Smallmouth Junkie!
7/07/2020
By
the time I sat in the float tube it was 8:30 am. A little later than
I wanted to start my 3 mile float and a lot longer in miles I wanted
to go. I couldn’t find an easy place to get out of the river before
3 miles. I didn’t have anything else to do so whatever time it
takes me to get to the extraction point shouldn’t be a problem.
It’s suppose to be in the low 90’s so
that will be the
biggest concern as far as being under the sun most of the day and
heat wave floating the river. It’s
a Tuesday so I should just about be by myself for most of the day on
the river. Usually around 10 a few water crafts may show up and
closer to 12 is when the tube floaters enter the water. Being it’s
Tuesday though I don’t expect much traffic.
The
wetness on the boulders across the river show that the water is
still dropping. Without rain the past 10 or 11 days the river has
been pretty shallow. There are good and bad points I’ve learned
fishing the river for smallmouth in
lower water conditions.
Good points are there will be a lot more places I can get a foot hold
to stop the float tube where I want while fishing. In the wide
shallower areas of the river the bass should be congregating and
holding in the semi-deeper coves along the bank. The bad points are
that in the narrow parts of the river the bass may be holding in the
deepest part. With me going to concentrate on surface poppers might
be a bad choice in trying to bring them to the surface but that’s
how I love to fish for smallmouth in the river with the fly rod. The
90 degree weather might also hamper the bite and keep the bass deep
and not so active. I guess I won’t know till I’m out there.
After
kicking off, from in front of my camper, I fin out to the far bank
and start casting poppers near the big boulders strewn out along the
tree lined bank. It won’t be long before I drift down to a shallow
part of the river maybe a couple hundred yards or so. I know I’ll
have to walk it till it gets deeper but checking over the water
beyond it all looked like good bass holding areas and very few
shallow sections. I hadn’t fished this area before so it will be
all new territory.
By
the time I got to the shallow riffles I hadn’t had a rise to my
popper. The sun was practically in full view and I already could feel
the warmth it was bringing. I shuffle through the shallow rocks and
stones taking care not to trip over my short flippers I wear on my
felt wading boots. I get to the end of the riffles and sink down in
the web seat and refreshing cooler water. I look downriver and it all
looks fishy with boulders hugging the banks and no noticeable shallow
water. There isn’t a soul in sight and being the first on the
water fishing should be an advantage. Now to get the fish thinking
that way.
As
I slowly drift in the current I use my fins to keep me away from the
bank but within distance to cast to. There isn’t any wind to speak
of and the blue sky above shows no sign of foul weather. With the
clouds moving slowly below the sun now and then cuts down the glare
at times and also gives me a break from the heat beating down on me.
I
cast out along the banks as close to the bushes that over hang or the
slow pocket water behind exposed boulders. I watch the popper gurgle
with each tug of the line and find
that letting it drift by itself more often than
not gets more frequent takes. At the end of a the small narrowing
riffle, that developed from a bolder upriver, a splash occurs and my
popper disappears. I consciously lower the fly rod before yanking it
up hard to set the hook. The line tightens and I have my first
smallie on and get him to the float tube apron. The first fish is
always a good sign and the sooner the better. At
9:30am I didn’t really have to wait that
long.
Being
a trout bum for many years I always set the hook on a trout as
quickly as possible especially dry fly fishing. I was missing a lot
of bass when I started being a smallmouth junkie during the warmer
seasons because of my quick reactions. A few friends, who bass
fish a lot, told me I have to wait for the bass to run with it or at
least close their big
mouths on it before
trying to set the hook. I tried the one
or two second rule and it helped some but in instances I’m
not concentrating on a take and surprised I forget to count. Trying
to let them run when using a fly rod just doesn’t make much sense
being there’s not a bail to open and my line is usually pretty
straight to the popper without much slack like those that use
silicone or rubber baits on a conventional rod. I just taught myself
to lower the rod instead of quickly raising it to set the hook like
trout fishing. Lowering it appears to give the inhaling bass enough
time to close
its big mouth after
inhaling the popper
before I yank the fly rod upward to set the hook. I found this works
best for me but there are times I will miss a bass on occasion that
surprises the heck out of me and I try to set the hook too soon.
It
doesn’t take long after my first catch that the action picks up.
