Driving home from work I couldn't pass up what I think would be the last chance before the next good chance to catch my first fish of 2024. I switched over from the Orvis PRO bootfoot waders to my PRO stocking foot with the BOA boots. There really is a difference between the two. River fishing and stocking foot boots just go together better.
It was just the start of the outgoing and the air temps weren't all that bad at 45. I know the mercury is going to bottom out tomorrow night and then the rains will come this weekend. Water temps are
now holding at 46 and I know they will drop but I'm just wondering if they'll hit 40 or below. Didn't land a fish but it's two days in a row where I had a big smallmouth bass attempt to grab my larger fly. This one wanted it but just got a faceful of Squimpish fibers in its mouth just shy of the 5/0 Clouser hook. It all happened in slow motion and the fish looked like we humans do when we get a piece of popcorn lodged along the wall of your throat. I'm no smallmouth guy but the colors were just a perfect
mix of yellow and, well bronze, and brown and black. I've caught some ugly looking smallmouths, color-wise, but these early spring ones, at least these two, were very big and pretty. I'm now thinking things may not get rolling, including some tolerable fishing conditions, until after April 1st.