I fished again today with Greg as we put together an afternoon trip to tackle those river smallies on the Little Pigeon and French Broad Rivers. He started fishing at one of our favorite spots on the French Broad and immediately began hooking up with some really nice fish. The first smallie he caught was 18 ¾ in. followed by his second fish that was a healthy 20 incher. He was off to a great start with those two fish and the action was fast and furious for the next hour and half. I mention the hour and half because after that the bite came to a grinding halt. He caught fifteen smallies in that short amount of time with several of those fish in that seventeen and eighteen inch category. He fished other spots over the next two and half hours that have been very productive this spring and was only able to scratch out two more fish. This isn’t the first time nor will it be the last I have seen the fishing just turn off like a light switch.The weather and the water conditions were stable and it didn’t appear to me that anything changed in the environment that would put the fish down. It will continue to be a mystery to me on why this occurs. Is it the change in barometric pressure, moon phase, or other influences that we are not aware of that cause them to shut down? Or is it simply that they have had their fill and are no longer hungry. Whatever the case may be it is the bane of every fisherman when they know they have entered into that “non feeding window” and it’s time to pack up and head to the ramp. Regardless, Greg caught seventeen smallies today which isn’t too bad considering this was the slowest trip of the many that he has taken with me this spring. We have had some great days on the water here in 2018. I look forward to many more productive and enjoyable days not only here on the rivers in East Tennessee with Greg, but also in Wisconsin. I spend some time in the land of the “Cheeseheads” fishing for river smallies during the months of August, September, and October. Greg and his uncle will be joining me in August for a few days on the water catching those football shaped smallies on the Flambeau and Chippewa Rivers in beautiful west central Wisconsin.
River Smallie Adventures Fishing Report May 13, 2018
