Morning On The Southfork, With Fellow Oa Member!

[LittleRedFisherman]

Well, after some practicing here at home, got to break in the Coosa right on the Southfork River near Hardy. It was a pleasure to team up with Cody, "GotMuddy", who has experience on this river. We met at 5 in the morning and after a fellow that he knew helped us get unloaded and shuttled, we were ready to go!

We had limited time as we had places to be this afternoon, so we tried to hit the productive water the best we could. We spent probably to much time on an attractive looking stretch of deep woody water, with lots of lilly pads. We managed to pull out few decent smallies, and a dandy Spot! Cody is very efficient with a baitcaster, he slings that thing like a tournament angler, very impressive! He had a great setup with his Buffalo Canoe, with a mounted seat to make it like a big solo.

As far as the Coosa, I was very happy with it's performance, would highly recommend one to anyone wanting to float fish a stream. Didn't stand up in it, the thought of how much money in gear and tackle I was carrying today helped my decision to stay seated, which was fine, really had no need to stand.

We floated on down stream, and Cody started heating up one of his plethora of crankbaits, after nabbing a few feisty smallies on them, I brought out ole reliable, the Rebel crawdad Crank. At this point we had sped up our pace as we were longer on the water than expected, and needed to get back, so wondered on a good looking spot with some wood, and bam, back to back smallies on the Crank!

However, the big fish of the day, came on a Senko, I had good luck with them at the lake this weekend, and left one tied on one of my Baitcasters, and it caught both my biggest smallie, and Spot of the day! We didn't catch any trophies, but the fish were quality and very healthy. There seems to be a lot of food in that river, and it shows as the the fish we caught were very healthy looking! There are tons of cover in that river, for the bass and the baitfish. Didn't get the pictures of some of the fish I would of liked to, my gopro went dead as I didn't have my batteries charged up like I thought.

Here's a few pics of the day, had a great time with Cody, and appreciate the company and advise on fishing the southfork!!

[Guest]

All that productive water and you have lily pads?!!

What else do you need?

That's good looking water

[Mitch f]

Pretty sure I recognize that big rock:bluff on the right!!

[Ham]

I've never had a bad experience when I've gotten together with online fishing buddies for a fishing trip. I'm glad you guys ahd a good trip. The water sure didn't seem to have much flow, but maybe that's just a false impression I got from the photos posted.

[Smalliebigs]

yy

[Gavin]

Looks perfect for a long cast with a topwater. Glad you both had fun.

[LittleRedFisherman]

Pretty sure I recognize that big rock:bluff on the right!!

I bet you do, I read the big smallmouth roadtrip report last year, very good stuff, especially since ya'll fish waters close to the area I love! Next time you need to holler at Me and GotMuddy!!

I've never had a bad experience when I've gotten together with online fishing buddies for a fishing trip. I'm glad you guys ahd a good trip. The water sure didn't seem to have much flow, but maybe that's just a false impression I got from the photos posted.

It was a great time, wish we could of had all day, the last hole we just paddled through and had some speed, I was herding some dandy Smallies in front of me! As far as the Flow, Cody could elaborate on that more than me, it seemed kinda low maybe, but those pics were mostly in pools, there were areas were you got some speed up going down some riffles, very fun in the Coosa by the way...

I'm glad you were able to get the Coosa out on some nice water Brett. I just finished a week trip on mine and loved every minute of it. That river looks like the Bourb!!!!!!

It was fun, I do like that little boat!! Never been on the Bourbouse, but this river has characteristics in places like a bottomland slough back here at home, then you get back to the Ozark stream, neat river!

Looks perfect for a long cast with a topwater. Glad you both had fun.

Cody actually threw some early, thing he hung a couple on a Sammy, I tried a buzzbait I had I give a doller for at Wal Mart, warning, don't ever by one of those....

[LittleRedFisherman]

As much fun as I had floating the Southfork, this had to be my favorite of the weekend!

[gotmuddy]

the cold front made the fishing rough but I had a great time. I havent figured out how to catch the fish in that hole but they have to be there. I dont know how you eliminate water when everywhere looks like perfect cover for fish.

[LittleRedFisherman]

the cold front made the fishing rough but I had a great time. I havent figured out how to catch the fish in that hole but they have to be there. I dont know how you eliminate water when everywhere looks like perfect cover for fish.

Yeah, that's for sure, that hole has some dandy's in there i'm sure, incredibly fishy looking water! I forgot to report on the big one that got away, I'd like to have landed that one that was pulling me and coosa around, hooked him in the middle of the river, but I bet he followed the senko out from those Lilly Pads on the right. Oh well, he'll be bigger next time we go....