I was able to spend a few hours on the Chagrin River this morning and was rewarded with a special catch. Special, because resident smallmouth bass over 12” in length are not an everyday occurrence. In fact, I haven’t caught a resident this big in a couple of years. This smallie hit a yellow popper, and came to the net only after a great fight. Glad I was using my 6 wt. Based on the size of the net, the smallie came in just short of 14”.
It is a real treat to catch a smallie this size. Based on growth rates, this smallie could be 8 or 9 years old.
Summer is waning. Being able to get on a river before 6:00AM in full light is gone. Those hot, sticky mornings have been replaced with cooler temperatures. River flows are still at summertime lows as northeast Ohio hasn’t had a big rain event in some time. In fact, we could use a good storm (please, not like Harvey) to flush the rivers, as sediment is accumulating. One can’t wade without kicking up a cloud of sediment. Even a few fallen leaves have found their way into the waters. The only thing that seems to be hanging on to summertime is the smallie bite. I’ve been surprised how well it has hung in there.
The topwater action continues to be strong. It doesn’t seem to matter what color is used, black, yellow, or green. They have all produced. This has been a fun summer, watching smallies attack the poppers. And when that action slows, I’ve been able to throw small woolly buggers into faster water and managed to move quite a few smallies.
This smallie attacked a popper and fought hard.
(Click on image for a larger view.)
But, late August and early September is transition time. I suspect the smallmouth bite will continue for the next few weeks. As the weather changes and brings with it cooler nights, and northeast Ohio gets a rain event, fishermen will keep an eye out for the first push of chrome entering the rivers. And from the chatter on social media there are a lot of fishermen waiting. Check any steelhead group on Facebook and you’ll see discussions about buying new gear, or when will the first run happen. Soon, the empty rivers will be flush with fishermen, and hopefully, steelhead. The clock is ticking.
Enjoy the photos from a recent outing.
The only sunfish I caught all year. Great color.
Thin, long, and likes yellow.
A path leading to the river. This field was part of a controlled burn last year
by the Cleveland Metroparks. Came back healthy and better than new.
After the wet trip to Virginia I wanted to get out and hit one of the local rivers. It was a nice, cool August morning. The kind of morning that makes you realize mother nature will soon be making her change to Fall.
Cool and damp August morning brought out the ground fog.
(Click on image for a larger view.)
The walk to the river took me through a field of wild flowers and grasses loaded with dew.
The fishing didn’t disappoint as the smallies were still active, going after baitfish patterns and poppers.
This smallie choked on a yellow popper.
The cigar hanging out of this smallie mouth was a peach color woolly bugger.
My wife and I finally had a chance to meet up with her sister, Ginny, and her husband, Art, to fish the Shenandoah Valley. We try to make the trip at least once a year, and our original date was in early June. Bad weather in the valley forced us to cancel that date, and tight schedules prevented us from traveling until the first week in August. The weather forecast for the day we were going to be on the creek was light rain, followed by heavy rain. But, it was now or never. We couldn’t reschedule again, so off we went and hoped for the best. I will never complain about time on the water, but best never showed up. You’ll soon see why.
When fishing the Shenandoah Valley there are several options for the type of water to fish. Mountain streams are close by so you can fish for brook trout. If someone is after smallmouth and largemouth bass there are several warm water rivers that hold some large fish. But if you want to challenge your skills, fish in beautiful surroundings with the opportunity to catch brown or rainbow trout, then you want to fish a spring creek. In the valley, Mossy Creek is the premier spring creek. Usually in early August you can have a lot of fun fishing terrestrials. Hoppers, beetles, and ants are the meal ticket to some great topwater action. However, our day on the water was anything but usual.
This a stretch of Mossy Creek that shows the channeling that will test your presentation skills.
(Click on image for a larger view.)
The day before we were to fish we arrived in Harrisonburg, VA late afternoon, and drove out to the public stretch of Mossy Creek. The creek is only eight miles long, and runs through pastureland. As you can see from the photos, in some spots Mossy is not very wide. Based on the sections I’ve fished, a cast directly across the creek will be no longer than 20’, give or take a few feet. Hero casts are not required, but bring your accuracy. I was able to fish about a hundred yard stretch, and I was tested on every cast. Truth be told, I’m used to the rivers of northeast Ohio, wide with a lot of room to make a backcast. Put me on small water with streamside vegetation taller than I am and I fold like a bad poker hand.
Not very wide at this point. The thick vegetation helps keep the creek cool and clear.
Mossy Creek’s water maintains an even temperature even through the hottest summers, as the spring continually supplies refreshingly cool and clear water. The thick riparian zone helps to protect the creek. The landowners have to be recognized for working with local groups and Trout Unlimited to maintain the streamside vegetation, and of course, allow access.
