“Blue Skies...smiling at me”
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“Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Yesterday they were predicting over 100 degree temperatures. I decided to head the pickup and boat to the closest Snake River ramp so I could be home before the heat settled in. This river access is just 10 minutes from our house. The sun’s morning glow was evident as we (Fudge the Boykin and I) launched the boat and headed upriver.
After a four mile journey I throttled down and lowered the electric trolling motor. The morning was cool and dead calm. There was not a cloud in the crisp blue sky.
A couple of hours later I had boated 11 nice smallmouth bass; mostly on bottom bouncing plastic baits in three to six feet of water. I had drifted downstream about a mile and was at a point where I usually cross over to the other side of the river. This time I decided to fish a gravel bar area on the north side of the river. There is usually a shallow channel around Gem Island, but the low flow released from the dam 25 miles upstream had resulted in the island becoming a peninsula. A gravel bar extended from shore to the island. There were pockets of flowing water running over and along the gravel bar and strings of hydrilla flowing with the current.
I cast my small swimbait into a shallow channel running through the hydrilla and a dark streak shot out of the weed bed and hit the bait before I had even started the retrieve. The fish was a good smallmouth and line streamed from my reel as it headed for the cover. In the next minute or two it dug into weed beds three times and each time I succeeded in hauling it from the hydrilla. Finally it was free from the weeds and into open water. It made one last jump before I lifted it into the boat. It was a beautiful 18 inch fish and after a picture for my journal (below), it was released.
I followed up with three more chunky, but shorter, fish from these foot deep gravel channels before I decided that the morning couldn’t get much better. It was time to quit while on top. We headed back down river, loaded the boat and gave Fudge his retrieving dummy swim. The beautiful deep blue skies emphasized that it was a great morning to be on the river. I had caught 15 smallmouth, not seen another person, and was home in time for mid-morning coffee.
While most of my tackle is modern: a graphite rod, and Spectra braided line, my reel was an old Shimano Bantam that had been lightened a bit and upgraded with modern ball bearings. I mold my own 4” swimbait, which I call the Snake Charmer, and it was pearl colored.
After a four mile journey I throttled down and lowered the electric trolling motor. The morning was cool and dead calm. There was not a cloud in the crisp blue sky.
A couple of hours later I had boated 11 nice smallmouth bass; mostly on bottom bouncing plastic baits in three to six feet of water. I had drifted downstream about a mile and was at a point where I usually cross over to the other side of the river. This time I decided to fish a gravel bar area on the north side of the river. There is usually a shallow channel around Gem Island, but the low flow released from the dam 25 miles upstream had resulted in the island becoming a peninsula. A gravel bar extended from shore to the island. There were pockets of flowing water running over and along the gravel bar and strings of hydrilla flowing with the current.
I cast my small swimbait into a shallow channel running through the hydrilla and a dark streak shot out of the weed bed and hit the bait before I had even started the retrieve. The fish was a good smallmouth and line streamed from my reel as it headed for the cover. In the next minute or two it dug into weed beds three times and each time I succeeded in hauling it from the hydrilla. Finally it was free from the weeds and into open water. It made one last jump before I lifted it into the boat. It was a beautiful 18 inch fish and after a picture for my journal (below), it was released.
I followed up with three more chunky, but shorter, fish from these foot deep gravel channels before I decided that the morning couldn’t get much better. It was time to quit while on top. We headed back down river, loaded the boat and gave Fudge his retrieving dummy swim. The beautiful deep blue skies emphasized that it was a great morning to be on the river. I had caught 15 smallmouth, not seen another person, and was home in time for mid-morning coffee.
While most of my tackle is modern: a graphite rod, and Spectra braided line, my reel was an old Shimano Bantam that had been lightened a bit and upgraded with modern ball bearings. I mold my own 4” swimbait, which I call the Snake Charmer, and it was pearl colored.
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Mr. White, you make me reevaluate my priorities.
Thanks for always sharing your fishing stories.
William
Thanks for always sharing your fishing stories.
William
- Robin Sayler
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Sounds like a great morning Phil!
- john elder
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Phil
The skies maybe smiling at you, but not a me. When I see that fish and the number you are catching, a tear comes to my eyes. I think this is the first time in about 8 years that I will not be on the Snake River fishing in August. Hopefully, I might be able to make it in October when I finish my radiation for prostate problems. I know Fudge will miss me and the breakfeast on the river.
Roger
The skies maybe smiling at you, but not a me. When I see that fish and the number you are catching, a tear comes to my eyes. I think this is the first time in about 8 years that I will not be on the Snake River fishing in August. Hopefully, I might be able to make it in October when I finish my radiation for prostate problems. I know Fudge will miss me and the breakfeast on the river.
Roger
Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Godspeed and best wishes, Roger, for a quick recovery.
Mike N
P.S.
Fish are their fattest in the fall, so October might even be better fishing.
Mike N
P.S.
Fish are their fattest in the fall, so October might even be better fishing.
- kingfisher
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Geezer,
Good catch. The photo is a beauty with that glass out and superb conditions. I always think " What is fudge up to" when you post.
Keep up the enjoyment .
Thanks.
Good catch. The photo is a beauty with that glass out and superb conditions. I always think " What is fudge up to" when you post.
Keep up the enjoyment .
Thanks.
- john elder
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
Hey, Phil! The "Mountain Men" are on the Snake, looking for beaver tonight..how far are they away from the water you work?? Beautiful country, you got there!
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
John, there are no "mountain men" in the area I fish. Just Fudge and I. I haven't seen a person on the river for a couple of weeks. There's lots of bass, however. I caught 47 in 4.5 hours yesterday.
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Re: “Blue Skies...smiling at me”
I should have added that we still have plenty of beaver in the middle Snake where I fish. One morning a beaver swam out next to my drifting jet boat and followed me for about a quarter mile downstream. He then pulled in next to the bank, and when we drifted by he and Bert the Boykin had a staredown. I got a photo of them as we drifted by.