When it Rains ???

[tie one on]

Wherever you may live do you hold off going out after it rains
because water level is up & it maybe stained or cloudy ?

If your rivers are anything like the ones in West Michigan they
can get high rather quickly. One of my favorite Smallie rivers
will be up by Saturday & it will have lots of debris floating, which
plays havoc with surface flies & always sticks to the fly line.

If you do go out do you find that you change the style you tieon your leader ? Do you use a popper with a "hot pink" top so it's a lot
more visible ? Any suggestions of fly ? Brighter colors ? Bigger
flies ?

Tie One On-------------------<*))))))><
Fisher of Men

[dshort]

Don't have much experience with smallies in high water but on my favorite spring creek for trout it's the best time to go after the big boys. The biggest browns on that creek are largely nocturnal and the high muddy water will bring them out during the day after the sculpins and other bait fish being washed around. I tie on a big ugly streamer and start chuckin'. It even occasionally works...I hooked the biggest trout of my life a few weeks back when we had a good rain. I say hooked because I didn't land him, but it was a fun 10 seconds.

I would try the same tactics with smallies. Tie on the biggest, ugliest streamer you have and have fun.

[FlyRichardFly]

I have caught so many big smallmouth bass when the river is high and brown.
Same thing with trout!! The high water pushes the fish to the banks and they will hit a big black bugger when put in front of them.
I love to flyfish in the high, 6" vis water.
This is one time where a flyrod is actually better than a spin rod!

[FlyGal]

Chartreuse is very good in muddy conditions, I grade the high water by root beer or yoohoo color....

I've also scored well on dark brown and olive during high water times.

Root beer is green light for me, yoohoo is a maybe....

In muddy high waters I will fish the sides of the river first, but never wade only fish from the bank as I can't see the wood that will come drifting downriver.

Gotta love the Bronzeback Smallies....

[da Bear]

What works for me here in Virgina w/ those conditions is to do just what you said...visibility, both for you and the fish, and something larger and LOUDER. I also switch to streamers in chartruese, white, etc. if I really want to catch those fighting devils and not just enjoy the strike on top. Take care.