Another thing visible from the pictures is the vegetation in the water. Spring creeks are so nutrient-rich that vegetation grows quickly. It’s one of the characteristics that give spring creeks their charm, and forces a fly fisherman to bring their “A” game. The trout will sit in the channels or at the edge of the vegetation waiting for food to drift their way. But, the vegetation and current make it difficult to get a good drift. Attempting a cast that has to hit a target area about a foot wide with tall vegetation behind you will test your skills.
Finally, spring creeks are very clear. Trout will spook easily. Sudden movements, noises, or a false cast will put the trout down. The channels visible in the photos look cloudy but that is the creek bottom. Most spring creeks can fish well even after a rain event. But, at some point even a spring creek can become chocolate if the rain is unrelenting. Yesterday was beyond unrelenting.
Fishing the same spot a year apart. Shortly after the picture on the left was taken I had my only hookup of the day.
A sunny Sunday turned into a rainy Monday. We awoke to a gentle rain. My first thought was “this is doable”. Heading down to breakfast I passed the lobby and looked outside. It was raining a little harder. I still thought we would be OK. Packing the car required us to be in full rain gear. It was now raining a little harder. It was then that I thought we’re in trouble. A quick glance at the radar app showed a large area of yellow and red coming our way. We considered calling it off but decided to listen to what our guide, Brian Trow had to say. Brian is co-owner of Mossy Creek Fly Fishing with his brother Colby, and guides us on our trips. We have fished with Brian for seven years, and he is considered a good friend. He understands the weather patterns of the valley. We’d listen to what he had to say and then make a decision.
Brian met us and began to tell us that often the storms coming from the west hit the mountains and lose a lot of their punch. Brian mentioned that the steady rain we were experiencing could possibly let up by mid-morning. What really caught my ear is when he said these are the conditions that will bring out the biggest fish in the creek. Because the water will be stained, and cloud cover will keep the light muted, the big trout will become more aggressive. At this point I didn’t even feel the rain. We looked at each other and all of sudden the thought of calling it off went away. I guess we were all wondering which one of us will make the decision to go or not. I’m not that guy. I stand in 30° water dodging snowflakes, fishing streamers for steelhead. A little warm rain is nothing. So, we made the decision to try it. Unfortunately, little didn’t hang around long.
Fast forward to the parking lot and gearing up. Brian put on some of the biggest and darkest streamers he had in the fly box. Art, my fly fishing mentor, is a traditionalist. He is always looking to fish dry flies and terrestrials. Our time on the water was going to rough on him as he doesn’t like streamer fishing. I’m sure he went along because this was going to be my only chance of getting on Mossy Creek this year.
As we walked from the lot to the creek the rain began to pick up. Our first look at the creek showed a few inches of visibility. Maybe a few inches are all we need. Those few inches didn’t last very long.
After about an hour of swinging the streamers and hitting the banks I had a take. The fish immediately started violent head shakes and came to the surface. I had hooked a rainbow that was every bit as big as a grown steelhead. Unfortunately, I made a mistake with line control and the fish tossed the streamer. Just like that, the fight was over. Then it started to pour.
We eventually called it quits after about three hours. At the end Mossy Creek had turned to chocolate. We found out later in the day that during our time on the water 3” of rain fell in the valley. We tried our best but it was not to be. For me, our fishing excursions have been a series of memories that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Being with family and friends on the water cannot be beat.
Enjoy the photos and short videos. One video will give you a good idea of how hard it was raining. The other video shows the flowing vegetation that makes Mossy Creek a very technical creek to fish.
H2O, water, rain, we need it. The rivers in northeast Ohio are running as low as they have in a long time. Both the Grand and the Rocky are flowing at less than 30 cfs, while the Chagrin, where I fished this morning, is flowing at around 70. We could use a big flush to freshen things up, and get the fish moving again.
Even the deeper pools are low enough to see any bottom structure.
(Click on image for larger view.)
Low water does have its benefits. Seeing the bottom structure can be helpful in spotting likely holding lies and identifying potential snags. Pools that have some depth now will be even more inviting with higher flows during steelhead season.
Today’s outing started in a way I didn’t want it to. Being superstitious, I don’t want a hookup on the first cast. I’ve had a few trips were I caught something on the first cast and then nothing after that. So, now I’ll just dump the cast to let some line out. And I did that today but seconds later a smallie hit the streamer. After releasing it my inner voice said “Man, I hope that’s not the only strike today.” Fortunately, it wasn’t.
First cast smallie. I'm still superstitious even though I wasn't shut out the rest of the day.
That first fish, and the other six that came to hand, were all caught in the faster water. Problem was, I spent too much time in the slower water throwing topwater poppers. For whatever reason, the smallies wanted nothing to do with a surface fly. Still, it was a good day.
I was hoping to get into some topwater action today but it didn't happen.
This smallie hit a yellow popper from a previous outing.
This guy let me get close. Even he didn't have any success in the slower pools.
This heron had no luck fishing the slower pools. I didn't either.
Finally, I came across this rock formation. A rock balancer hit the Chagrin and left it behind. Nice job, but it won't last with the next bump in flows, whenever that happens.
A Rock balancer left behind this exclamation point.
