2/6/11 Winter Fun

[Brian Sloss]

For a while now Brian Wise, who many of you know from the NFOW fame, and I have been discussing getting a day out on the Eleven Point to chase some fish. Super Bowl Sunday turned out to be the day. I met up with Brian about 8 am at the canoe rental and threw our stuff together and ran up to Greer with the drift boat in tow. Since Turner road was sketchy we decided to fish up and down from the boat ramp. We caught fish regularly throughout the day. We tried lots of things early but jigs drifted under an indicator were the order of the day throughout the morning. We had to change colors regularly to keep them interested, but that was easy enough. Caught a couple small smallmouth and another about 13 inches plus plenty of trout.

After lunch we hit a few couple shoals to do some wading. Brian set up a Czech nymphing rig and starting catching first year trout. On the way through the next shoal I caught a real nice smallie (maybe 15 inches)and Brian got a couple more baby trout. As I rowed to the next shoal Brian hooked a real nice smallie on a jig that threw it while airborne. At the next shoal, I tried the Czech method and quickly hooked up with 3 fish, including a baby trout (not landed) and a 10 inch wild one and missed another couple fish due to daydreaming syndrome. Went to a more traditional method and hooked a nice one that wrapped me around a branch. Brian and I hiked to another shoal where a few more baby trout and a 17 incher (Brian claims this, I did not see it so I am not sure)were caught.

You might notice a trend, we had a good spawn last year and there are more young of the year trout swimming around and as a result the last few months we have been catching more 5-6 inch trout lately. Really cool.

After it started raining we decided to pack it in so we could get to our respective TVs to watch Green Bay bring the Lambardi home. I had a great time and we both caught plenty of fish, which was nice given the fishing was off the last time I was out.

[MaxDrown]

(Brian claims this, I did not see it so I am not sure)

LOL.

[Brian Wise]

It's true....trust me.

Had a great time on the 11 Point and caught the crap out of the fish!

[Mark]

It seems like from all reports that the fishing is outstanding this winter. Would you say it is normal for this time of year or is it exceptionally well right now?

MAN, I'm sick of winter weather. I can't wait for warm spring and early summer days. Looking forward to getting the tent out of storage, load up the truck with canoe, cooler, camping gear, BBQ grill, and guitar and heading out for my favorite gravel bar (location withheld)!! It doesn't get any better than that!!

[Justin Spencer]

Winter's the best. Maybe not the fastest fishing of the year, but usually consistent. Don't have to worry about river levels going up and down as much. You see absolutely no one else on the river. As long as the wind isn't blowing fly fishing keeps you pretty warm, as long as you don't fall in (right Ryan?)

Fishing might be better in the Spring, but you really can't make plans now and guarantee the water won't be blown out. If you fish from a drift boat, Spring is really hard to beat!

[Coldspring]

I need a fishing buddy for there! Anyone?

[Chris Gates]

Good Livin! And those fish thought they had a day off because it was Super Bowl Sunday! Think Again.

[Brian Sloss]

Mark

The fishing has been good for trout this winter, but the smallie fishing has been tougher. The lower water has presented challenges and makes catching lots of fish in hole more rare unless you mix up what and how you are presenting to the fish. The biggest difference is the amount of young of the year trout that we are finding. 6 inch trout are not going to provide a huge fight, but they are fun and more importantly, a great sign for the next couple of years. Very curious how this years spawn will turn out with all this low water. Conventional wisdom says that the low water years don't provide as good spawning results. The high water cleans out a lot of silt from the gravel is one idea of why the spawns are good after floods.