Winter Smallmouth Spook

Today was sunny and 36F. Creek was still dropping, almost to summer levels. Spooked some bass just like in summer. Clear water and bright sun are bad in winter too. Spooked about a dozen fish out of a winter spot. Too much sun, not enough security, this could be tough. I would have to be careful.

Hail Mary nabbed this golden redhorse out in a deep slot in full current.


Finally scouted ahead to a new winter spot, a large eddie below a riffle on a slow curve. Making longer casts past the eddy out into the current and Squibbing the float in to avoid spooking fish. I stayed low and attacked from direction my shadow would fall away from the fish. Got 6 smallmouth bass in about 30 minutes. Here's the largest just hitting 18".



Again they wanted movement to the fly. Wonder if this inversely relates to action imparted by current. The less current, the more action imparted needed. nearly stepping on minnows in the shallows gave me the idea of how to make the fly jig look 'panicky'.

Smallies saved the bite until after 4pm today when the sun was in the trees and not overhead.