The Slow Bite on Smith Lake

  The most challenging time to fish Smith Lake is after July 4th and into late September. During those two and half months, the lake goes into a "Pull-Down Mode," meaning the generators run daily and off on weekends. The goal for the heavy generation during these months is to get the lake below the 500 mark sometime during September and ready for the Spring rains the following year. Three factors affect the fish bite during this time, extreme heat causing the surface water to heat over 80 degrees, lots of generating, which effects the water levels on the lake, and erratic barometer readings. As stated in one of my previous posts, the lack of boats launching at the dam during daylight will prove my point: THE FISH ARE NOT BITING, so what does one do to entice a hit from a sluggish bass or bluegill? Go tiny, with poppers and subsurface flies, and fish at a slower pace. Stay positive and know you could get a hit on every cast, and eventually, you will get a swirl or slap at your fly or maybe a take to keep your attention span on track. During this time of year, the fish may not be as hungry as you think, so they inspect your fly more than inhale it. The surface water temps at 80 and above will eliminate that explosive hit you will see in the Spring and Fall. During this time of year, the hits are very light, which causes one to miss fish, because the fish didn't hook themselves well enough to stay connected during the fight. I've lost more fish during this time of the year than any other time I fish. Frustrating, but at least I am making a connection with a fish. 

These two spotted bass taken on size 12 tiny poppers sum up the daylight trip. I had many slaps and swirls at the poppers, which is something I expect this time of year. Both bass sucked the poppers under with little surface movement. I never take a hit for granted during this time of year. I'm hoping for more productive trips the closer it gets to October.

Side Note: The trout fishing below the dam is as bad as the lake. 

Fishing Lakes With Fluctuating Water Levels

My last post dealt with how barometic pressure effects fishing on large and small lakes. Today I will discuss another factor affecting fishing on large and small lakes: fluctuating water levels due to generation. If I had to chose which element I would deal with when fishing it would be the barometic pressure. When dealing with barometric pressure, you are only concerned with the high or low barometer reading. When fishing at receding water levels one needs to be aware of the following things---how fast the water is falling--if one or two generators are running at the dam--don't fish close to where the generators are running---realize the fish will move to deeper water when the lake is receding---feeding habits of fish change when lake levels are decreasing ---recognize reducing water levels expose fish habitats such as wood structure, boulders, and weed areas where fish feed-----and last know that the bite will be much slower during receding water levels becasue the bait fish will relocate----the key to a successful fishing trip during heavy generations on any lake is to locate the bait fish where the larger fish may be feeding. Finding the bait fish in low-water situations is easier said than done even with the advanced sonar tecnhnology available today, especially if you are fishing a lake covering thousands of areas. Receding lake levels on any lake is unlike fishing in the Spring when there is no generation and lake levels are stable. One can catch fish during low water periods, but fewer than in the Spring. This past Tuesday was a prime example of fishing Smith when the generators were running, and there was a steady drop in the water level. 

 Nice bass on the cream Double Barrel; Jason was using his five-wt. Streamflex 9 ft.-----A super dose of patience was needed on this trip this past week because of the generation at the dam. This trip will be Jason's last to make with me until October. He will be going back to work in California.

                                                                                  

This Spotted Bass nailed a tiny Orvis white bluegill bug early morning. It challenged my three-weight Streamflex 9 ft. fly rod. The drag was spinning. I've found that during generation the bass prefer smaller poppers instead of the larger ones I fish most of the time. I was hoping Jason and I could land enough bluegill for a meal, but the bluegill didn't bite. I landed only one for the morning. They go deep along the rock walls during the pull-down of the lake. During the draw-down, the fish will slap at the poppers instead of hitting them at times. They are mostly annoyed with its presence in the area they call home. Jason's bass and my bass were the only two taken for the morning. 

One needs to take note of the number of boats launched at the dam early morning. A few boats launched will let you know the bite will be slow; it's a challenge, which makes me keep coming back; I'm already looking forward to Fall when the lake stabilizes. 

