Made a run to my preferred shore fishing spots that I like during the colder months. I have not been out fishing as much this year as usual and the days I've hit the rivers for bass this summer generally didn't treat me well. Today my luck changed and I managed multiple large fish, including my best of the year, a fish that measured just over 19" (fish on the net photo) - and on a day when I didn't expect to do well due to the cold temps recently. Here's the situation:
WEATHER: Bluebird skies but blustery putting a chop on the water; air temps were cold, around upper 30s(?). Anyway, it felt cold with the wind and I had my wool gloves and hat on for much of the day. Some light snow still lingering in shady spots.
WATER: Slight stain, 4.8' at the Newport gage. Water temp was 40 degrees F (confirmed with thermometer). Although I've caught smallies in water temps close to freezing, I consider a temp of 40 to be on the cold side for bass, especially fly fishing. It would not surprise me if the bright sun may have slightly warmed the water a bit as fish were in slack areas close to shore. Heavy fishing pressure (for Nov.) with one ramp holding multiple trailers; could see four boats fishing from where I stood along the bank. River banks muddy and slick. Watch your step.
INSECTS/FORAGE: When I waded into some emergent vegetation right at the shoreline some small fish were flushed out - looked like YOY sunfish but I couldn't get a good enough look. Otherwise, nothing seen.
I started around 11am and had action at all four locations I fished, including a nice fish on the third cast. Strikes were, not surprisingly, very subtle and in some cases I did not know a fish was holding the fly, missed quite a few. All bass were in the mid-teens and healthy looking. One heavy bodied 18 incher had the typical "blotchy bass" markings (common on large river smallies this time of year) and a strange scale pattern, almost a bit like a mirror carp. I'm cradling this fish in my hand in the photo - the details are faintly visible. Very cool looking fish. All fish ate a heavy, black over orange streamer with some gold flash about 4" fished low and slow. Curiously, the gear guys I watched in boats didn't seem to have much luck and one fellow I chatted up at the ramp said he got two fish all day. Guess it was my lucky day.
It's late in the year, but don't give up on river bass yet.
WEATHER: Bluebird skies but blustery putting a chop on the water; air temps were cold, around upper 30s(?). Anyway, it felt cold with the wind and I had my wool gloves and hat on for much of the day. Some light snow still lingering in shady spots.
WATER: Slight stain, 4.8' at the Newport gage. Water temp was 40 degrees F (confirmed with thermometer). Although I've caught smallies in water temps close to freezing, I consider a temp of 40 to be on the cold side for bass, especially fly fishing. It would not surprise me if the bright sun may have slightly warmed the water a bit as fish were in slack areas close to shore. Heavy fishing pressure (for Nov.) with one ramp holding multiple trailers; could see four boats fishing from where I stood along the bank. River banks muddy and slick. Watch your step.
INSECTS/FORAGE: When I waded into some emergent vegetation right at the shoreline some small fish were flushed out - looked like YOY sunfish but I couldn't get a good enough look. Otherwise, nothing seen.
I started around 11am and had action at all four locations I fished, including a nice fish on the third cast. Strikes were, not surprisingly, very subtle and in some cases I did not know a fish was holding the fly, missed quite a few. All bass were in the mid-teens and healthy looking. One heavy bodied 18 incher had the typical "blotchy bass" markings (common on large river smallies this time of year) and a strange scale pattern, almost a bit like a mirror carp. I'm cradling this fish in my hand in the photo - the details are faintly visible. Very cool looking fish. All fish ate a heavy, black over orange streamer with some gold flash about 4" fished low and slow. Curiously, the gear guys I watched in boats didn't seem to have much luck and one fellow I chatted up at the ramp said he got two fish all day. Guess it was my lucky day.
It's late in the year, but don't give up on river bass yet.
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