bigger smallmouth this morning

[Timo]

Last year I was reduced to a spillway sunny to get that skunk off  the fly rod lol!!

Ha! It’s definitely a learning curve coming from spinning gear

[Mallard1100]

“another destroyed fly lol. sometimes i think theylike when the fly doesnt look fresh off the vise”

I think that is very common. It’s hard not to to tie what seems like a full pattern but sparse is always the way to go when tying I’m learning. I’m still learning and its a hard habit to break.  I agree tho, once those patterns get more sparse they do catch! Lol. Awesome fish!

[Kype]

2 hours ago, Mallard1100 said:

“another destroyed fly lol. sometimes i think theylike when the fly doesnt look fresh off the vise”

I think that is very common. It’s hard not to to tie what seems like a full pattern but sparse is always the way to go when tying I’m learning. I’m still learning and its a hard habit to break.  I agree tho, once those patterns get more sparse they do catch! Lol. Awesome fish!

for me theres nothing like catching fish on patterns you made. i would imagine the same feeling for guys who build their own saltwater plugs and then go out and catch a huge striper off a jetty. 

[hunterbob1]

2 hours ago, Kype said:

for me theres nothing like catching fish on patterns you made. i would imagine the same feeling for guys who build their own saltwater plugs and then go out and catch a huge striper off a jetty. 

For me it was making my own spinners CP swings. Building my own spinning/ fly rods before the internet. Bought many of my components from Reed's tackle shop and Newark sinker, you weren't even a egg yet kype, greatest was harvesting deer with arrows I built!

[jerseyducker]

Been doing a fair share of small mouth in South Branch as well as exploring main branch Raritan river.  Been doing decent on wooly buggers as well as smaller clousers. I have noticed that the main branch smallies tend to run about 12/13 inches and skinny, with the one exception being  one my son got Sunday. That one was a hog going a easy 18 inches. The south branch ones seem bigger on average and fatter. 

Is there better bait in the south branch? Better water temps? Less pressure? Although my son and I will wade a easy mile from access points. Just wondering if others who fish it regularly feel that way. 

[Timo]

Been doing a fair share of small mouth in South Branch as well as exploring main branch Raritan river.  Been doing decent on wooly buggers as well as smaller clousers. I have noticed that the main branch smallies tend to run about 12/13 inches and skinny, with the one exception being  one my son got Sunday. That one was a hog going a easy 18 inches. The south branch ones seem bigger on average and fatter. 
Is there better bait in the south branch? Better water temps? Less pressure? Although my son and I will wade a easy mile from access points. Just wondering if others who fish it regularly feel that way. 

I fished the south branch steady from April to June I noticed I was catching bigger fish there than I seen hit my lures on the main stem. They are just in smaller clusters and spread out more on the south branch.