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Combat fishing adventures... #2806171
05/12/19 09:42 PM
05/12/19 09:42 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
***DISCLAIMER*** If you know any of these spots, keep in mind that I didn't name them for a reason. Please be respectful and keep these location names off of the interwebs for all to see.


The last six months have been a little hectic. I got the bright idea at age 34 (with a wife and baby) to quit my job and go back to school. After writing my book it changed my whole outlook on conservation and endemic populations of fish and decided if I really cared I would take my own advice and do something about it. Luckily my wife was on board and it has been a good move, but that doesn’t mean it’s always been easy. It’s been a while since I finished graduate school around eight years ago, so getting back into the swing of tests, classes, etc. have been fun, but challenging.

I have been anxiously awaiting spring so that I could go after my favorite fish. The redeye bass is one of many endemic black bass species. Most people think that there are only smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and spotted bass. There are actually around 19 recognized or proposed black bass species. Advances in genetics have been the main catalyst in this explosion of species descriptions, and I suppose I am contributing to that in some ways. Redeye bass alone have been split into around seven different species, and my main project will revolve around learning more about them.

Once the water warmed up a little, it was time to begin fishing, I mean sampling. Sampling is done via hook and line for the first part of my overall project, and although fun, it has its own challenges. My first stop was back in March, when the waters were just starting to wake up. This trip was just a quickie on a lunch break to scratch the itch.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

About a month later I moved on to one of my favorite small streams with high hopes. Although the fishing can be extremely technical, the beauty of the water is usually worth the price of admission.

[Linked Image]

Hard to believe that this is bass water, it resembles a trout stream more than anything else and appears to be transplanted from a high mountain anywhere other than Alabama. However, one quick drift across its surface with a popper and you’ll quickly realize there are no finicky trout here. It’s full of the pretty boy of the bass world, the redeye bass.

[Linked Image]

The stream was full of mountain laurel beginning to bloom.

[Linked Image]


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
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"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806172
05/12/19 09:42 PM
05/12/19 09:42 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
I fished on, plucking a few more of these native fish from the waters where they’ve lived for quite some time.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
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[Linked Image]

About a week later, now into late-April, I went to a new creek to explore. It has been on my list to try for a while, but lack of access has kept it behind more obvious choices. I decided that it was time to try it, and upon arriving, I learned why it would be so difficult. Access is indeed pretty sketchy to get to these waters. There is a creek somewhere down there…

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
---------------------------------------------------
"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806173
05/12/19 09:43 PM
05/12/19 09:43 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
It took a while, and a lot of wrong ways before I was able to finally make it down above a very large waterfall.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Once seeing the pool as the base of the falls, I knew I had to get down there to fish it. This turned out to be one of the most difficult climbs of my life and was hoping if I was able to get down, I would be able to get back up. I eventually made my way down and fished it with a large wooly bugger. Nothing. The pool was so deep that I thought I needed to get down to the fish. I didn’t see any cruising the shallows, but to change it up I tied on the ‘ol faithful Boogle Bug popper in yellow. On the first cast I see a wake speed over to the popper and the water just explodes! Fishing a 2wt this fish felt massive and I knew immediately it was a nice fish. After a few runs, jumps, and several gasps of despair, I brought it to hand.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

This fish was absolutely gorgeous. Hues of blue were all over the head, neck, and side. The tips of its fins glowing with brick red. A picture-perfect specimen of a Coosa Bass. A redeye bass this size caught from below a beautiful waterfall with mountain laurel blooming all around is about as good as this kind of combat fishing gets. I may never top that fish and this experience again, so I sat on a big bedrock boulder and just soak in the surroundings. I don’t sit too long, because there is plenty more water to explore.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

The mountain laurel this time of year provides the perfect frame for what is some of the most wild and scenic areas of Alabama.

[Linked Image]


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
---------------------------------------------------
"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806175
05/12/19 09:43 PM
05/12/19 09:43 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
There were plenty more hungry redeye bass with most averaging 8-9 inches, but every one of them are wild and colorful.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

A day later I was back on some familiar water, continuing my sampling. This water was a tad higher than I prefer, which made conditions less than ideal, but I was able to at least squeak out one fish. Most times I don’t have long on the streams because of the time I spend driving and hiking to the spots. Dad duties make being home every night important, so the days are shorter than they need to be. That’s a sacrifice worth making though.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
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Like most places where these fish live, just being out there amongst the wild and untamed landscapes makes it all worthwhile.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
---------------------------------------------------
"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806176
05/12/19 09:44 PM
05/12/19 09:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
A couple of days later it was on to catch a different species of redeye bass. This species is probably one of the rarest of all the redeye bass species, primarily due to the limited number of streams it can live in within this drainage. There are a handful of really good streams, and this one might be the best. This day reminded me that it is definitely the best.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
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Most fish were bigger than normal, and since redeye bass max out around 12” or less, and most fish rarely reach 10”, these fish were solid specimens.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
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Same species, but a lot smaller water.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
---------------------------------------------------
"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806177
05/12/19 09:44 PM
05/12/19 09:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
AU_trout_bum Offline OP
8 point
AU_trout_bum  Offline OP
8 point
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,965
Opelika, AL
These streams transport you somewhere else. Somewhere that is free of worry about that test, or that deadline, or that fussy toddler. They allow you to get centered and recalibrate to be the best version of you for all the other stuff. Maybe that’s why I enjoy it so much, because it’s a need to more than it is a want to.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

I hope you enjoyed tagging along. I’ll be out there again real soon.


