Geffellz18
Senior Member
Booked a trip to Pigeon Forge for
this weekend awhile back with two primary objectives…..
Capture some nice foliage pics and knock smallies off the bucket list.
The scenery has been absolutely stunning. First objective met-
Now for the more difficult objective.
With the rainy weather and cooling temps, I nearly wrote off all potential to land this bucket list fish.
I don’t know what it is with me and rain storms right before a planned fishing trip stirring things up!
It did the same thing back in March when I came up here to trout fish- Blanked that trip, even with stopping by Cherokee on the way home for a near guarantee to land something-or
so I thought! I mean, the Pautzke team was there literally a few days prior and was killing them-and I had the same exact stuff they had! ??
This time the water at least wasn’t way too high and swift to fish, but the leaves of fall and debris from the rainstorms made it difficult to use anything not rigged weedless-and even then it was still tough.
Still, I’m here on a mission despite the unfavorable odds and headwaters in my way.
I know little to nothing about these fish. I don’t even bass fish typically, so mimicking this is basically pointless!
I’m a transplant from the Coast-Saltwater fishing is my pedigree!
Still, I set off for the little time I’ve allotted myself each day until it’s family time….
Day one, I head out to targeted spots I identified during my research.
I quickly learn that about 90% of the gear I brought with me is of no value due to the aforementioned junk in the water.
I regroup and strategize other plans. Based on these plans, I also determine different locations may be more beneficial. Fortunately, I located a promising spot while taking alternate routes to bypass traffic on the strip back to the resort.
Day 2, I start at the newly identified spot. Someone is already there, so I ease up road a bit to another spot for few minutes, then back to the primary spot. After a few minutes, I have what I know is a solid strike and not debris or rocks. A few more casts to the same area and score-I’m hooked up!
A scrappy little joker….
Objective Two met-
Now the goal has transitioned to upsize!
After family time, I have just about an hour left of daylight, so I’m back at it!
I start at another spot and only gave it a few minutes before the location I landed the one earlier is calling me for the final 20-30 minutes of light before the sun rests over the hills.
Pull in and within 5 minutes, I’m on again! This time a beautifully marked little smallie.
So now I’m really wondering if the bigger fish have moved on to bigger and deeper waters as the chill in the air continues to decline.
As I contemplate this in my mind, twitching my hellgrammite along the bottom, I feel a quick tug. I tighten the line up to get a feel of what it may be…At first I think I finally got caught up on a rock, but then it began to move.
I set the hook sharply and it was ON!
I’m now in a battle with a solid contender! I knew immediately it was a good fish. After a minute or so, I have it on shore and am able to lip it!
A beautiful smallie!
One I could only dream of landing all things considered.
It may be an average catch for some, but to me it’s a stud!
Having never targeted them before, I’m elated!
My best guess has it between 2-3lbs and 16-18”!
One more day to add a few more to the list.
Thanks for following along.
Literally trees floating down the river from the recent rains ?
this weekend awhile back with two primary objectives…..
Capture some nice foliage pics and knock smallies off the bucket list.
The scenery has been absolutely stunning. First objective met-
Now for the more difficult objective.
With the rainy weather and cooling temps, I nearly wrote off all potential to land this bucket list fish.
I don’t know what it is with me and rain storms right before a planned fishing trip stirring things up!
It did the same thing back in March when I came up here to trout fish- Blanked that trip, even with stopping by Cherokee on the way home for a near guarantee to land something-or
so I thought! I mean, the Pautzke team was there literally a few days prior and was killing them-and I had the same exact stuff they had! ??
This time the water at least wasn’t way too high and swift to fish, but the leaves of fall and debris from the rainstorms made it difficult to use anything not rigged weedless-and even then it was still tough.
Still, I’m here on a mission despite the unfavorable odds and headwaters in my way.
I know little to nothing about these fish. I don’t even bass fish typically, so mimicking this is basically pointless!
I’m a transplant from the Coast-Saltwater fishing is my pedigree!
Still, I set off for the little time I’ve allotted myself each day until it’s family time….
Day one, I head out to targeted spots I identified during my research.
I quickly learn that about 90% of the gear I brought with me is of no value due to the aforementioned junk in the water.
I regroup and strategize other plans. Based on these plans, I also determine different locations may be more beneficial. Fortunately, I located a promising spot while taking alternate routes to bypass traffic on the strip back to the resort.
Day 2, I start at the newly identified spot. Someone is already there, so I ease up road a bit to another spot for few minutes, then back to the primary spot. After a few minutes, I have what I know is a solid strike and not debris or rocks. A few more casts to the same area and score-I’m hooked up!
A scrappy little joker….
Objective Two met-
Now the goal has transitioned to upsize!
After family time, I have just about an hour left of daylight, so I’m back at it!
I start at another spot and only gave it a few minutes before the location I landed the one earlier is calling me for the final 20-30 minutes of light before the sun rests over the hills.
Pull in and within 5 minutes, I’m on again! This time a beautifully marked little smallie.
So now I’m really wondering if the bigger fish have moved on to bigger and deeper waters as the chill in the air continues to decline.
As I contemplate this in my mind, twitching my hellgrammite along the bottom, I feel a quick tug. I tighten the line up to get a feel of what it may be…At first I think I finally got caught up on a rock, but then it began to move.
I set the hook sharply and it was ON!
I’m now in a battle with a solid contender! I knew immediately it was a good fish. After a minute or so, I have it on shore and am able to lip it!
A beautiful smallie!
One I could only dream of landing all things considered.
It may be an average catch for some, but to me it’s a stud!
Having never targeted them before, I’m elated!
My best guess has it between 2-3lbs and 16-18”!
One more day to add a few more to the list.
Thanks for following along.
Literally trees floating down the river from the recent rains ?
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