My New Fish Attractor

I've broken a promise I made at the beginning of this fishing season not to buy any more warm water poppers, and trout flies this year. I've got enough poppers and trout flies to last me years. One of the reasons I have so many poppers is me using them until they litterly come apart, meaning no hackle. Trout flies are much cheaper than poppers. I can buy trout flies for as little as .84 each. Compare that price to your cheapest popper starting at 3.00 to an expensive 8.00; then it causes me to make that popper last as long as it catches fish. 

Now to the heart of this post; The Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper. This popper is different from your ordinary surface popper. What makes the popper stand out from all the poppers I have used over the years is its unique body design. The Double Barrel has a soft foam epoxy body that will not chip or break loose from the hook. It also has all the hackle buried deep inside the body of the popper, keeping it in place. The hackle on cork poppers will usually come unraveled over time because of savage hits or removing the popper from the mouth of the fish. The Double Barrel will stand up to both the hits and hook removal. 

Double Barrel poppers come in various colors, but the cream color is the best. The color imitates the shad that the bass feed on. It resembles another popper I've told you about over the years. Regarding design and durability, it is a step above all cork material poppers I have ever used fly fishing.  

I didn't discover this popper. Jeff, one of my fly fishing buddies, started fishing this popper for the spotted bass with me on Smith Lake in April. He was landing bass working the popper with off-and-on aggressive jerks; bass was nailing it!! He couldn't remember where he purchased the popper, and as luck would have it, he had only one of the poppers. So I decided to fish something else that morning in the form of the closure minnow. I landed numerous bass using the closure, but the majority of the bass was taken on the Double Barrel by Jeff. After that trip, you would think I would order a few, but I decided the poppers I was fishing would land fish like his new popper. So I continued to fish my overstocked supply of cork poppers. It took a few more trips to convince me to purchase the Double Barrel for eight bucks each. I hate to pay that much for a popper, but I knew it was worth the price so promise broken. I ordered four before Jason returned home to fish with me for a few weeks this month. To make the rest of this post short; Jason made good use of the poppers I ordered, as you can see in the images below. 

Even the bluegill would hit the popper. One quality largemouth and spotted bass were the morning winners, along with numerous twelve-inch and under bass. This popper is fantastic but couldn't muster hits as the sun overtook the shaded areas we were fishing. Now if someone could create a fly or popper that would attract hits in the sun and wind all day, they could make a bundle. They would need a patent on their discovery for sure! Rest assured; you will see more posts concerning the success of the Double Barrel!

Euro Nymphing---Trail and Error

I did a post in March involving Euro Nymphing and had some success with the new technique that day, but I left the tailrace knowing I needed to spend more time on Euro Nymphing's casting and hook-setting phase. I am still learning to use the cast effectively and how to detect a hit from the trout. For those who haven't tried Euro Nymphing, it can take some time to master. One can land trout using the method when traditional fly casting isn't producing. 

As stated many times by me, the Sipsey Tailrace is battered to death with every fly and live bait on the market to catch a trout. So I switched to the Euro Nymphing method to improve my odds of landing more trout on the pressured tailrace. So far, it has worked to the point that I can connect with a trout but not bring the fish to the net; in other words, I am losing too many trout, especially on yesterday's trip. Detecting the hit is the problem, and not getting a good hook set. The online class I watched on Utube showed setting the hook using an upward movement of the fly rod. The hook point drives through the top of the trout's mouth when using that hook-set method. I hope this hook-set method improves my catch ratio. Breaking an old habit of setting the hook in a side motion frustrates me. I need to slap my face every time I miss a trout by using the side motion hook-set. I am too much of a perfectionist when fly fishing is involved!

 This trout was my lone trout for the morning after many missed hits. At least I didn't get skunked! I landed this trout in one of the numerous pocket holes I fish. There was enough current to move the nymph without me forcing it to move. I have learned Euro Nymphing is much easier to master when fishing in current.

The length of the quarter-mile stretch was heavy fog and thick humidity as I entered the bottom of the gorge. Lots of moss-covered rocks in the shallow runs, making it a challenge to wade. I didn't take a chance of falling even with my wading staff in this broad run.

