Fishing In Flooded Streams

[delta_queen]

The rain just won't stop. Weekend after weekend we've put off casting b/c of the rain. I've got family in town and everyone wants to go fish. The stream where we want to head to and spin cast from the banks is officially flooded, yet this saturday is supposed to be sunny. Aside from the postive affects of just being outside, do we have a shot at catching some smallies? Any lure suggestions?

Thanks,

Virginia

PS. I am also subscribing to the belief that these floods are great for our fish in the long run. In the short run, can we fish?

[Al Agnew]

IF, and that's a big IF, you know where a pool is where the smallies spend the winter (they winter in specific pools on most rivers), you may be able to catch a few by walking the flooded shoreline and fishing the little eddies caused by obstructions along the flooded banks. The fish won't move from wintering pools until the water temps get up into the low 50s, so they have to be somewhere in those pools, and they will often move to the shorelines to seek out the most out of current places. However, if the water temps reach the low 50s, the fish will use the higher water levels to scatter to their spring and summer areas. If you want to try it, be careful. Stuff like jigs that you can drop into the eddies and fish slowly will probably be the best bet in lures. Don't expect to catch a lot of fish!

[delta_queen]

I appreciate this reply. Thanks Al