2013.  

 

Sign up today for the Big Trout Fishing Derby hosted by Riverside Fly Shop and KC Kayak of Baton Rouge, LA. Early Registration Entry fee is $25 and must be registered and paid by 5:00pm, June 23, 2013. Registration after that time will be $35.00. Derby Entry Fee includes lunch. Prizes include a KC Kayak, guided fishing trips (one in the salt, one on the Sipsey), Mystic Fly Rods, cash, food, plus draw prizes. See the Derby Rules and Regulations for complete details. There is also a BIG FISH pot you may participate in for the largest fish in the pot. Donations and proceeds support our Big Trout in the "Sip" project.

Fishing is not the only thing one remembers when visiting Smith Lake, my home waters in Jasper Alabama. The wildflowers, the unusual rock formations and of course the super clear water is what makes this lake the most scenic in the state. One can see as far as 20 ft. down in the gin clear water. It is by far the deepest lake in the south reaching depths of over 300 ft. in some areas. 

 

Beautiful flowers line a lot of banks. I don't know the name of this flower, it resembles a magnolia bloom.

 

The mountain laurel is in full bloom

Lots of rock ledges will challenge anyone who tries to land a lure or fly underneath the ledge. This area often holds some outstanding bass, bluegill, and crappie.

An awesome rock wall where I have landed numbers of bluegills and bass

One of the many beautiful streams that runs into the lake at various places along it's 500 miles of shoreline

The lush green forest of spruce and the hardwoods trees that line the banks

Another flower that blooms this time of year

A low rock formation that doesn't end at the waters edge, but continues for many feet below the water's surface

I landed this nice 16" Spot Tuesday morning at daylight on of all things a size 6 Moth fly. I fished over an hour with different flies landing small bluegills and no bass. I decided before I left I would tie on the Moth. I made a long cast in a small nook off the main channel. The Moth landed ever so light on the still water surface and with no movement at all; after a few seconds the fly disappeared in a surface swirl that only a bass can make. Three minutes later I landed this nice male spot using my 9 ft. 5 wt. The 4X tippet withstood the numerous runs it made as it tried to break free.

Sorry to say only one bluegill qualified for the quest on this trip. What makes this bluegill special is its size; it is the largest female I have ever landed on Smith Lake. She inhaled the Seal Leech right at the edge of a rock wall near the launch as I was leaving. It was an unbelievable fight on the 4wt. I know that the quest is only for the big male bluegills, but I am going to break the rules today and count this beautiful gill----she will put me 64 away. It is going to be more difficult to complete the quest now that the big bluegill has moved back into the deep areas of the lake; but I will continue to compete.  

 

 

 

 



http://riversideflyshop.com/

A Day on The Sipsey Tailrace Landing Rainbow

I made an epic fishing trip today, no not to fish for bass or bluegill on Smith Lake; but to finally get to cast for some rainbow on the Sipsey Tailrace below Smith Dam. This was my first trip of the year there and one that proved very productive.

I noticed as I crossed the Sipsey Bridge that the water was muddy. I was hoping as I traveled the two mile road running parallel to access 5 pump station that the water would be much clearer. When I arrived I was not disappointed; the water was super clear and there was an excellent flow.

I landed this rainbow at 9:30 which was a late start for me. I had overcast skies and one other fly fisherman in the area which is what I like when I fish the Sipsey. The first cast I made produced this bow, using Alan’s Bomber. The aggressive take and the anticipation of more dry action signaled good things to happen for me the next couple of hours.

The Bomber worked its magic again as this rainbow exploded on the pattern right at the end of a good drift. I notice it took a minute after the release for it to regain its strength, before it darted off to fight another day.

 This is one of the runs that the Core of Engineers with Alabama Power created last summer on the tailrace. It is an excellent area because of the large rocks that was placed across the bottom at the beginning of the run. The depth here is between 3 and 4 ft. deep. The rock area in the photo is about a foot deep which leads into the run next to the far bank. I was able to get some excellent drifts in the run, which enable me to land some 11 to 12” rainbow in this area.

