-Smith Lake Caves

Smith Lake is one of those lakes in the south that treats all anglers to some fantastic fishing. It also possesses some of the most beautiful scenery along its banks in the Deep South. I always enjoy viewing all of the Mountain Laurels that line the banks of the lake in the spring. Behind all the greenery, Laurels, and awesome rock formations are numerous caves that could have been used during the Civil War. Some are big enough to store supplies and even provide human shelter for an extended period of time. One of the best times to explore these dwellings is in the dead of the winter when the snakes and other varmints are in cold storage.

A little climbing required to approach this cave entrance

Foliage concealment

Another cave in the same area, an exploring trip is in order for winter.

A lot of the banks are decorated with the Mountain Laurel this time of year

The crystal clear waters of the lake yield some of the best spotted bass fishing in the south. This spotted bass was taken Tuesday morning on the dreaded Boogle Bug popper. The fight was intense while the fish made numerous runs to break free of the 3X tippet. One only has to land just one of these fighters on the fly rod to make a daylight morning trip. The very best time to land quality spotted bass and largemouth bass fishing surface lures or poppers on this lake is daylight right before the sun breaks the horizon.  Another spotted bass this morning would fall prey to the deadly popper before the sun turns the bite off.

Landing Weary Trout in High Winds and High Water

I finally got back on the tailrace today with my fishing buddy Charles. The 3 hours Charles and I had to fish proved to be productive.  We were fishing in high wind with gust in the twenties and some of the highest tailrace water we have fished this year. As we approached the first access point we notice no hatch and a wave covered water surface, so dries were ruled out. There was an occasional sub surface trout scattered in some of the faster runs that both of us normally fished. We decided to tie on a couple of soft hackles and fish the flies just under the surface of the water. The drift would be difficult at times with all the wind; but we were persistent and it paid off.

This rainbow just couldn’t resist Alan’s Soft Hackle. I have really got into fishing soft hackle flies this year. An excellent pattern when trout are sub surface feeding. The drift is critical even on windy days.

Charles with another sub surface bow, a good fight for the 3 weight

One usually walks dry on all these rocks but today we were wading for the entire trip.

My best rainbow this year, giving the 9 ft. 3 weight Greys Hardy fits!!!

This trout made my trip---I know this trout may seem small to you guys, but a trout this size on the Sipsey is special!!!

Charles working this trout to the net

I change my tippet after landing this fatty---one determined rainbow!!

Fishing a tailrace today with water reaching from bank to bank, super clear and a cold 55 degrees made for a special outing for Charles and me.



Finding That Gem of a Restaurant in Asheville

  

My wife and I were on a trip to Asheville, North Carolina recently and discovered a fantastic restaurant, Fatz Café.  If you haven’t been to this incredible place, then it needs to be on your bucket list for sure. When we travel, food always comes into play, especially great restaurants, and my wife and I found a gem on this trip.
   Fatz Café is a polished gem not only for the food, but also for the personnel who work at the restaurant. They create a homey atmosphere while you’re enjoying the delicious food. Our waitress Hannah was a prime example of genuine hospitality and making the customer feel at home. My wife and I eat out a lot, but we seldom are blown away with the service and food like we were with Fatz. We enjoyed the food and service so much we dined there twice while we were in Asheville.
   I will end this post by saying if any of you are within driving distance of the Fatz Café, then make it a point to go and take in the great hospitality and the
diversified menu.

Fishing a Fertilized Lake can be a Challenge

I was back on Walker County Lake last week to see if the bluegills have started their spawn? I arrived later in the day and saw numerous boat and bank fishermen scattered around the lake. The lake itself had been fertilized four days earlier so the fish should be a little more active. The fertilize can cause the fish to become somewhat dormant two or three days after the fertilization. I started my journey on the east side of the lake to avoid the bank fishermen who had the west side well occupied.

 I had tied on a white Bar Nunn popper using my 4 weight 8 ½ ft. Redington. The white and light chartreuse have always been a great early spring popper for me on this lake. The long rubber legs on these poppers drive the bluegill nuts. I was fishing closer to the bank today because the fertilize had turned the water cloudy.

My first of the day on the white Bar Nunn put a bend in the 4 weight. This one will become a counter.

Nice Shellcracker on the light Chartreuse Bar Nunn popper; if you want a fight on the fly rod land a Shellcracker!!!

This brush pile gave up the Shellcracker, at its edge where I think more will show up for the spawn.

 

As the sun stated hitting the banks the top action stopped so I went subsurface the rest of the trip. No big bluegills after the sun hit the banks but numerous small gills using the bead head grub subsurface. I had a limited amount of time today because of yard work I had been putting off, but rest assure I will return closer to the spawn.

