We launched at 9 o’clock in the morning with a hint of breeze to push us downriver. At the end of the second set of rapids, we slid the drift boat into an eddy. I cast the float-and-fly combination into slack water while my buddy on the oars back-ferried to gain time.
The bite ticked the line as bronze scales flashed below the surface. Moments later, I lifted my prize—a 13-inch smallmouth that was not nearly as happy to see me as I was to see it. The next was 16 1/2 inches and the third was 14 inches—great fish for a river where 90 percent of the bass are 9 inches or smaller. Winter is big-fish time, but it is a finesse fishery that requires a focus on fundamentals.
As the day progressed, the sun slipped toward the horizon and the temperature dropped. Soon, the landing was in view. While my buddies loaded the
