Summer Fishing Bass

Summer 2014

It was difficult to get some good photos this summer since I had a camera break and leak, electronics don’t work the same after getting wet !!! The Pentax crushproof, waterproof and dustproof camera did not make after a drop from my pocket.  It was a great camera up till then. 

My fishing partner, Bob, and I agreed to focus a few trips this summer on Smallies. This summer started with a float in June on the South Fork of the New River and the New River in North Carolina.   We have a great time on the South Fork on Saturday afternoon once we arrived around 1:00 till 7:00.  We fished in our float tubes about 5 miles.  A lot of fish but small.  Mostly on soft plastics.

The next day we fished near Independence above the area the North and South Forks join.  The water was bigger and the fish were bigger in size.  It was an over cast raining day and when we crssed the South Fork it was very stained but once we arrive at the main river water quality was good.  So off for our adventure.  The river fish big with ledges of rock being the target.  Soft plastic was the preferred lure again.  Only a few managed on topwater late in the day.  Rain did come and the fish turned on before and during the downpour.

We will be back and go into Virginia for the bigger water below the dam.

For the last couple of months I have been fishing the small electric only lakes.  Using my frogs and poppers for bass and bream.  I purchased a new Copic airbrush and have added some more detail to the frogs and minnows.

A couple of bream have been beast, pulling my kayak around once hooded.  They are some much fun when that size.  The poppers sitting on the water and just a small wiggle and wham !!  It is just great. 

So in the hot moths get out to the lakes and enjoy some vicious strikes and a wonderful time with topwater.

2014 Fishing

Since the fishing weather has not totally cooperated for the winter trout fishing with rain and high rivers, we finally expected a good day for fair conditions the 2nd weekend in March.  Even this day was overcast and a reported high of 60 at the Tuckaseegee River in North Carolina.  The morning about 8:30 found the temperature around 32 degrees, hoping for the sun to rise for the warm up.   The dam release reports were for one dam flow later in the day, so we started our fishing in lower water.  There was a slight stain in the water so we will start the day with a black wooly bugger and a Purdy"Want-a-be Prince".    Good choice!!

The Tuck most recent stocking had been a few weeks before so we expected a good day.  Well a good day it was for sure.  The NC stocking must have been a spring brookie release.  A you can see from the pictures it was a banner catch.  We each landed multiple 15"- 18+"  brookies.  The one I am holding was a female full of eggs and hard to take a quick photo.  She was a brute.

So the fishing was great on marginal day, never warming to 60 as reported with no sun.  Very few people were fishing so it left the river to us brave ones.

Thanks North Carolina.