Last Bronzebacks of the Season

Perfection on the North Fork of the Shenandoah

After last weekend's trip with Bryan I was convinced that I had a shot at a 100 smallie trip if I could just stay on the river long enough and with the season fast turning to trout I wanted to give the North Fork one more shot.  

James headed out with me this time and we took my trusty canoe in case the river proved to be longer than our legs and backs could handle.  It was gorgeous and 58 when we started out, the mist rising off the water and the sun burning off the marine layer hovering over the river.  I started with a clearwater 4wt that I love for its smooth and relaxing mid-flex action and took an old 6wt Fenwick glass rod my grandfather had given me to put it through its paces too.  

Almost snook shaped

James worked a Fenwick glass rod as well.  My plan was to pass over shallow water and unproductive stretches to focus my fishing time using weighted buggers and streamers in the deeper holds that I knew from last week were harboring smallies.   I started out with a weighted olive bugger followed by a size 8 barbell-head golden retriever.  It soon became apparent that I was not going to match my catch-rate from last weekend as the fish seemed to be coming about half as quickly, but the beauty of the river was incredible made up for it.

Several times we stopped to make sure that we were taking in the majesty and peace of the river as we walked through it.  If you reference the map we put in at point A and fished to point B with the most intense fishing happening in the bend of the horseshoe. By the time we closed on the straightway before point B we were pretty darn tuckered out. 

We did find the smallies in the deeper rocky pools and they generally hit on short strips and were stimulated by movement.

I do have to find better tactics to lure the larger bronzebacks as  most of our smallies were again trout size.  James had his best day on the river and pulled in many a water dancing prize.  I missed my goal of 100 fish (45 to hand) but it didn't matter as I had a great time closing out the smallmouth season.

Bass delicacy along for the ride

Perfect

 

 

 

 

James with river smallie