One Fish Can Make a Trip

My first trip to Smith Lake this morning had a slow start; no bite for an hour. The Boggle Poppers were not working at daylight near the banks; so Ivan and I decided to move into the nooks. I had to use my trolling motor to get us in a position to fish the nooks because the starter on my Mercury motor went out right after we launched the boat, bummer. Once we made it to the first nook the action started with some nice bluegills landed and the prize of the morning for me. I managed to get some footage of Ivan’s fish of the morning so we both left the lake, happy fishermen.

When larger poppers are not producing, go to tiny poppers; you will get a reaction!

You guys have read some of my posts concerning the Red-eyed Bass; well this bass is the best example I’ve ever caught. This bass was a native to the tributaries flowing into the Sipsey before the dam was placed for Smith Lake.

This spot was supposed to be caught using my 6 weight fast action, but no bass would touch the big poppers throughout the morning. So Ivan and I decided to go after the bluegills with our 3 weights using our tiny poppers; little did we know that the bass was turned on to size 12 poppers as well. This is the largest spot I’ve ever landed using my 3 weight fly. I had quite a fight on my hands trying to keep this fish from breaking my 5X tippet. This fish is why I love fly fishing so much because it's you against a fish that is superior to your gear, in this case, my 3 weight. Sometimes the fish wins and rightly so and sometimes the fisherman wins, today I won. Ivan didn't notice the sun rays crossing my face when he took the picture. 

 

Ivan landed this nice spot somewhat quicker than me using his 4 weight. I thought I would get some of the action on video for you guys. Ivan did a great job handling this spot, especially after it made numerous runs to break off. We were both pleased with the trip even if I did have to spend 225.00 bucks on a new starter for my motor. 

Shirts, Pants, Hats, Shoes the Works to go Sun Free

As I get older I have become more aware of the damage the sun can have on your skin. When I was younger I would fish all day wearing a short-sleeve shirt, shorts, flip flops, and a cap. The sun would blister me the first couple of outings but after that my skin was so brown I hardly ever got a sunburn the rest of the season. I was lucky I didn’t contract Melanoma in those early years. Nowadays I battle the sun's rays by wearing a long sleeve shirt, long pants, vented hat, vented shoes, and finger exposed sun gloves. All these products are listed below, with links to the website.

Magellan Large Pocket Shirt

Magellan Back County Pants

Reebok Light Weight Vented Shoes

Cabela Fishing Gloves

Redhead Aussie Hat

I wear all these products when I am on the water. I am a sticker for a good hat and this hat has to be my favorite of all I wear.

The Orange Nymph?

I wanted to fish the Sipsey yesterday before the rains that afternoon. Generation was scheduled at 3PM so that gave me about 3 hours to wet a fly. Never think especially on the Sipsey that you’re going to land trout on the same pattern day in and day out there; yesterday proved that statement correct. I went through numerous nymph patterns with no success. After exhausting my options I tied on an orange nymph Alan of Small Stream Reflections had mailed me sometime back. I kept trying to figure out what this pattern duplicated in the insect world while I was casting it. After I got home I googled orange nymphs and found the Milkweed Assassin Bug. Strange I didn’t see any such bug while I was fishing but this little orange nymph proved a winner today.

The Milkweed Bug and the Red Ant

  The third cast in a slow run produced this healthy rainbow using Alan’s orange bug.

There must be a clan of these damaged gill plate trout in the Sipsey, or I am landing the same trout every time I fish this place.

Super clear fast water pouring into small pockets held the trout below; the orange bug continued to work its magic.

Never overlook any fly in the box; high sticking the little orange bug worked in the small pockets. Who knows what pattern will be hot on my next outing here.