Some of you have asked me about my Pelican boat. This is actually my newer version of the boat, meaning I replaced my 8 ft. with this 10 ft. to have more room for the Grandchildren. Two individuals can fish out of this boat with ease. I can even stand and cast from it. It is extremely stable. I did replace the seats that came with the boat with thick cushion seats which are much more comfortable.

 

Post Note: I am now 45 away with a long way to go to reach the 50 mark.  

The Mechanics’ of the Contour Roam2 Video Camera

Adding the Contour Video Camera to my fishing arsenal has actually helped me to concentrate more on getting that fish to take my offering.  Knowing I would like to get that unique footage of the fish nailing the fly and the intense fight the fish puts forth in its effort to break free is what I am striving for. The fish doesn’t have to be the biggest fish in the water column, but one that gives me and the viewer some fly fishing excitement.

With all that said let’s take a better look at the Contour Roam 2:

 

·                               Locking Instant On-Record Switch No power button, no problem. Simply slide the Instant On-Record switch into its locking position to ensure you shoot exactly when you're ready.

·                                 Vibrant color options We understand that style matters and color can make or break a look. Match your kit, or bring in a little contrast by adding a ContourROAM2 in one of four colors: Contour green, red, blue or traditional black.

·                                 60fps As requested by our users, we've bumped up the frames per second to 60, meaning you can now get that smooth video quality you've come to expect from Contour cameras.

·                                 Waterproof without a case Good things come in small packages. The ContourROAM2 sheds bulk by working underwater without an extra case.

 For more information about the camera check out this link that will give you even more info---don’t let this camera overwhelmed you it is very simple to operate.

 If you purchase the camera, you will need to purchase the 6 in 1 pack which comes with 6 different accessories to mount your camera in different ways—the one you really need is the strap helmet mount. I discovered that the straps that are used to whole the mount in place on your helmet is worthless. The real gem in this package is the stick on mount that you will use to attach to your helmet to whole the camera firmly while you are filming. It comes with a tilt and screw down clamp to really keep the camera stable when filming. I tried the headbands, the straps and both simply do not work well.

 The other item you will need is the actual helmet, which can be purchased at Academy Sports in the bike department. The Bell helmet is the one I choose, you may want another brand, but trust me the helmet is essential in filming hands free.

 I went through numerous filming clips before I finally got a few I was willing to show anyone. The main thing one needs to get use to is your head movement. The slower you can move your head when filming the better video you will produce. After landing the fish make sure you get it in front of the camera, I had that problem on my last filming trip with some of the trout I landed. Positioning your head at the correct angle will get the fish in view for your viewers to see.  For me this became a trail and error thing. I am still working on this part of the filming process.

I did tinker with some of the settings of the Contour, but found out that the standard default settings work best for me. In other words I found you can get a much clearer picture with the default settings.

 You will need to download the Story Teller software which will enable you to change the settings in the camera, and to view your video footage. This software is very simple to use.

 The best editing software I have found is Windows Movie Maker which is actually on your computer if you are using Windows 8 and beyond. I learn how to use the software by watching some excellent tutorials on Youtube. It is very simple to use.

This is what the complete package looks like, in the form of the Bell Helmet, Contour camera and the stick on mount attachment. The great thing I like about the mount is the angle adjustment one can use tilting the camera in the up or down position. I tried the headband strap which I ordered from Amazon, but sent it back, because it simply didn’t whole the camera steady. I tried the strap around a cap and hat but neither worked. The best thing I found to actually whole the camera in place and get quality video is the helmet----140.00 bucks total.

 

I’ve had a number of you to ask me for more details as far as filming and the accessories that go along with the camera; so with this post I hope I have helped some of you get started filming some of your fishing trips.

Using the Picket Pin and Soft Hackle Flies on the Sipsey Tailrace

Today was my first trip this season on the Sipsey Tailrace to cast a few dry patterns the rainbows way. I was really surprised to find no other vehicles in the parking lot when I arrived around 8 AM. In fact, I fished my couple of hours without seeing another fisherman, which proved to be really productive.

As I walked towards Access 6 I notice I had some unexpected company following me. I tried to get closer with the image shot, but they were having of that.

As I moved up the mist covered tailrace I notice trout rising in one of the fast seams I usually fish. The trout were rising with no visible hatch, but that didn’t keep me from tying on one of Alan’s dries.

Both these flies, the Picket Pin and the Soft Hackle would get quite a workout for the couple of hours I had to fish today. I started with the Picket Pin and work the fly for almost an hour, with numerous trout landed and later switched to the Soft Hackle after the trout started feeding just under the surface. The takes on both flies were aggressive, especially the Soft Hackle. My better trout were taken on the Hackle.

