Yo geez-Super day you had on the Snake. Consider my day Monday and the contrasts. My currently favorite SM spring creek was lowest I have ever seen (serious drought here but not close to any record). Still a good flow for a little stream, but a good broad jumper could make it across in a lot of places. Deepest I waded was to the nether region. Water was (as always) gin clear-you could read 16 point type in four feet-really (unless you have my eyesight). Saw at least 100 SM in a quarter mile of water-that's the good news. Bad news is they saw me first. These native SM are so darn wary you have got to slip up on them. Managed to land five-11" to 17", and a number of nice redeye, for me a wonderful day. I never land many more than that. Numerous strikes, but these fish are like lightning and never give you a second chance. You mentioned a miss just gave the next fish a chance to get to the lure. These SM, once spooked, manage to spook evey other fish in the pool, so best to just move on. Don't know how they signal the others, but they do.
I fish a top water foam bug in about size 4 or 6. Yellow this time of year with the rubber legs looks a lot like a hopper. Since I fish barbless I lose most fish but it is easier getting the fly out of my ear. You caught 40 bass. The best YEAR I ever had was 50 SM in about ten trips, all on floating bugs.
Can't even drean of 40 in a single day, up to 20". But my spring creek did give up a 6 pound SM (I saw the fish-unbelievable for tiny water). Doubt the Snake has yielded any that size, but it should. Maybe someday, right?
I consdier it a great day just being on this creek alone on a clear warm summer day. I know which direction heaven is. Fifteen miles west and three miles north. Aloha Geez!
Tennessee spring creek SM
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Reel Geezer
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Bob, All you've got to do is jump on a plane and I'll meet you at the Boise airport. We could have a ball. The front or back deck of my jet boat both would make great fly casting platforms. I'll run the electric motor and drag chains and we can float until your arm is tired.
I only fished from 11-2 today, due to needing to restock some of my plastics at the local tackle shop first. There were two nice 17" fish on plastic worms, and then 4 king sized mammas hit my frog. Three jumped clean out of the water trying to smash the frog - they all missed! One took it with a dainty slurp, jumped twice to show off her size, and then got off. I'd guess all four were over 18" and maybe over 20". They were so dark bronze they were almost black. And, they were in pockets in a very fast run. It was really something.
There is a smallmouth in our Boise Cabela's aquarium that is supposed to be six pounds. It was caught about 10-15 miles above my favorite stretches. I don't go up there, because that's where everyone else goes. I don't think that fish is 6 pounds, but that's what the guy who caught it said.
Added: Bob, I just looked up my trips for last month (June). I fished the river only 15 times, due to the starter going out on my boat. I caught a bit over 100 smallmouth - the best one was 17". I'll top those figures by quite a bit this month. Also, in the Snake when you hook a fish there are usually 2 or 3 others chasing him trying to get the lure, or if he's a small one I've even had a big one hit the fish I was fighting. Most of them in the area I fish have never seen a lure, except mine.
I only fished from 11-2 today, due to needing to restock some of my plastics at the local tackle shop first. There were two nice 17" fish on plastic worms, and then 4 king sized mammas hit my frog. Three jumped clean out of the water trying to smash the frog - they all missed! One took it with a dainty slurp, jumped twice to show off her size, and then got off. I'd guess all four were over 18" and maybe over 20". They were so dark bronze they were almost black. And, they were in pockets in a very fast run. It was really something.
There is a smallmouth in our Boise Cabela's aquarium that is supposed to be six pounds. It was caught about 10-15 miles above my favorite stretches. I don't go up there, because that's where everyone else goes. I don't think that fish is 6 pounds, but that's what the guy who caught it said.
Added: Bob, I just looked up my trips for last month (June). I fished the river only 15 times, due to the starter going out on my boat. I caught a bit over 100 smallmouth - the best one was 17". I'll top those figures by quite a bit this month. Also, in the Snake when you hook a fish there are usually 2 or 3 others chasing him trying to get the lure, or if he's a small one I've even had a big one hit the fish I was fighting. Most of them in the area I fish have never seen a lure, except mine.
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Ron Mc
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hard to believe with all the rain we're getting this year (I'M not complaining) - that last year everyone was complaining and praying over the 18-month drought (I wasn't complaining then, either).
What I learned (and I guess I always knew) is that droughts are the best time to catch big fish. You find them in the deep holes against the bluffs with likely spring vents, in plunge pools, and in the shade. Break out a sinking line so you can get down to the cold, oxygenated water.
this waterfall plunge pool - which gave me the most amazing array of fish last summer - was running about 30 cfs in this photo, and dropped down to 8 cfs at its lowest. This summer it has been running steady at 1200 cfs (with peaks to 20,000), so I can't get anywhere near it.
What I learned (and I guess I always knew) is that droughts are the best time to catch big fish. You find them in the deep holes against the bluffs with likely spring vents, in plunge pools, and in the shade. Break out a sinking line so you can get down to the cold, oxygenated water.
this waterfall plunge pool - which gave me the most amazing array of fish last summer - was running about 30 cfs in this photo, and dropped down to 8 cfs at its lowest. This summer it has been running steady at 1200 cfs (with peaks to 20,000), so I can't get anywhere near it.
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Reel Geezer
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Well BB, you didn't call from the Boise Airport, so Bert and I went out without you. You should have been along - 25-30 fish, topped by this 19" fish:
I was drifting a fast run when it hit the frog and ended up a quarter mile downstream before it was landed. The fish was photographed with the successful tackle and released downstream. I also had an 18 and a 17 today.
I was drifting a fast run when it hit the frog and ended up a quarter mile downstream before it was landed. The fish was photographed with the successful tackle and released downstream. I also had an 18 and a 17 today.
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Jack Bright
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Great Geezer Catches
You Devil you ! Man ! You`re killin `em, absolutely wonderful catches.
Next, an article for Outdoor life or F & S, really would be great with Bert and
on the Snake to boot. Would make interesting reading, but don`t tell where on your river. You don`t need the crowd that would surely follow. Envious
Jack. Keep it up, August should be even better.
Next, an article for Outdoor life or F & S, really would be great with Bert and
on the Snake to boot. Would make interesting reading, but don`t tell where on your river. You don`t need the crowd that would surely follow. Envious
Jack. Keep it up, August should be even better.