SPRING EMERGERS

By Karl Ekberg

As far as springtime here in the South Carolina Mountains goes, this has to rank close to the top of the charts. The fishing has been spectacular throughout April and the outlook for May is looking great. River levels have been excellent, with just enough rain coming through the region to keep the water levels up, and wading levels good all month. As the weather warms throughout the month of May, the wet wading season will begin, and the waders can be hung up until the Fall.

The swing has been the best in the early part of the day, in using heavier lead flies with smaller soft-hackles trailing. Fishing the riffles will be very beneficial and finding pockets within them. This area of the river is where the majority of the bugs will start their emergence. Look for small areas of calm water located behind larger rocks or boulders within the riffles. Fish will hold in these areas and feed on bugs which drift into their zones, tumbling out of the faster moving waters.

Watching the water prior to casting, fish can be observed in the small pockets at times rising to adult dry flies of the caddis, mayflies, and stone flies. As the bugs have started their emergence to the top of the water to “hatch,” watch the slick water below the riffles for dimples or rings on the water surface. Slowly moving toward the rising fish will be crucial so not to startle them, which will send the fish to the depths, only to be seen at a later time. Casting, as well, has to be planned and thought out. Casts well above feeding fish, with careful mends, and long drifts, with longer leaders will have greater results in landing fish.

Another large emergence is of the oak worms. These fine little creatures are a tasty treat that even the largest of trout cannot pass up as they fall from the trees into the rivers. Casting imitations of these, into over-hanging bushes, and dead drifting them with a twitching technique will be very beneficial to a large day on the river. Anywhere you may find these worms dangling from their silk lines from the trees, do not hesitate to stop, watch the worm finally hit the water and see what happens!

The next process is to work your way into a good vantage point to make your cast to the fish which just ate the natural. Do not worry about a delicate cast; even a splat of the worm on the water will be just as effective, as they also fall out of the trees from far above. As the late spring temperatures rise, fishing the shady areas of the rivers will be essential, as the fish will move out of the high sun and warmer waters.

Join us on Saturday, June 3, for the Kid’s Fishing Rodeo at Burrell’s Ford Campground on the Wild and Scenic Chattooga River, sponsored by the Andrew Pickens Forest Office.

Let’s all remember “leave no trace.” Packing out with what you brought in is essential and bringing something back out, that someone else left behind, does not hurt either to keep our beautiful streams and rivers how they should be. Keeping them clean now means future generations will still be able to enjoy what we are enjoying now!

Enjoy the greater outdoors and we hope to see you out on the rivers.

Karl and Karen Ekberg are co-owners of Chattooga River Fly Shop, located at 6832-A Highlands Hwy, Mountain Rest, SC 29664. Give them a call at (864) 638-2806 and visit their website at www.chattoogariverflyshop.com.

By Scott Norton

It’s finally that time of year. April in Western North Carolina was cold and rainy, but this brings warmth to the lakes and streams. For most people it seemed that it only rained on the weekends when you wanted to fish. In this case all you can do is break out the rain gear and go to work or miss the pre-spawn.

It is very important to invest in rain gear once you decide that you’re not a beginner or just a fair weather fisherman. This gear allows you remain comfortable in any scenario the weather throws at you. You will find out you will use rain gear for about any weather other than sunny days. Cold, wind, and rain are what a fisherman deals with on a constant basis, so once you own good rain gear you will be glad you invested in it.

When fishing this time of year be very observant of the clarity of water. The waves of weather can change your circumstances from day to day. With clear water I like to either downsize or upsize. You will notice it’s a challenge to catch fish in clear water, because they spook easy, being able to see for a distance. Downsizing will allow you to be subtle and methodical for catching spooky fish.

Do not forget to use silent lures without rattles especially in calm situations. Big baits are a great way to just concentrate on trophy sized bass with that silent drawing power that only big baits have. This leaves out those normal, conventional sized lures your used to casting. Once the water gets stained then conventional lures with rattles are a must.

If you want to concentrate on those big females, use red or orange lures because this is when the crayfish come out of the clay banks, and the females need that iodine to break loose those egg sacks. For clearer water use a natural red, and for stained water go for the brighter orange. Pumpkin green is a wonderful color to mix and match with the reds. These big females will key in on where these crawfish live and hangout there before spawning. Look for rocky banks to help you locate these areas. Using a jig will help you feel around the bottom to find bass that are deep.

My secret this time of year is to use a kayak to sneak up on spooky bass if you cannot afford the front facing sonars. With bass coming into river arms you do not have to paddle a kayak far to find them. This will also allow you to fish in places boats are not allowed to go. This means lowpressured bass will be in the area. There are pros and cons with boats and kayaks. Just pick the one that suits you the best and have fun this season.