Another nice rainbow taken on the Bomber, I really like this pattern because of the hackle that Alan used. It gives the fly the ability to float high without using a tremendous amount of floatant. I landed six rainbows from this one run. I found myself doing more false casting than I normally do; but it helped to maneuver the fly for a good drift. I will get an image of this run on my next trip. It has some really fast water to maneuver the fly through.

This is the next good run I moved to; there were some spots of sunlight peaking through the cloud cover so I decided to change flies and go with a smaller pattern. I have notice on this tailrace after some good takes on a particular pattern the trout here seem to recognize real verses fake; so onto the size 14 Caddis.  This is really an unusual run with deep pocket water and sunken logs on the bottom.  I could see some really nice trout here but I never got a take from any of the 15 to 16” size.

The Caddis connected on the first cast with this bow and the dry action continued for the next half hour from this one area.

A nice healthy bow taken on the Caddis right before the sun started taking over the area, which means the bite turned off. I hope this trip is an omen of good things to come for me this year on the Sipsey. I don't know the exact number I brought to hand but I can say it was one of my best days with dries here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Spotted Bass a Worthy Opponent on Any Tackle

I thought I would use today’s post to give you guys some information about the hard fighting Spotted Bass. To me, this fish is on the same level as the smallmouth when it comes to an aggressive fighter. Probably the major difference in the two is the aerobic action the smallmouth has over the spot. I seldom land a spot that goes airborne. This is not to say they want to go airborne, but most of the time they go deep with some awesome strong runs.

I thought I knew this fish fairly well until I read the following article.

 

The Spotted Bass

The Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus) is also called Alabama Spotted Bass, Black Bass, Kentucky Bass, Kentucky Spotted Bass, Linside, Northern Spotted Bass and Redeye. It has been known as the Kentucky bass for many years, which was further reinforced in 1956 when Kentucky's General Assembly as they passed a senate resolution establishing the spotted bass as Kentucky's official game fish.

The Spotted Bass is often mistaken for the largemouth bass, though it does not grow nearly as big. It is a lesser known member of the black bass group, but this is a spunky and distinguished looking species that most anglers enjoy catching. While they jump less often as the smallmouth bass, they fight just as well.

Maturity

The Spotted Bass reaches maturity by the end of year one, but will not spawn until year four. The spotted bass can be caught with all traditional baits and lures that work with largemouth bass, though the size of the lures and hooks should be smaller as the record Kentucky bass is no more than about seven pounds. Also smaller hooks will cause less damage, which is key for catch and release in reducing the mortality rate. However, if the fish is going to be lunch, this is likely not a big concern.

The spotted bass is broken down into three subspecies and named the northern spotted bass, the Alabama spotted bass and the Wichita spotted bass. For more details on the differences between these sub species, see our description section above on the right.

Feeding Habits

Juvenile Spotted Bass adults prefer crayfish, midgee larvae while the fry feed on insects and insect larvae The adult spotted bass feed on the same food that other bass eat including worms, leeches, crayfish, fathead minnows, gizzard shad and golden shiners.

As mentioned above, use the same tackle used for catching largemouth bass, just be sure to right-size your lures for the smaller size. We recommend using smaller lures and stepping them up if required.

Spawning

Like all freshwater fish, the Spotted Bass spawn in spring when the water temperature reaches 63°F/19°C. This can happen as early as February in the southern United States. The male clears a gravel bed where the female spotted bass comes to lay its eggs. Once she lays her eggs, she is chased off by the male who looks after the nest and then looks after the fry for a few weeks after they hatch.

Fishing Methods

The spotted bass can be caught with casting, trolling and fly fishing methods. Fly fishing is recommended for more experienced anger and requires a different set of tackle. For beginners, keep in mind that even a basic set of tackle including wadding gear will cost at the minimum $300.

I landed these four keepers today to add to my quest, I am now 65 away

 Betts Popper

 Olive Boogle Bug

The Seal Leech

Another fell prey to the Leech--all four taken on Smith Lake