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WHY STREAM SMALLMOUTHING?:
An excerpt from Tim Holschlag's Stream Smallmouth Fishing |
Pursuing these subtler aspects of stream smallmouthing necessitates a very definite use of physical energy. I consider this a very good thing. Instead of a boring indoor exercise program, why not get rid of those "spare tires" while really enjoying yourself? Any stream angling enables you to get much more exercise than motorized boat fishing, and it's a lot more fun than jogging. Actually feeling the river bottom under your feet as you wade through the shallows, or pushing the bushes aside as you move softly along the bank, is a satisfying physical experience. So is feeling your canoe paddle dig into the water of a slow pool. It feels good at the end of the day to know you covered those miles. Start out with easy sections of water, and by the end of the season not only should the streams be easier, but those three flights of stairs at work you used to huff and puff over should also
be a snap.
One of the best fringe benefits of stream fishing is the intimate contact with the wonders of nature. Birding is a fine way to get more out of your fishing. In fact, during some spring trips my binoculars and bird book get nearly as much of a work out as my rod. Or how about mushrooming? Nearly everywhere, many delicious varieties of mushrooms grow literally under your feet on the banks. Other people also enjoy geology (including rocking hunting), tree identification, or nature photography. And, of course, you will see much more of the larger wildlife along streams. Is seeing a young woodchuck trying to climb a sapling to reach its leaves as enjoyable as catching a bass? Is watching a doe and fawn quietly cross the creek right in front of you as thrilling as hooking a nice fish? You'll have to judge these experiences for yourself. I know I treasure those moments just as much as my actual fishing experiences.
Tim Holschlag is Midwest Fly Fishing magazine's warmwater fly fishing editor
Stream fishing puts the angler much closer to the environment than the boat-bound lake fisher. Standing knee deep in a softly murmuring brook on a summer evening affects all your senses. Feeling the stream rush through the riffle and curl around the bend actually makes you a part of the streamenvironment. Maybe it's because of the ever-changing nature of the stream, with its continuously moving water bringing a new mood each minute, while at the same time seeming to remain the same. Just watching this change, feeling this continuous passing as the entire river drifts by you, is both soothing and mystifying.
Part of the attraction is also the sound of the water, at times barely a whisper, other times almost a roar. And there is the quality of the mystery. As the twisting and winding ribbon of moving water quickly disappears around the bend, what lies beyond? What mother lode of fish is just upstream, waiting to be discovered? Following that ever moving trail of water can easily become a lifelong goal in itself.
Smallmouth streams often run through the most scenic areas. Much of Oklahoma is arid and bare, but its bronzeback streams flow through verdant wooded hills. Get on the smallie waters of Iowa with their spectacular limestone outcroppings and you'll have trouble believing you're really in an agricultural state. Urbanized Illinois has many waterways that amaze and delight new anglers with their beauty and tranquillity. And of course the
rugged scenery surrounding Missouri's Ozark mountain streams is the stuff of picture postcards. Virtually all smallmouth states have streams where you can get away from the crowds, clear your mind, and soothe your eyes with pleasing sights.
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copyright Midwest Fly Fishing Magazine 1999
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