The footage for today’s trip is not my best at handling the trout. Hope you guys enjoy.

 



First Video Using the Contour Roam 2 Camera

It has been a month since I mentioned my Contour video camera. Just to get you up to speed on what I’ve been doing with camera is learning the mechanics of the filming and working with the editing software. I will go into detail more on the camera and the software later in an upcoming post. but today I wanted to let you guys see some footage that looks presentable. Some of my earlier attempts at filming didn’t work out so well.

I wish I had this nice bluegill on film, she put up a strong fight on the 3 weight. All the rest of the bluegill were small but fun on the light combo. The morning was slow due to lots of fresh water and numerous cold fronts, which is typical this time of the year. No counters on this outing.

This lake supports a great population of Mallard Ducks and most all raise their young in these duck houses. The Game and Fish had to add covers below the houses to keep the raccoons from robbing the nest.

Enduring The Aches and Pain to Land Fish

As we get older whether we are the young guys or the more seasoned anglers, we experience some aches and pains. With each aging year brings another arch mainly in our backs, legs, necks, or shoulders. There are numerous prescriptions to help with the pain in the form of pills, shots, therapy, and as a last resort surgery. I watched my Dad, Mom, Father-in-law, and Mother-in-law all use one or more of these prescription pain killers mentioned above with limited results. The end result is one can’t fool time and we all will eventually succumb to old age.

Why I am rambling on about such a depressing subject, because as I get older I feel all these aches and pain, whether I am doing yard work or out on the water casting my favorite fly. I have noticed the past couple of years I have more tendonitis in my knees and arms, but what is really annoying is the tendonitis in my shoulders. It really acts up in my right shoulder on days when I am on the water for four or five hours. So to help ease the pain on those fishing days, I decided to do some research concerning shoulder tendonitis. I found that there are ways one can help relieve shoulder tendonitis, by a simple rub message or a back stretch exercise. I have tried both procedures and they have helped relieve the pain in both my shoulders. No way is a little pain going to keep me off the water!!!

The Gnat, Beadhead and the Popper

Tuesday’s trip involved using numerous flies to attract some hits from some early spring bluegills. I only got to fish a couple of hours, so I had to make the most of what was given to me. The fish today were in a sluggish hitting mode, from the results of freshwater, and some cool nights.

I did manage to land my first crappie using my 3 wt. and the black gnat. I always heard where there is one crappie there is more but not today.

My one bass of the morning using the Betts popper, nice fight on the 4 weight.

 The beadhead grub got this female's attention. After a brief pause for the photo she got her freedom.

My one counter of the trip using the Betts popper; got to love landing these gills using the fly rod!!!

Is There a Weedless Nymph???

The Wooly Bugger was my choice of fly on Smith last week as I searched my fly box for something to get some hits. As you recall in my previous post my original plan was to crappie fish that day, but all that went out the window when the crappie failed to show up. What I didn’t mention in the post was the loss of numerous flies due to hang ups in submerged brush plies and underwater fallen trees. As I was trying to retrieve some of the flies I wondered if it was possible for someone to tie a pattern in the form of a weedless nymph. I have search the net and haven’t found any such fly. True one can find weedless poppers, streamer type patterns for warm water species, but no weedless nymph in a size 8 or 10. The black grub in size 8 was used that day as was the bugger, with both patterns being lost due to hang ups. The verdict is still out using weedless nymph’s trout fishing. The guard might inhibit the hook set. This weedless hook thing is another one of those curious thoughts that go through my mind when I’m trying to figure out how to land more fish. What are your thoughts on weedless fly patterns, especially nymph patterns?

This grub and the black and cream are the ones I used a lot in the early spring to fish for the big bluegill, which are still in deep water. Most of the time they are located near or over brush; resulting in the lose of numerous flies. Sliding one of these grubs over submerged limbs in brush piles would be deadly if the fly was tagged with a guard. True there may be some trouble landing the fish, but it be would fun trying.

 

Using The Wooly Bugger to Land Bluegill

Today’s quick trip to Smith Lake proved to be a wash for the crappie. It was a good thing I had my fly rod along to salvage the trip. The water temp was a cool 60 degrees warming a little to 62 before the trip ended. The crappie was not the only species to have lockjaw; the bass was in lockdown mode as well. There was no action with the Boogle Bug on top so there was only one option left and that was to go down under using the Wooly Bugger.