Author, Fly Fishing for Redeye Bass: An Adventure Across Southern Waters
JacksonKayak Fishing Team
---------------------------------------------------
"I do not hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to." - Tom Kelly
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806182
05/12/19 09:46 PM
05/12/19 09:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,914
Madison
BowtechDan Offline
Old Mossy Horns
BowtechDan  Offline
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 16,914
Madison
One of the largest smallies my Dad ever had on a line in WV was a way back trout stream with a huge rock and a deep hole.


Nathan Carl Goff 19 Sept 2016 - 14 Jan 2017.
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806187
05/12/19 09:50 PM
05/12/19 09:50 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 9,848
Mobile, AL
A
alhawk Offline
14 point
alhawk  Offline
14 point
A
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 9,848
Mobile, AL
Awesome read and some incredible pictures. Thanks for taking me on your journey.

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806202
05/12/19 10:22 PM
05/12/19 10:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 814
Marshall County
Auburn_03 Offline
6 point
Auburn_03  Offline
6 point
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 814
Marshall County
Amazing pictures. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806209
05/12/19 10:46 PM
05/12/19 10:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 21,970
blount county alabama
jwalker77 Offline
Pumpkin
jwalker77  Offline
Pumpkin
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 21,970
blount county alabama
Pretty pretty fish

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: alhawk] #2806216
05/12/19 11:02 PM
05/12/19 11:02 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 16,486
Guntersville
AC870 Offline
Old Mossy Horns
AC870  Offline
Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 16,486
Guntersville
Originally Posted by alhawk
Awesome read and some incredible pictures. Thanks for taking me on your journey.



Absolutely!


“Killing tomorrow’s trophies today.”

On the distance I like to walk to my stands:
“The first 100 yards is also the last 100 yards.”
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: Auburn_03] #2806246
05/13/19 05:04 AM
05/13/19 05:04 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 5,090
Opp Alabama
bward85 Offline
12 point
bward85  Offline
12 point
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 5,090
Opp Alabama
Pretty fish and water.....thanks for sharing!

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806250
05/13/19 05:21 AM
05/13/19 05:21 AM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 8,913
Between the coosa and cahaba
!
!shiloh! Offline
14 point
!shiloh!  Offline
14 point
!
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 8,913
Between the coosa and cahaba
Wow really cool stuff


ggg
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806262
05/13/19 05:58 AM
05/13/19 05:58 AM
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 39,377
Marshall County
FurFlyin Offline
Freak of Nature
FurFlyin  Offline
Freak of Nature
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 39,377
Marshall County
I don't know for sure where any of those places are but I think I might know where one of them is.

I caught a decent red eye bass about a month ago, fishing right below the last set of rapids in one of the creeks that feeds into Lake Guntersville.

If you come up this way to "sample" them, I can probably put you on a couple of places to try.

Shoot me a PM if you're interested.


If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: alhawk] #2806280
05/13/19 06:40 AM
05/13/19 06:40 AM
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Chelsea, AL
S
Spottedbass Offline
6 point
Spottedbass  Offline
6 point
S
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Chelsea, AL
Originally Posted by alhawk
Awesome read and some incredible pictures. Thanks for taking me on your journey.

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806283
05/13/19 06:47 AM
05/13/19 06:47 AM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 36,086
alabama
BhamFred Offline
Freak of Nature
BhamFred  Offline
Freak of Nature
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 36,086
alabama
great pics of some beautiful waters and a wonderful fish. I grew up on redeye bass with a smattering of spots and largemouth thrown in. Redeyes are the prettiest of them all by far. I have a 3lb1/2oz redeye on my wall from many years ago.


I've spent most of the money I've made in my lifetime on hunting and fishing. The rest I just wasted.....

proud Cracker-Americaan

muslims are like coyotes, only good one is a dead one
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: bward85] #2806288
05/13/19 06:52 AM
05/13/19 06:52 AM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,410
Elba
Farmer64 Offline
12 point
Farmer64  Offline
12 point
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,410
Elba
Originally Posted by bward85
Pretty fish and water.....thanks for sharing!


American by birth Southern by the grace of God.....
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806301
05/13/19 07:11 AM
05/13/19 07:11 AM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 14,049
Chilton County
M
MarksOutdoors Offline
Booner
MarksOutdoors  Offline
Booner
M
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 14,049
Chilton County


Great read and pics.


"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."
-G. K. Chesterton
Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806316
05/13/19 07:35 AM
05/13/19 07:35 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,741
alabama
mzzy Offline
8 point
mzzy  Offline
8 point
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,741
alabama


Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing

Re: Combat fishing adventures... [Re: AU_trout_bum] #2806334
05/13/19 08:03 AM
05/13/19 08:03 AM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 3,884
Montgomery, Alabama
B
bama1971 Offline
10 point
bama1971  Offline
10 point
B
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 3,884
Montgomery, Alabama
excellent as always

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