My
frog popper plops in the shade of the overhanging tree limbs. I make
a couple of short tugs and the popper gurgles upon the slow moving
cove water. I let line out as the popper drifts so it travels further
down river closer to the huge boulders that lay against the rocky
bank. My fly line is arced towards the bank and picking up some
speed in the faster current outside the cove. I stop letting out line
and watch my popper start to swing out of the cove. I give a couple
of short tugs and it gurgles with little splash like a frog swimming
without a care in the world. From the distance between the huge
boulders and my popper a smallmouth porpoises at my popper like a
prowling tabby pouncing on a field mouse. I hold the line tight with
one hand and yank the rod high above my head to take up the slacked
arced line. The smallmouth springs out of the water like a mongoose
quickly jumping upward out of the way of a striking cobra. Upon
reentry there’s give in the rod tip and the fly line moves deeper
in the cove nearer the bank. I start bringing in line hand over hand
trying to keep it tight pinching the line against the cork grip with
my rod hand. I swing the rod over my left shoulder and watch the fly
line move up the right bank. I hold the line tight against the cork
handle and start to wind in the excess fly line onto the spool. As I
feel the rod tip arcing more I let line slip through my fingers until
all the excess slack line is off the apron and into the spool. Now I
play him with the reel drag as I reel in line as needed. His fight
diminishes and turns towards the float tube. The popper is fully in
its mouth but I’m able to dislodge it safely.
Well
that deserves a cigar. I pull out a CAO Cameroon, nip off the cap
with the cigar cutter that hangs from my lanyard, and light the foot.
The smooth Cameroon aroma touches my nostrils and I watch the smoke
from the burning foot embers dissipate in thin air.
I
hear a faint splash from mid river and turn in time to see an expanding
swirl on the calm surface current. I shuffle my feet, keeping foot
holds of the shallow boulder beneath, towards the swirl. Within
casting distance a find a good foothold beneath and take a relaxing
puff of the CAO. I see bait fish rise and dart which tells me there’s
a bigger feeding fish chasing the small bait fish. I change over to
an elongated silver stick bait popper. After a few casts my popper
should drift within sight of the feeding fish. I watch the stick bait
popper drift slowly mid river and twitch it now and then to give an
appearance of a dying minnow trying to gain conscious upon the
surface. A fish rises and gulps at the popper. I lower the rod and
then jerk it up and another smallmouth fights the tight line.
As
I free float down the river casting towards the banks I pick off a
few small smallmouth. The heat is getting to be overbearing as I'm in
full view in the sun. I dip my cap in the water and let the excess
water drain and then put the cap back on. The cool water is
refreshing as it drips down my head and neck. With the heat now I
figure the bigger bass might just be holding in deeper water away
from the sunny bank sides. The water is clear enough that they should
be able to see a surface popper from quite a distance below the
surface and a couple of good loud gurgles might bring them up to
investigate.
I
come to an area in the river that narrows some and is much deeper
than I’ve been fishing. The current is real slow and I feel I am
hardly drifting down river. Huge boulders jut out of the water spaced
out in this deep section of water looking like good rocky bass water.
I slowly fin my way and brace myself against a boulder a third of the
width of the river. I cast out a few times towards mid river and give
a couple of loud gurgles without a response. I turn and cast towards
the bank. It still appears pretty deep so I also give a couple of
pulling tugs making the popper gurgle loudly on the surface. I watch
it drift just for a couple of seconds before a huge gulp grabs it and
takes it under. Instantly I feel the force of the battling smallmouth
and know it’s a good one. I’m anchored solid with my feet to the
big bolder and battle with the fighting smallmouth. He puts up a good
fight with an occasional rise and surface swirls before getting him
to the apron.
I
spend 10 minutes or so casting and trying to fool another before
slowly moving on. Out of the deeper water I start casting towards the
bank again and pull in a couple more smallmouth.
I
can feel the heat of the sun still bearing down and notice there’s
hardly a cloud in the sky. I check my watch and it’s near 3. I’m
not sure how far I am from my truck but no matter I have no place I
need to be. I’m having fun, no fatigue to speak of and the
smallmouth are biting. Oh, and I have a few more cigars to smoke.
I
notice the roadside cliff is pretty steep to my right facing
downriver. The left side isn’t as steep but there really isn’t
anywhere to actually dock. The river begins to narrow some and few
huge boulders protrude out from the middle of the river or so. I bump
into one and steady myself against it and cast out towards the far
bank. Not sure how deep it is I only give a couple of easy tugs and
soft gurgles not wanting to scare any sleepy fish. On the drift a
fish, more or less, slurps in the popper as if it knows it is unaware
of its presence and is an easy prey. I jerk back the line and have a
good skirmish with another nice smallmouth.
