Buzz

I'll start off with an olive wooly bugger and go from there.

You know, I caught 2 big female browns on the same day several years ago at Capps. One at the dam and one above the new bridge and both took a size 14 Half Assed Scud. I've caught a few on wooly buggers over the years too, but my next biggest hit a glow ball, go figure. Capps is a funny little creek sometimes. Ollie has always caught his on jigs, go figure.

I couldn't remember how many fish were caught. I'll give you a chance this year.

Like I said, I'm watching it closely. Minor adjustments are to be expected, but yearly crashes don't happen. It's the big one that seems to happen every decade or so that are the most harmful. That is what I hope to avoid again. In the mean time I will take all of the easy money I can get. LOL Stock markets don't interfere with my fishing thankfully.

I have to be a little bit concerned with the stock market since I have my profit shares and 401K in it to a pretty good degree. These 2 will make up the bulk of my retirement. The stock market went up after GW took office and then started tanking. I was losing everything I put in and then some. I backed it out and went with mainly bonds. The hemorrhage stopped. Then came the big drop. Thankfully I was out before it happened. Some guys I worked with lost upwards of $60,000 of their retirement rather quickly. When the market stabilized I got back into it and have done well over the last 7 years. Believe me, there will be an adjustment in the stock market. I can only say that the adjustment will more than likely be a downward adjustment. I have no confidence in the incoming administration, therefore I have no confidence in the current trend of the market. I will be watching it closely.

Nice! It's not really about size when it comes to Crane.

It was a tough day for sure. I just hit the right stretch. I stuck with the frenchie Pheasant tail all morning and it worked. I did catch another parr marked small one today. The first in several years. Good times. Glad to be able to fish with some great guys.

I agree. I'm looking forward to it.

I've not tried Mystery Tackle Box, but have been a member of Lucky Tackle Box since March or April. I've gotten some really good crankbaits, jerkbaits and jointed swim baits. I didn't throw any of the swim baits this year because they were a little much for the waters I fished. A bunch of plastic baits in the boxes too. Last month was a little weak. I'll give it this last time and if I'm not satisfied I'll drop it until next Spring. I'll find out Monday when it gets here. I did catch a bunch of fish on the jerks and cranks. Overall I've been satisfied.

10 years!! Dang. I'm gonna take it this year. Ha Ha

Capps has certainly disappointed me, but to be honest its really just been over the last 3 years or so. You are right that if you put in the extra effort you can find fish. The biggest problem I've had was with all of the downed trees and getting around them. I hate walking through the woods because of all of the snags. I'm always afraid I'll rip my waders. I can't afford that, although it would give me a good reason to get a new pair. Lol There are a lot of those characters you mentioned that frequent Capps.

I haven't been yet this season, but I do know that the MDC stocks once before C & R starts and then a couple of times during and maybe one time after it ends. Anything put in before is usually taken out pretty fast. The next stocking usually lasts pretty good. It looks just like Roaring River when C & R ends though. I'm usually surprised if I see anyone fishing there in the winter. If it's a really warm weekend you will see more people. That's why I like to fish early and the colder the better. You'll need waders to get to some of the better spots too. The sentence I have highlighted reminds me more of Capps Creek than Hickory. It gets absolutely raided.

To be honest I've found a few locations over the years that hold fish in the winter. Most of the time I was bank fishing. I have gotten away from winter bass fishing over the last several years because of trout fishing so I thought I might change it up a bit. This year I've found a few more spots that are easily accessed and have long stretches with good southern exposure and several of the other characteristics mentioned by Al and others and do hold fish Spring through Fall. I'm not sure if I would do a full blown float or not, but I'd like to give it a try after a warm spell.

Hickory doesn't get completely fished out during the C& R period. They do get poached but nothing like it was the first couple of years. I fish it quite often during C& R and most places still hold fish. Where they get taken out most are the areas that are hard to see from the road. Around the ball fields usually holds the most fish. It's gotten a bad name over the years, but isn't really that bad. We really need more law abiding fishermen to help police it. Most poachers won't try anything of someone is around.

Great info and insight. Al you never disappoint. I think that info will help me find some fish. I have a couple of spots that I can get to in my kayak easily enough and a lot of the things you described are there. Blazerman, I like your lure selection. Some of my favorites. The jig under a float would be a new rig for me, but I'm always game.

I've read a lot over the years of being a member of O.A.F. about winter smallmouth fishing. I thought I might give it a try this winter. I'm primarily interested in river fishing. Also I thought it might be a good idea to consolidate that information here since there really is no other site that can come close to the amount of experience that our forum members have. Just a few questions to start: 1) What determines a good wintering location? 2) How do you think smallmouth and largemouth migrate? Upstream or downstream? When do they start? Will they go through obstacles such as shallow runs to reach their wintering destinations? 3) Locations? Such as; south facing banks, bluff banks, middle of the rivers, etc. 4) Lures? 5) Weather and water conditions considered prime for winter fishing? 6) Prime times of the day? Thanks for your input.

A guy I work with had a Falcon break about 1 foot above the reel. He called Falcon and gave them all of the numbers on the rod. It was more than 2 years old so they charged him $28.00 for a full replacement. I think he said if it were under 1 or 2 years old it wouldn't have cost anything but his shipping cost. He only had to send in the section that had all of the numbers on it. It's worth a try.

Nice fish Chris!!!

It was a spectacular day. I know what I'll be looking for next spring. LOL I'll be heading to Academy soon to see if I can find some small jerk baits that might be a close match. Not to mention more flukes. I don't know how many they destroyed. I forgot how much I enjoyed fishing flukes.

Nice. Looks like a blast!! Thanks for the video.

That's interesting. I hope he's given up rousting other floaters and has seen the light.

Thanks bfishn. I saw the same pic of the Cardinal shiners last night when I was researching. It could have been them. The size was close, but like Ollie said they didn't seem to have the stripes, they seemed to be more solid in color. When the smallmouth would chase them they would jump about a foot out of the water. It was quite a sight. We also didn't see this anywhere else on the river.

Ollie and I fished a section of the Elk River Sunday. It was a very productive day to say the least. We came to a fast water spot and started catching smallmouth consistently. On the upper side before the faster water the smallmouth were busting what we thought were minnows they had chased into the shallows. Come to find out they were attacking some sort of minnow or fry that was grouped up in what looked like a huge spawning bed that was nearly the size of a VW Bug. The small fish were brownish red as best as we could tell and there were thousands of them. The ball of fish was probably at least 3 feet across and seemed to be several inches deep. After the smallmouth would attack they would scatter then come right back to the same spot. We didn't see any larger fish in the area besides the smallmouth. So the question is, does anyone have a clue as to what they might be?

I also got mine today. Very impressive. You are all great fly tyers. You guys that tied these little flies are far better than I am. I think I'm going to try the A$$ Kicker for some bass and smallmouth this spring. I'm also glad to get my hands on the famous Hair and Copper. Thanks

I've never fished the Norfork, but I do well on olive and tan. I tie them with gold and copper tung beads and matching rib.