I wanted to share a picture of Hallie Mae, who is ten months old. She has stayed with Cathey and me this past week while her parents, brothers, and sisters are on the bench in Florida. She is getting frustrated trying to learn to crawl. Hopefully, she will be crawling all over the place before the fourth of July. We didn't let her cry at all, and before the week was out, she had Meme and Pops trained well!

Hope all you Dad's have a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

Importance of Baromator Reading When Fishing

 One of my favorite times of the day is my afternoon coffee time spent in the swing on our back porch. While sitting there, I can watch the different species of birds that visit my bird feeders and listen to the rambling sound of my two rock fountains nearby. The birds feed freely at the feeders 10 to 12 feet from the swing. It's a time to reflect on the weeks events, from various chores to fishing trips on Tuesday's and Thursday's. 

Sitting here this afternoon, I wondered why Jason and I didn't land fish at daylight this morning. We were fishing in some of the familiar places I fish, but there was no activity at all. Even the streamer couldn't arouse an interest in a hit. As the morning wore on, I started eliminating the two main negative factors that keep fish from hitting: high barometric pressure and cool fronts. The positive factors that make this lake one of the best in the south were there which are water quality, excellent oxygen levels due to the heavy boat traffic, an abundance of bait fish in the form of shad, and tiny freshwater shrimp in the creviisis of the underwater rock formations through out the lake and last lots of structure; so what was the problem? Two hours into our trip and no fish to show for our effort. On mornings like we were experiencing one must be willing to change flies, color poppers, line tippet, and rod weights to cast lighter flies. Patience is essential in weather you land fish or go home skunked. Luckily for both of us, the fish decided to turn on about an hour before we left at 10 AM. Why did the fish turn on for about an hour? We figured the barometric pressure had risen and the air temp had warm some. The barometric pressure was the main factor. I used to have a baromator years ago but lost it. Rest assured; I will be replacing the one I lost. 

The lake was super clear making it a must to fish a greater distance from the banks. Overcast skies helped at times to keep the fish from seeing the boat.

After a long dry spell, this Spotted Bass inhaled a blue Boogle Bug popper, the first fish of the morning for me. The male bass would be the only bass I would land for the morning. It made me aware of its 16-inch length. 

Jason' Spotted Bass would be the only one he would touch for the morning shortly after I landed my bass. A white Boogle Bug popper got the attention of the bass. Cathey and I were glad  Jason got to spend a few weeks with us and was able to work in a couple of fishing trips on Smith Lake! 

Landing the Spotted Bass 

We landed a number of super size bluegills that would produce a nice meal. 

The wool shirt tells you it was still cool when Jason hooked this gill using his new Greys Streamflex 4-wt. Fly rod. Greys Streamflex fly rods are manufactured in Alnwick, England. The Greys Streamflex is one of the lightness fly rods I've fished with, and the best part is it is priced reasonably at 375.00

Surprisingly we notice this Barn Owl in this cave area on one of the rock wall banks we were fishing. Jason was surprised he got to take the picture that close. 

It flew to the other side of the cave as we got closer. Jason thinks it would be nesting somewhere near one of the ledges on the cave wall. 

Finally, it had enough of our company so, it took flight and flew across the lake. Seeing the Barn Owl was a first for both of us, which made us realize that sometimes there are other ways to enjoy a day on the lake. 

Fly Fishing in The Wind

 I've often said that the two worse enemies of a fly fisherman are the sun and the wind. That is one of the reasons why I like to fish during the daylight hours and on into the mid-morning. Once you have fished all the shaded areas, getting a hit, especially on top, becomes difficult. If you are dealing with wind, don't bother to fish dries or poppers, but you can fish subsurface flies such as nymphs and streamers, which I used on the Sipsey Tailrace this morning. As I entered the gorge, I noticed a slight breeze and a feeling of being lonesome, " I WAS THE ONLY FLY FISHERMAN THERE!" A first for me, which gave me my choice of which pocket holes I would try first. 

This trout was the first I landed in one of the pocket holes above the steps at Access 6. Notice I am wearing gloves now; most of the time, I am on the water. I have had two small cancerous growths removed from both hands this year. All those years in the sun have caught up with me. My gloves were wet because I didn't want to handle a trout with a dry glove. The gill plate and fins on this trout had some color, unusual for a stock trout. 

