Will 2015 Make my Bluegill Quest??

WELL!!!! “As Ronald Reagan use to say” ---------My long sabbatical is over and I am back with you guys again to share and comment. I am sorry for my absence these past months, but other obligations got in the way of my blogging. I know some of you thought I would probably never return, but trust me that was not my intention; blogging has always been a way for me to communicate with fellow fly fishermen and women who love the sport as much as I do. I have been blogging since 2009 and it is something I truly love. I hope I can stick around for a long time with you guys.

Now for today’s post; with high water on the lake the trout fishing is out until generation slows, which could be a while. Heavy rains have caused an overflow in the lake and the water has to go somewhere so the tailrace gets flooded. This of course doesn’t stop me from thinking about casting for the rainbow and monster gills incoming spring.

My last outing in my boat this year was roughly six weeks ago to mark some sandbar nooks on Smith Lake. I will fish all these areas in the spring for spawning bluegills.

Sandbars are prime targets for big bull bluegills to search out in the spring to create spawning beds. The sand is easy to move and creates a perfect incubator for the eggs.

I have landed some of my largest bluegills from heavy sandbars, where sand has piled up because of wave wash.

The site of monster beds such as these can trigger a quite reaction from an avid bluegill fisherman.

I have never found more than a dozen bluegill beds on Smith at any given sandbar. The fish are scatted more in Smith Lake as opposed to smaller lakes. In a smaller lake, there could be as many as two dozen beds in one area.

After February I will be counting the days until the spawn. I hope some you guys will join me this year in casting a fly or popper towards the big bulls.

Awesome Float Trip Fishing With B.T.

This past Friday my son-in-law B.T. and I got to fish the Caney Fork River in the eastern part of Tennessee. David, our guide had been trying to work a day around the generation schedule that would enable us to land numerous trout during an afternoon outing. We were not disappointed, B.T. and I stayed busy all evening landing some colorful rainbow, browns, and some beautiful brook trout just getting their fall colors.

I seldom get to fish with B.T. anymore because of his heavy work schedule; so getting to fish with him again on the Caney brought back some fond memories. This is the river that actually got me into trout fishing with B.T. right after he and Jenny got married. It only took landing one trout that first outing to get me hooked, and I have been obsessed ever since.

B.T. got things going quickly as we left the launch at Betty's island bringing this nice brown to the net. The Caney seldom gives up many large browns on top but this one made the mistake of taking the hopper B.T. was using.

David netted this nice brown I stirred to the net using my 5 wt. Redington fishing a pheasant tail nymph. B.T. and I found out the browns fight harder than the rainbow we were landing throughout the day. 

B.T. landed this beautiful brook trout using his 5 wt. Temple Fork fly rod. He was really impressed with this brook trout because David told us that not many brook trout are landed on the Caney. 

Another awesome brown trout landed using the pheasant tail nymph. B.T. landed this brown near the take out area. What a way to end an unbelievable trout fishing trip on an absolutely beautiful tailrace. What made this trip special was B.T. and me were able to land a lot of trout all afternoon fishing with one of the best guides in Tennessee. Tight lines until we make another trip with David!! 

Oh, forgot to mention these gobblers were feeding along the shoreline which makes me think that was the reason we had such success today. Anytime wildlife is feeding fish are biting!!!

President Carter a Fly Fisherman??

Cathey and I and our good friends Clyde and Gloria decided to make a trip to Plains Georgia this past weekend to attend Jimmy Carter’s Sunday school class. He usually conducts a class a few times a month at his small church just off the main highway going through Plains. He is still a very active former President at age 90.

This picture was taken just outside the church right after the service was concluded. There was quite a line of individuals waiting to have their picture taken with Mr. Jimmy as some call him there in Plains. It's not everyday one gets to shake the hand of a former President. We all felt really honored to be in his presence.

Maranatha Baptist Church is packed on Sundays when the former President is in attendance.

The family home where Mr. Jimmy spent his early years

Air condition in the winter and plenty of heat in the summer

Chicken House

Family store ran by Mr. Jimmy’s father

 

Main Street of Plains with all the stores restored to their original state. President Carter helped restore all the buildings with generous donations over the years.

One of the many freestone streams located in the mountains of Ellijay Georgia where the former President and his wife own a cabin. He still fly fishes in the area and he stills ties his own flies. I asked to see some of his flies in one of the stores we visited but I was told by the individual behind the counter that all his flies are auctioned off and not on display. Most of his flies go at auction for as much as 200.00 or more and all the money goes to the needy in the community of Plains.

 

Mr. Jimmy is also an accomplished woodworker, in fact, he has built a lot of the furniture that is in their modest ranch-style home in Plains.  He and Rosalynn are still active in Habitat for Humanity, which helps individuals in need of shelter because of natural disasters.

I will end this post by saying after meeting the former President, I feel there is still hope for all of use older guys who feel we may be over the hill; at 90 this man is truly remarkable!!!