SMB on the LJ

[BPS]

Anybody target smallies on the little juniata?
I've caught quite a few between grazierville and the treatment plant in Ironsville while trout fishing with my biggest being about 17-18 inches right below the sewer plant where the little trib trickle flows in from the new enterprise quarry side. Saw a huge brownie chasing baitfish and casted a white conehead bugger given to me by board member Amews. As soon as it swung into the seam WHAM! I thought I had the boss brown on then saw the unmistakeable bronze flash. These fish have to be the best fighters pound for pound of any freshwater fish. I have fished for them around alexandria and petersburg a little when I was a kid with softshell crayfish and hellgramites, but as summer is fastly approaching and rearing its hot humid, trout killing head I've been thinking of flat out targeting them. Just wondering if anyone does this upstream of tyrone and if its worth it or should I just drive the extra half hour and fish the main branch? Also what are some other bass flies besides the usual cloussers, buggers, and poppers? I know they are reliable and effective but so is a rebel crayfish lure. Anybody have some neat or wacky flies they created or modified that produces?

 

[Fishidiot]

It would seem to me that the LJ would harbor decent SMB populations up thru its length by mid summer but, to be honest, I've never targeted them in that stream. Certainly, they're heavy down around Huntingdon and points downstream. It's worth exploring. In my experience, most freestone or semi-limestone creeks hold some bass in summer if water temps approach or exceed 70 degrees. As for flies, I enjoy designing different flies for SMBs but honestly you don't need to go much beyond the basics. I do prefer realistic looking flies for clear waters in summer. If you watch bass in summer, they can be surprisingly careful in scrutinizing a fly before eating it. For the period from about late Sept until the spring spawn, I prefer fish imitating flies. For June-Sept crayfish and nymphs get the nod. Poppers are best in summer and fall.

 

[TUNA]

I'll send you a PM.

 

[bam]

Never targeted them, but I usually pick up a couple if I'm tossing streamers... especially in slower water or the deep pools through the gorge. Nothing big though.

On another note, fished the Juniata for the first time recently and picked up a bunch of nice smallies... mostly on spinning gear though. Only thing they'd eat was a olive or brown jig tipped with claws or a twister tail bounced along hte bottom. Baitfish patterns were largely ignored. Probably due to the fact that there were thousands of crayfish crawling around.

 

[RLeep2]

This isn't particularly "neat" or "wacky", but try tying up some simple black fur leeches on #6 3XL hooks. They're just a black chenille body with 7-8 turns of .020 wire underneath (or less or more or none, depending on the water you're fishing) and a black zonker strip pulled over the top that extends maybe 125%-150% of shank length as a tail. Anchor the strip at the bend and then just behind the eye. Put a turn or two of soft black saddle on as a collar. Or not. They seem to work as well either way. Then fish them dead drift through the pockets and runs or cast them to the deeper banks and slowly lift the rod tip. Wait for the gentle "tunk" of the bass stopping the fly and set the hook. An indicator can be useful here. Point is, they seem to be much more effective drifted or slowly lifted than actively retrieved. I carry at least 50 different subsurface patterns for smallmouth, but in reasonably clear water (you see your wading shoes if it is thigh deep), if I could only carry one, it would be this leech. Excellent in all dark brown too..

 

[BPS]

Rleep2- I tied some of these up in black and purple in sizes 6 and 4. I spun some black dyed deer hair for heads on a few and some 20 lb test weedgaurds on some. Haven't got to try the smallies yet but the largemouths are lovin them. I was wondering what the heck I was gonna do with this big bag of purple zonker strips I got in a grab bag, now I know. Thanks!