Steve K.
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Zach,
I’ve been fishing the smallie water in Western North Carolina……mostly streams and rivers. I just don’t enjoy fishing from a boat in a huge TVA lake.
I grew up catching shoal bass on the Flint and its tribs near Thomaston…..and this is quite similar with regard to tactics.
Jay,
If you need some help….or just someone to hang out and BS while you work……lemme know.
I’ve done a bit of glassing (built a driftboat and some Gheenoe mods) so I know enough to be dangerous. 🙂
Good luck and please post pics of your progress.
Ashvegas is a fun little town for sure….and the mountain setting can’t be beat. I think the mountains (Balsams) are much steeper and taller than those we have in North Georgia. You probably drove right by our little slice of heaven on the Tuckasegee River near Dillsboro.
You mentioned brook trout….but I’m currently trying to crack the smallmouth/muskie code on the French Broad River.
Looks like a fun weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Justin,
I just spent the better part of the evening perusing your blog. Very well done! Macchu Piccu (sp?) is on my bucket list.
Oh….I see you are a Harry Middleton fan. Of all his works….”On The Spine of Time” is my favorite.
Zach….I’m still in the smallie learning curve. I’ve applied all my shoal bass tactics and do pretty well. I’d suggest stocking a few wiggle minnows in different colors. Be sure to have some in “firetiger”.
I’m guessing the owner backed the boat into a building or wall….causing the sides to buckle outward….separating the interior from the hull. This could explain the missing casting deck as well as the damage to the stem. It appears the anchor pulley on the stern may be bent as well. All this is consistent with my theory. 🙂
Good luck Jay. Buy plenty of cloth and West epoxy.
Bob,
Kent is the expert on the Flint but I have grew up near that river as well. The Upper Flint (upstream of Big Lazar WMA) is extemely susceptible to runoff. The slightest summer t-storm will muddy the river for days. With that said….the window to fish clear water is minimized.
As a general rule, the river fishes best in the heat of summer. I used to fish the river in a canoe….and now a Gheenoe. I would think a kayak would be excellent to traverse from shoal to shoal….then get out and wet wade. There is a nice mix of slow water and shoals.
I can’t speak to the lower Flint.
As Kent mentioned….Springtime around here is reserved for strippers 🙂 hybrids and white bass…….and the skipjack.
BTW….it will be a madhouse up there if the fish are there. The Gheenoe or something similar is the way to go. I’m always amused at the guys in the 40G Tritons….trying to get up there.
I live just off Hwy 34 about 20 miles from Franklin. I can usually tell when the whites and hybrids are running by the jonboats headed west. Its usually around April 1st every year if I remember right. Put in at the ballfields (in Franklin) and motor up. The whites are schooling so they may be anywhere between the ramp and the first set of major shoals. Fish the creek mouths (there’s a big one on the left going up). When u find them…..they usually hang out briefly then move….then you hafta find them again.
I’ve always wanted to float from the new state park to Franklin in the driftboat. I’d take a kicker to speed up the float.
If anyone does this float, I’d be interested in how it goes.
Here’s mine….not saying it’s right or wrong….just gives me some peace of mind. The first photo is a “dry fit” before I added the carpeting on the bunks. They go all the way to the rear of the transom. In the bottom photo…you can see the bunks that the original owner had on the trailer. He only ran a trolling motor so it was sufficient.
On another note….I’m pulling it to Flamingo next month. This ought to be an adventure 🙂
Looks good Zach.
Shouldn’t your bunks be moved toward the centerline of the trailer? That would allow the stern/transom area(and the heavy motor) to ride directly on the bunk. I’m sure the 4-stroke puts a lot of stress on the transom when you are on bumpy roads.
The Our World Underwater international underwater photography and video competition:
http://www.underwatercompetition.com/Competitions/our-world-underwater-2013
Aside from the extra weight when poling why would 2-3 50# bags of sand up front not solve this issue?
I was gonna suggest one more dog.
I’d think the foil and motor tilt would be the easiest way to go.
There is B.T. Brown Reservoir in north Coweta County. You’d need some sort of watercraft….ie…canoe, kayak, float tube. You might check out the newly opened Chattahoochee Bend State Park in the west end of the county. They have a boat ramp/canoe launch but not sure about wadeable shoals.
Also check out Sprewell Bluff Park in Upson County. There is wadeable section of water there for shoal bass on the Flint River.
On a side note….you can go to Callaway Gardens and rent a boat/trolling motor for about $35 dollars. You’d be fishing the main lake there.
If you are learning to flyfish….I’d suggest contacting Unicoi Outfitters in Helen, GA. They have a “Gilligan’s Special” that includes a half-day instruction and time on their trophy water for trout.
Sorry I can’t come up with anything more local.
What Michael said ^^^^^
Print out a copy of the reg. If the TSA dudes want to pull your flies…..politely ask to speak to a supervisor and show them the reg. I doubt you’ll have any problems though.
They’ve been introduced into some rivers and lakes in western North Carolina as well. Lake Adger (sp?) is supposedly pretty good as well as the French Broad River near Asheville. I believe they are stocking both triploids as well as fertile fish depending on the stocking location. You can Google “western north carolina muskie” and find a good bit of info.
FYI……you have a boat ramp at Franklin, a new one at Chattahoochee Bend State Park (about 15 miles north of the lake) and the ramp at Whitesburg (Hwy 27). I have never tried it this time of year. The action usually heats up around April 1st when the white bass and hybrids begin to move out of the lake.
I’d suggest taking Kent Edmonds to dinner.
