Great story Tony. I spent the day tying and smashing barbs. I think I ruined five flies, that I had brought, I don't know what I did wrong. I used my vise to smash the barb. Oh-well better here, than on the creek, after I had tied it on huh.
Steve Clark Moreno Valley, Ca. http://www.deepcreekflyfishers.org/ The only difference between a good day and a bad day is our attitude. ><((((�>`�.����`�.�.���`�...�>(((�> .���`�.><((((�>`�.��.���`�.�.���`�...�><((((�> -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tony Spezio Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 7:14 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [VFB] Another Crooked Creek episode Long Dean, my fishing partner came by to pick me up about 3:30, we headed for the creek. Got to where we normally fish, the gate was locked. The caretaker must of had to go to town. We then headed down to Kelly's Slab. Kelly's Slab is a public access and it can be a mess at times. Today, there were some young people there swimming and fishing. The swimmers left shortly after we got there. Dean had tied some Chili Peppers on a sz 6 hooks with a gold cone head for some carp fishing. Being that I have not had time to do much tying he tied some for me. I ended up leaving them in the truck, more on that later. The creek was high and running fast due to the Tuesday storm but it was not too stained. I am still a little unsure of my wading due to the knee replacement in January so I stayed close to the slab. Dean headed down the creek to a hole that generally has carp and nice smallmouths. I tied on a sz 14 Chili Pepper and on the second cast hooked up with a slab Gill. It went on that way for about a half hour. Don't know how many Gills I caught. I kept hearing splashes above me thinking that the the young guys fishing, were throwing rocks in the water, I just ignored it. The catching slowed down so I started casting in the direction of the slab. All of a sudden the water just exploded with activity. This was real fast deep water and no way could I wade it. The creek is loaded with minnows this year and I have not seen this many minnows in the creek. A bunch would have hundreds of minnows in it. The splashes were large smallmouths coming up and slapping a bunch of minnows and knocking them out. Then the frenzy would start. There would be as many as five or six bass at one time coming out of the water or making a wake like a submarine. I had the sz 14 pepper on and started to cast to the frenzy. It was tough casting straight up into the fast current and trying to get some type of a drift. I did catch several slab bluegills and one smallmouth that went about a pound. Dean was on his way back up to where I was and saw the frenzy. He handed me a while Clouser and tied one on himself. I took a slab Gill on the clouser but other than that we did nothing. Then Dean said, tie on one of those big Chili Peppers. I could not find them and realized I left them in the truck. Dean handed me one and I tied it on. Tried to cast so that it drifted where the smallies had been tearing up the water. The time in the strike area was so short , it almost didn't pay to make the cast. On the tail out of the drift I did catch some nice slab Gills. I wanted one of those big smallmouths. I stayed with it for about an hour, there was a flurry of action about 30' from me. Looked like about three nice bass tearing up the water. I made my cast, bingo I had one on. What a good fight before bringing it to hand. A nice smallie I would guess approaching three pounds. That made my day. By then, my back had given out and we decided to head home. Dean did not get his carp today and I got the big one instead of him. BTW, only one snake seen today Tony
