Now that Brett had arrived there were two vehicles to run shuttle. The only problem was that we didn’t have enough water in any of the creeks or rivers without making it a grueling trip of very tough portages. So we decided to do what we had the previous day and find a bridge across the river and fish the pools near it. We headed further downstream on the Obed River this time hoping for better luck and more water. We found a large bridge that crossed over a very wide section of the river and decided this would be a good spot to try. We also figured that this stretch of river is far enough downstream that it may have a bit more water and may make a good take out later in the week if it rained some more. We fished a couple of pools casting a lot of different lures but mainly switched from rooster tails, rapala stick baits and curly tail jigs. We caught some fish, but nothing of great size until we got about 3 or four pools upstream from the bridge. At that point we were seeing a lot of big bass lurking in the river, but were unable to get anything to hit. Then at the next set of rapids we caught about 3 or 4 fish one of which was a largemouth (spotted) bass all between 12-15”. Then the skies unleashed some really heavy rain out of nowhere. It rained for a good half an hour and abruptly quit and was sunny again. Soon after the rain I saw something swimming across the river, but was unsure what it was. We knew there were river otter on this river so we thought we would get a glance of one, but soon realized we were looking at a box turtle swimming across a 40 yard wide river! Thinking the rain may turn on the bigger fish we were looking forward to getting the lines in the water again. We caught a few more fish but nothing over 15”. We decided that after a combination of paddling and portaging about 3/4 of a mile upstream we would call it a day.

  The next day after checking the river gauges we noticed there was enough water to finally do a float trip. We got a bit of a late start and after dropping a vehicle off and heading to the put in we got on the river at about noon. It was about a 7 mile stretch that would have a couple portages, but with the higher water it wasn’t going to be too bad. We were putting in at the location Matt and I fished the first day and taking out at the location we all fished the day before.

  We started out and two pools downstream Brett hooked into a really nice smallmouth and got it within 5 feet of the boat and it got off. Right after that Matt gets another hook-up and gets it close enough to the yak to notice and yell out to us that he hooked a gar. So of course I am prodding him to get the fish in the yak so he can hold it up and I can take a quick picture, but the look on his face said that he wanted no part of those teeth anywhere in the boat. After two hook-ups that really gave us some energy. Years ago these same pools allowed us to catch a fish almost on every cast and that is no exaggeration, but the fishing was a bit slower this go-around. Brett ended up hooking and losing another one until he finally landed a decent fish (although I am not quite sure what he is doing to it in the picture). Now, this is where I have to tell you that Brett fishes occasionally, but probably by his own admission this was a first for him…out-fishing the people he is fishing with. After Brett caught 2 or 3 more fish Matt and I were paddling, err…..I mean the current was pushing us in his direction to scope out what lure he was using. So after we saw some sort of plastic crawfish thingy he was casting we tried to duplicate it, but with no luck. Meanwhile he kept bringing in some nice 12”-14” fish. Then the skies opened up again…in moved the rain, lightning and thunder so bad we had to find the bank and get out of the storm. As soon as it quit and we launched, another storm had us bank ridden again…this time for a lot longer. We sat on the bank for probably 45 min’s waiting to be able to get back on the water….then finally a break in the clouds.

  After the storm broke up I was the first on the water and fishing…I had an advantage over the other two. While they were both bailing out water in their kayaks me and my sit on top yak were casting away. As soon as I started fishing I hooked into a nice smallmouth that was about 15” and soon after both Brett and Matt had one about the same size. It was about that time that I looked at my phone to see what time it was and we were running way behind. I told everyone we better start paddling until we start seeing something that resembled the take out. There was only about an hour and half until dark and we were in a very remote area in the mountains. We started to paddle a little and of course the whole time seeing nice fishing holes that we HAD to stop and hit. A couple of them produced some nice 12-15” smallies. Then all at once it was very near dark. We had a decision to make since the takeout was nowhere to be seen. There was a set of railroad tracks up on the side of the mountain next to the river that went down to the takeout. Our first option was that we could use it to hike out and then come back early the following morning for the gear. Option two was that we could also just find a good spot to camp and make a fire and hope the mosquito’s wouldn’t eat us alive. Or the third option, to put on our headlamps and try to maneuver though the rocks and boulders while paddling our ‘you know what’s’ off. After about 15 minutes of paddling in the dark I saw a tower way off in the distance that had to be close to the small town where we were taking out. After more than an hour of paddling in the complete darkness other than having our headlamps we arrived at the bridge. I think Matt was almost just as happy that he had a headlamp as he was having his fishing rod. Brett and I were just happy to see the bridge. The next day in Tennessee would be a day of relaxation.

~Neil