After
a few more casts, within reach, I notice the road side bank is
beginning to shadow from the setting sun. I slowly fin my way towards
the bank but am well away from it when I find another foot hold. Not
as steady as I like but my extended fin appears to hold me still in
the under current. I cast out towards the middle of the river and
gurgle the popper loudly. After bringing it in towards me some I
single haul my next cast and throw a long line down and across river.
The fly line shoots through the air followed by a silicone leg
whistling frog popper. Upon the drop I let it set just for a few
seconds and then gurgle it towards me with a couple of quick tugs.
The surface water suddenly implodes splashing water everywhere like a
depth charge exploding not far beneath the surface. I could hardly wait
before yanking the rod up and rearward The long length of line whips
from the surface and tight lines to a swirl left by the implosion.
“This
is what I’m talking about” I say to myself.
By
the tugging force and hefty swimming action I know I got a good one.
He swims deep and I keep my rod high not wanting any excessive drag
on the water. He does some quick turns and heavy tugs that I have to
let him take line off the spool. I’m in open water so I’m not too
concerned about him dragging the line against any subsurface boulder.
I’m gripping the cork handle and let him play himself out in a
heavy tug of war battle. I lose my footing and start to fin towards
the closest bank hoping to get a hold of a boulder with my fins or
wading boots. Just beyond the bank I find a foot hold and get better
leverage on the battling smallmouth. Nearer to me he surfaces with
body twisting and splashing. He dives deep before the float tube and
I extend the rod out trying to keep him from swimming beneath me. I
get him under more control and thumb him to the float tube apron. The
good size smallmouth is definitely one to remember. I take my phone
out of the zip lock bag in the pocket of my float tube ad take a
quick snap shop of the bass on the apron. As I lift him I go to take
another picture and a black screen comes up on my phone and reads
‘emergency’ and something about the phone is over heating and I
can’t use it till it cools down. I’m upset not getting another
photo of the big smallmouth but that’s the way it goes I guess in
hot weather. I unhook the bass and let him swim free in the warm
river water.
I
look to my right and see shade beneath overhanging tree branches
along the bank. I bring in my line and popper and fin over to the
shade. I sit in the float tube with my phone sitting out in the open
on the arm rest pocket. I reach back and grab a couple of granola
bars and my water bottle. I relax under the shade of the tree. I’m
not in a hurry by any means and time is on my side! I rinse my mouth
and light up a CAO Flathead 554. The 54 gauge cigar will last a
while.
I kick off from the stony bank and drift freely in the river.
I make a few casts mid river in the deeper water and gurgle the
popper for commotion. On one cast the popper drops with a splash. I
retrieve it like it is being chased by something and then let it rest
and watch it drift. Another couple of gurgles in the same way as if
being chased and a bass explodes out of the water at my popper. His
belly exits the water upon the rise and I drop the rod momentarily
and rear back hard taking up the slack. The line tightens and
immediately I feel the force of the fish on the arcing rod. He
upsurges out of the water surface showing his fat belly and hefty
body. He splashes down only to be described like a small keg of wet
gunpowder being thrown overboard. He takes off downriver with me in
tow. I have no foothold in the deep water and can only hope he stays
hooked while I try to fin my way to shallower water. He turns the
float tube and pulls me along as I desperately back fin towards the
bank. I know there is no use trying to land him on the float tube
while aimlessly floating without a foothold. We battle with him
having full control or where and how fierce the battle will be. I get
to shallower water and wedge my fins and boots between a couple of
underwater boulders. Now with leverage I take the initiative of
controlling the battle. I add more resistance to the line and tighten
the drag a bit. The arcing rod becomes a little more fierce and
forces the bass to use more energy to defend. I slowly reel in line
and stopping at every forceful tug without releasing line. Nearer to
me I reach to get a thumb hold but it takes a few attempts to grip
his lip and bring him to the apron.
I
drift on but the water starts to get pretty shallow and I know I’m
getting close to my extraction point. Somewhere along the line I
notice I lost my right flipper. How that happened or why I didn’t
notice it earlier is beyond me. I backtrack walking the shallows a
good 10 minutes or so without finding it. I end up walking upon the
shallows until I hit some water I can sit in without scraping bottom.
I concentrate and cast out towards the roadside bank. I have a couple
of strikes but nothing I can say that is of any size. I kick my way
to shore and carry my float tube up the bank to the truck. It is 5:00
when all is packed and ready to drive upriver to the camper.
It’s
one of the best days I’ve had on the river aside from losing one
flipper.
~doubletaper