This was one of the nicest female bluegills I have ever landed on Smith using the cream bugger. I wasn’t using my sink tip line today, which meant I had to let the bass bug line get the bugger down at least 6 feet in the strike zone. I feel I would have landed more bluegills if I had been using the sink tip, but I had to go with the combo I had at hand, which was my 9 ft. 6 weight. Even this nice female gave the 6 weight a workout.

This healthy bull bluegill hit the bugger over a submerged brush pile that was meant to house crappie. I was a little surprised that I didn’t land some crappie using the color bugger because I felt like I was actually duplicating a small shad with its size and color pattern. The cream was the only color that would produce on this slow day, making me realize that I need to add some more cream buggers to my fly box. I will count both gills today, putting me 47 away from my quest now.

The Start of my 2015 Bluegill Quest

So good to be fly fishing again after being cooped inside most of the winter, my destination today was Walker County Lake. I like to hit this lake early in the year before the big crowds start showing up in April. I was surprised to find very few fishermen out today considering the 72-degree weather. Our forecast here next week is low 70’s most of the week, so with those warming temps coming, the activity should start to pick up at the water's edge.
  With the daylight hours being longer now I knew I had some extra time this afternoon to fish some areas on the lake I normally don’t fish. So I trolled the 10 ft Pelican towards the back of the lake to fish some of the shallow water in around the main creek that flows into the lake. After a half-hour of working the creek and the surrounding area with no takes, I moved back into the nooks. I know this may sound crazy but landing a fish this afternoon was kind of secondary; just being back on the water for another bluegill season is tremendous for me. 

First bluegill of the afternoon, not a counter but loads of fun on the 3 weight.

My one and only counter on the 4 weight using the black grub

All the fish I landed today were in great shape and ready for the coming spawn. Even the Betts Popper got in on the action later in the afternoon.

So with my one bull bluegill counted I am now 49 away from my quest!!!

The Contour Roam2 Camera Added to my Fly Fishing

As stated in my last post I like to find and watch good fly fishing videos on the net. I recently found some great fresh water videos dealing with warm water and cold water fly fishing filmed by Carter Nelson who lives in South Carolina. He has mastered the art of filming his fishing trips using a headmount camera. After getting some filming pointers from Carter last week, I decided I would do some research on video cameras and found one I was really impressed with on Amazon.

 The Contour Roam2 on Amazon was reduced half price at 98.90 with free shipping. The main thing that impressed me about this camera was the compact size and lightness. It attaches to your cap or hat and wherever you point your head it films. Carter said the only draw back to using a headmount camera is remembering to move your head slow as you work an area.

I have thought about filming some of my trips for years, but assumed it was just too much trouble. Using this camera is a breeze, meaning some of my first trips this season will probably have some video to share with you guys.  
  
 

Getting my Daily Dose of Country Music

I have to admit I am a YouTube junkie and when I am not blogging I am usually watching fly fishing video clips or music videos. The music I really enjoy is the 70’s and 80’s country and soft rock.

Recently I was searching Lionel Richie, one of my favorite artists of the 70's on YouTube and found this Lionel Richie concert that was set live at the MGM Grand in Vegas in 2012. What was special about the concert was the fact Richie used some of the biggest names in country music to join him on stage and sing some of his hits back in the 70’s and 80’s.
Some of the artist that was featured were; Kenny Rodgers, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Blake Sheldon, Luke Bryan, and others,----so to kill about 45 minutes snowed in I recommend this free concert.
 “Lady” song by Kenny Rodgers and Lionel Richie was a classic!!

Snow Down in The Deep South

When it snows in Alabama or any of the adjoining states around us, it becomes a big deal. We are expected to receive snow until midnight, which will gives us between 5 to 6 inches. In other words one of the biggest snows we’ve had in years.

 

Eagle Parents Stay Busy Tending the Young

The Bald Eagles are really active on Guntersville Lake in the north Alabama now. There is a lot of activity around this nest which houses two baby Eagles.

Perfection in the Picket Pin & Soft Hackle Flies

I decided late last fall towards the end of my fishing season that I didn’t need any more flies or poppers. Well you guys know how long that resolution lasted; right after I saw the Picket Pin and Soft Hackle flies Alan had tied at Small Stream Reflections. Both these patterns impressed me not only for their success rate but also for their fishy look. For those of you who follow Alan’s blog know he is an accomplished fly tier and an excellent photographer.

I can’t wait to get out on our local tailrace and introduce both these patterns to the rainbow there.

The Picket Pin is one of Alan’s go-to flies and one that I feel will be productive for me as well.

The Soft Hackle Dry is another stellar pattern from Alan’s collection; I haven’t fished this fly on our tailrace and anxious to give it a try.