I always fish the Sipsey now using a wading staff because of this type of surface one encounters when fishing here. 

I had 30 minutes by myself before guys started showing up to join me. I would see five other individuals fishing before I left. This stretch of surface rock can be challenging to navigate because of the slim covered surface of the stones. One misstep, and you fall. I have seen guys take a fall because they get in a hurry trying to move from one spot to the next. 

When I landed this trout, the wind had started blowing so hard I almost lost my hat; the hat strip had saved it from blowing across the tailrace. I was to the point I would wait for a pause in the 20 mph wind gust and make a cast, and even then, I had difficulty placing the nymph. 

I arrived at eight and left by ten. I found the parking lot empty when I walk back to my truck. I kept telling myself I would land a few more trout, but it would not happen. The wind had taken over and killed the bite for the morning. 

Guys, I can't end this post without showing you a few video clips of Bryson, our oldest Grandson playing in last Sunday's Flag Football game. 

His team and his Brother Cash's team will be in the playoffs next Sunday, so guess where Pops

 and Meme will be?

Cash finding an open receiver and throwing a touchdown pass--great footwork and concentration!  

Fishing the Clouser Minnow

Jeff and I started the morning with five of our six combos rigged with different size poppers ready to fish the nook areas of Ryan Creek on Smith Lake. I committed last season to use the streamer much more this year, so I had my 6-wt nine ft. rigged to cast streamers. 

I landed the first bass of the morning close to the launch, near some floating boat piers. The female nailed a blue Boggle Bug popper. This would be the only bass I would land for the rest of the morning on a popper. 

The lake was half a foot above the full pool, which is 510. I've often said that every minute counts when you are fishing daylight hours on Smith. Why? Because the bite shuts down around 11 O'clock, especially if you are fishing on top. 

After the top action slowed, it was time for me to give a few of my streamers a try. I started with Devil Dog streamer, then the Crawfish, and finally, the trusted Clouser Silver Minnow. The winner of the three was the Clouser Minnow. I wanted the bass to hit the Devil Dog and the Crawfish streamers because of the attraction feature, but sometimes the fish know more about what they like to eat than you do. 

The Clouser streamer I was using was the three-inch version with the barbell eyes and an ample supply of bucktail, giving it the added weight to sink faster. I used my 5/6 Gloomis reel loaded with a bass bug fly line, which helps cast a weighted streamer easier than a standard fly line. I also added a nine ft. intermediate sink-tip leader to aid in getting the streamer down. 

I like this version of the Clouser because it has a significant amount of bucktail. All Clouser Minnow streamers are unlike the original in 1987, tied by Bob Clouser. In other words, there are many variations of the Clouser in size and color today. 

My first Spotted Bass of the morning that inhaled the Clouser at a depth of eight feet. All the bites occurred at least 6 to 8 ft. from the banks. The hit on the streamer varied most of the morning. Some of the Bass would nip hit, and some would make me think I hook the streamer on brush or rock; regardless of the feel, I set the hook. 

This fatty hit the Clouser on a point entering into a nook area. This female put up quite a fight. 

This bass was my best streamer catch of the morning. This fish made numerous runs trying to break free of the size 2 Clouser hook. I was glad I was using my six-wt; otherwise, I could have lost this fish. Little did I know I would get broken off on my next encounter with another bass and lose my only Clouser Streamer! 

I didn't land another bass the rest of the morning, showing me that once you find a fly pattern that produces, have more than one ready to replace it. Rest assured; I will tie on the Clouser when the top action slows now! 

I will be using Field Edge Handmade Clouser Silver Minnows on my next outing. You can check out their website by clicking on the link on my blog. 

A Challenge Landing a Carp

 Guys, I had to share a catch of a lifetime regarding landing Carp. I was fishing for bluegill on Walker County Lake this morning using my 7 1/2 ft. two weiight flyrod rigged with a tiny Bream Bug. I was casting the small popper next to the weed beds when this Carp just sucked the fly under like all the bluegill had been hitting all morning. The minute I set the hook, I knew the fish was enormous from the feel of the headshakes. I thought it was a largemouth bass, but after noticing how it raced to deep water, I knew it was a giant catfish. I was wrong guessing on both accounts; it was the largest Carp I had ever landed on any lake. 

