Featured Photo: Streamer Eater on the Clinch

Featured Photo: Streamer Eater on the Clinch

Monday, April 28, 2014

Scouting

As we move closer to summer, our warm water streams here on the Cumberland Plateau are beginning to wake up.  On Sunday afternoon, I headed out with a friend to check a new spot off the list.  Most of these streams on the Plateau are remote and often much more rugged than anything I've ever encountered in the Smokies.  The hike in can often be brutal, but if you put in your time and do your homework, there are places with better access that can be found.  In fact, we never fished more than 1/3 of a mile from the car.

The best water is usually much tougher to get to though so I'm planning a return trip that will involve a bit more hiking.  While these streams are full of small bass and sunfish, some nicer fish can be found as well as evidenced by this nice smallmouth I found.

Photograph by Seth Arnold

Fishing was still a bit slow and will heat up over the next 3 weeks as waters warm and flows drop.  By June, things should be moving right along and will continue to be good through September most likely.  By late in the season, the fish in these streams are spooky as flows drop to a fraction of what they are now.  Long clear pools interspersed with gentle riffles and pockets make long casts a necessity as well as smaller flies.

But now, for the next few weeks at least, I'll be out there tossing larger flies like my PB&J streamer.  Bright colors worked best and the PB&J in Firetiger got the most looks.  Soon they'll be taking bugs on top as well.  The smaller fish were working the hatching Hendricksons pretty well, but soon we'll be tossing Stealth Bombers, Wiggle Minnows, and hopper patterns at the bass and panfish.  If you live in the area, Plateau streams and creeks are a worthy target in lieu of driving somewhere further to trout fish.

8 comments:

  1. That area looks beautiful and the smallie is great. Ah, never mind, I don't feel like hiking.

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    1. Howard, thankfully we didn't have to hike far, but next time I go back I'm hitting the trail for a bit longer I think...

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  2. I'd personally drive further for a good Smallie stream than a good trout stream... it's all a matter of tastes.

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    1. Jay, when I lived in Colorado, I started to feel it too. I missed being able to hit the smallie creeks but of course it was nice to drive 15 minutes and fish for wild trout...

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  3. Darn nice Smallie, Dave. I sure envy anyone who gets an opportunity to fish Smallmouth on a regular basis.

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    1. Mel, I'm fortunate to have some great places close by. I missed them while I lived in CO...

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  4. David
    There is nothing like landing smallmouth on the fly, the closest I can come to smallmouth fishing is the spots here on Smith. Thanks for sharing

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    1. Bill, those spots you catch are always pretty impressive. I love smallmouth but the variety those spotted bass add would be nice.

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