N. Ark. Brown Bass on the Prowl

[Crippled Caddis]

When the fishing muse whispers "Now" in your ear then you'd best listen!

She whispered insistantly this morning so having a few hours before the motorcycle roadracing I want to see on Speedvision comes on I gathered a few flies from the tying bench, piled into the rolling tackle box others refer to as a Ford van and went to a nearby stream that will remain anonymous. Along the way the Dogwoods, Redbuds and Wild Irises in full bloom proclaimed that it might prove a good choice to listen to the muse today. Indeed it was! I don't think I got over 100 yds. below the bridge before the score stood at 4 Smallmouth that savaged the non-descript offering of brown chenille, brown and olive marabou and beadchain eyes that very loosely suggests a crawfish. By that time I'd only been there a half hour and I decided that wanting more was pushing my luck so I started back upstream. Now you must understand something about this site---immediately below the bridge there is a deep slot against an outside bend that carries a heavy current. It has a couple of small eddies with tree roots in them that offers perfect holding water for a big fish to ambush anything coming down the chute. But it's just as obvious to others as it is to me so it gets hammered heavily. Now it would equally as obviously be an insult to the muse that told me today was the day to pass up such a place so the marabou and chenille creation was deposited into the eddies several times. Because the intervening heavy current grabs the line immediately you couldn't sink a bowling ball on the end of your line in those little eddies but the fish will often co-operate to the extent of following the fly downstream in its headlong rush and take it on the turn. Not today----but I did see a shadow behind the fly a few times. Stripping it vigorously triggered no response so I tried a short, slow draw. About the third draw a resistance was felt---almost like a leaf had lodged on the hook. A gentle lift proved it was no leaf and the battle lines were drawn. If I'd lost that fish I would have guilelessly insisted it was a 3 pounder. But when I was finally able to put the tape on him he barely reached the 14" mark. The earlier fish had ran between 11" and 12 1/2" so no 'big'uns' came to hand today. Fortunately the fish hadn't been notified that they weren't monsters so they behaved as if they were. Doncha just love smallies?

[Terry Beeson]

Sounds like I need to go smallie hunting this week...

"Anonymous" stream name, huh? Think I could name that tune in 3 notes?

[Crippled Caddis]

Terry wrote:

<"Anonymous" stream name, huh? Think I could name that tune in 3 notes?>

The description of the run below the bridge was written with you in mind. I figured you would recognize it instantly. The resource is too delicate to attract crowds. I've never killed a bass from it so I'm not abusing it but were it to become popular it could be history in a couple of seasons.

Somehow it just seemed appropriate to start the Smallmouth season on April Fools Day. ;o)