What transpired next was the fish pulling my Pelican boat a hundred yards across the lake---which was actually in my favor. I knew if I could get the fish near shallow water, I would have a chance to land it. My little shorthanded bluegill net would never encompass the length of this fish. So I headed out with my little two weight in hand, bent to a U-shape for the entire ride across the lake, thinking my 6X tippet would pop any minute, but to my surprise, it completed the fight. So for the next 35 minutes, the Carp and I were having fond, at least I was, don't know about the Carp. Once we reached the launch, I knew I could get someone with a long handle net to net the fish. The caretaker's grandson was the help I needed. He was as excited as me when he finally laid it on the grass. He said he had never netted a fish. It was quite a thrill for the fly fishermen and grandson!

Moments like this morning make me thankful my Dad taught me how to use a fly rod all those years. The Carp weighed 8 1/2 lbs and was 27" long -----Tight-line guys!!

This little bluegill popper got the Carp's attention and stayed hooked in the upper part of its mouth for the duration of the fight. Tiny flies or poppers do catch big fish!

Landing Dale Hollow Trout

 Anyone who fishes for trout on the Sipsey Tailrace can recognize the Dale Hollow Trout. Most are in the 10" size, which was the size I landed this morning on the Sipsey. Mine you; I'm not complaining, trout is trout. I was using my three-wt. fly rod, which is the perfect fly rod to land this size trout.   

I knew precisely the hole I would fish, the nymph, and the technique I would use before I left the house. I have been watching videos all winter on fishing pressured waters and how to fish such waters. To say I was prepared was an understatement. 

I like it when a plan comes together, and everything worked my way for the two hours I fished the Sip this morning.

I forgot the number, either 8 or 9 of these beauties I landed. I stop taking pictures after this last image. There was no need to take a photo of the same size trout, image after image. I was not amazed that all the trout I landed came from one hole. This place became my honey hole for the morning. 

The water was high when I arrived at 9:30. Several fishermen were already on the water, and I was so lucky to fish in the area I chose while I was there. Why didn't I try other spots? When you consistently land trout in one location, why move to another site and leave the one place you know has trout? I was trying to learn a new technique, and to break my concentration would have interfered with MY PLAN!

I was just thankful that I finally got to fish the Sipsey for the first time since last year and had success. I lost as many trout this morning as I landed because of strike detection. I'm still learning. Today was a warm-up for landing larger trout in the future. 

Filling Time

 What does one do during the winter months of the fly fishing season.? I have the tailrace to fish for trout during winter, but generation keeps those trips to a minimum. 

Charles and I spent Tuesday on Smith Lake, marking brush on some banks and the back of numerous nooks. We were using his GPS on his boat to know the location of the brush once the lake reached full pool, the last of April. 

Once the lake fills in early Spring, small bait fish will move into the tangled branches of all these brush piles. The bass and crappie will feed on the bait fish during Spring, Summer, and early fall; find the brush you find the fish. I've known where a lot of these spots are on Smith. Each year I find a few new ones in case someone else is fishing the same areas I'm fishing. Casting a popper in the vicinity of any submerged tree tops will get a reaction from a spotted bass or largemouth at daylight. Getting the fish away from the brush and in open water is a must if you want to touch it!  

The Clouser Marabou Minnows is one streamer that will get some attention from the crappie. The crawfish and leech streamers are streamers I've never tried on Smith. I will connect with some spotted bass and largemouth using both of these streamers. I hope to share a favorable report in the coming months. as to their progress.

Monday will be the only day next week suitable for fishing. The rest of the week is a wash with wind gusts and rain. The surface temp on the lake will be close to 50 degrees which is what it was this past Tuesday. I will be surprised if there will be any surface action, so streamers will be the fly pattern Charles and I will cast. 

