This Was A Surprise

Early morning, sun kissed trees make a good backdrop for a day on the water.

(Click on image for larger view.)

The morning was cold, the coldest of the fall so far. The type of cold that reminds you what is to come. Dressed in layers, I wanted to hit the river early for a shot at some chrome. There’s a deep hole that’s been productive, but also a magnet for fishermen. Be there late and you’ll have to wait your turn.

For whatever reason, the pool didn’t produce today. I don’t know if it was the cold front or the pressure this pool gets. I moved upstream just as the sun was kissing the tops of the trees bringing out the autumn colors. Using a tan woolly bugger, I began to slow my retrieve, literally bouncing the bugger off the bottom. Halfway through the retrieve I felt a tug. With the reflexes of an old cat, I lifted the rod and set the hook. The fish made a run upstream, and my initial thought was a small steelhead. Throughout the fight the fish never jumped. It just kept running around shaking its head. As the fish got closer to me it looked like a smallie, and not a steelhead. Finally, close enough to net, I brought a 14” smallie to hand.

A nice, 14" smallie saved the day.

That was a surprise. I wasn’t surprised that it was a smallie, as I’ve been catching quite a few this fall. It was the size and the lack of acrobatics that was surprising. I’ve never caught a smallie that large that didn’t jump at least once. I’m guessing that the fish was reacting to the cooler water temps, and was just sluggish.

Anyway you look at it, that fish saved the day, as the chrome didn’t want to play.

Go out and fool a fish!