 

  

Fly Rod or Spinning Reel

 

I remember my first experience using a rod/reel. It was a small Zebco push-button spin cast reel with a short rod. It was easy to push the button cast and watch the lure sail through the air and land in the water at no particular place. At that age, just getting the lure to land on the water spelled success. As I got older I graduated to the spinning reel and casting reels. I was entering high school when my Dad taught me how to use the fly rod. I look back now and realize the fly rod would have been my best method of landing fish at that time. I am playing catch-up now using the fly rod. 

Fly rod fishing and spinning reel fishing have seen advancements in reel and rod quality since my boyhood days. Spinning reels and fly reels are much lighter. The spinning reels reel smoother with the addition of ball bearings. Some spinning reels have as many as ten ball bearings now. Drag systems on the fly reels today are much stronger and will last longer. 

I realized years ago that learning to use the fly rod and spinning reel took patience, especially for the fly rod as opposed to the spinning reel. The spinning reel required less precision and technique to cast and retrieve. They can cast a variety of lures much further than a fly rod in certain situations such as fishing from a boat or when trying to reach a specific spot in a large body of water. Not all is perfect with the spinning reel: because of line tangles, in the form of the dreaded loop. This one fault can cause one to pull yards of line off the spool to remove the loop. A spinning reel offers less sensitivity than a fly rod. 

Some fly rods in the 6 to 7 ft. length weigh 2 ounces or less making them extremely sensitive to detect a hit from as small bluegill and trout. A fly rod allows for a more subtle and quiet presentation of the fly, which can be important when fishing in clear water or when targeting spooky fish. As with the spinning reel, not all is perfect with the fly rod. A fly rod requires more skill and technique to use effectively, which I can attest to when I first learned how to cast one. The casting and retrieve is something my grandchildren are still learning. Fly rods are generally limited to using flies or bugs to imitate insects, which will not give you the distance in casting a lure with a spinning reel. 

I still use my 7 1/2 ft. ultralight spinning reel combos to fish for crappie, but the fly rod is my main mode of fishing for the rest of my fishing days----looking forward to an early Spring!!

The Curly Tail Streamer

 A streamer is a streamer but I discovered a somewhat variation of this fly this past week. The following video really got my attention, because I was not familiar with this type of streamer. 

I could see this streamer getting the attention of Smallmouth, Spotted Bass, and of course rainbow and browns. This streamer is not listed on any of the fly shops I have visited!!

I would appreciate any info concerning this particular streamer.

Fly Fishing Streamers

One of my New Year Resolutions for the coming year is to fish the streamer more on days when the top action has slowed. Fly fishing involves seeing a fish break the water surface and take a dry fly or popper which is the norm for most fly fishermen. Sub-surface flies are not the top choice for fly fishermen, because the visual aspect of seeing a bass, bluegill, or trout hit the fly or popper is missing. 

After watching a number of streamer videos I'm convinced I can land fish in the middle of the day when a lot of fish are less active. Patience and trying different retrieves is the key to getting a hit from a fish that has gone deep during mid-morning or mid-afternoon. 

Streamer fishing is not new to me, but as stated earlier in the intro of this post I can be lumped in with most fly fishermen who like to see the fish explode on a surface fly. Fish explode on sub-surface flies as well but we don't see it but we certainly feel the take. 

The largest Spotted Bass I have ever caught was taken using a Wooly Bugger streamer in November of 2021 fishing Ryan Creek on Smith Lake. You would think that fish would have convinced me to fish more streamers, but I was hooked on the surface poppers instead. All my fishing buddies are into the surface action, but I am slowly convincing them that we need to give the streamers a try for the coming season. 

I want to share some of the streamers I will be using for the coming season and I hope to report back in the Spring on their success. 

All these buggers are in sizes 6 and 8 with rubber legs which I feel will attract a hit more than the traditional bugger pattern. The size 8 is a great size to use for the trout on the tailrace. 

The Little Fort Leech in size 6 and the Near Nuff Crayfish size 6 top two flies would add some variety when the bugger slows. The last three are the Clouser Marabou Minnow size 6 is something I would try for the bass and the crappie. All these flies would be fished with a sink-tip poly leader. I was using this leader when I landed the big female Spotted Bass in November. I ordered all these streamers from Big Y Fly Shop for .89 a piece. I have ordered from this company before and was impressed with their quality and shipping.