I had the craziest day of smallie fishing I’ve ever experienced. I went out with local legend guide and friend, Ryan Walker of Ozarks Smallmouth Alliance during what was promising to be a tough day of fishing. It started sunny, but by the time we got the raft in the water you could see the clouds rolling in, bringing a storm that had just worked its way across Oklahoma. The radar was giving mixed signals, at one point showing the storm skirting south of us and other times showing it unleashing its barometric anger right on our heads.
Luckily, nobody told the fish. My fly landed a few inches from shore and after two strips, a smallmouth appeared as if from nowhere, stalking my fly. She crept up directly behind it and gave a subtle slurp. A solid 16” slab of Ozarks bronze.
After a few more follows and lackadaisical takes, we heard our first bellow of thunder roll through the holler. A continuous groan announcing the arrival of a lazy storm. We pulled underneath an overhanging sycamore to get out of the dime-sized rain drops that were splattering the boat. We were happy as long as the lightning stayed away, which it thankfully did, and 20 minutes later the rain stopped, and Ryan got the oars working again.
Right away I cast over a downed tree and got an eat. These fish were more aggressive now, and this paved the way for some of the wildest action I’ve seen. The smallies were eating the bluegill flavored Yard Sale like it they were mad at it.
Fish were coming from nowhere, and everywhere at the same time to devour the fly. Fish were tight to the bank, making accurate casts essential. On one not-so-accurate cast, I had the fly hanging over a tree limb and dangling about two inches over the water. “Wouldn’t it be crazy if a smallie came and smoked that?” Ryan joked… or maybe prophesied because that’s exactly what happened. An underwater rocket propelled by hunger and hate launched up and grabbed that fly. Unfortunately, the branch acted as a springboard and launched the fly from the fish’s mouth before he was back under. We exchanged some hooping and hollering and some words that I don’t recall before I cast again, this time to a different fish and a more conventional take.
“There haven’t been fish along this stretch so far this season,” Ryan lamented of one of his favorite holes on the creek. I cast along the bank anyway, seeing too many perfect boulders and riffles that just had to hold fish. And it did. I’m not sure which of us were more excited. Then we heard more thunder.
This storm was more aggressive. The rain wasn’t dropping big, lazy drops, it was coming in sideways and stinging. The radar showed a line of storms coming in hot, right on our trail. We pulled over once again to ride it out, but 20 minutes did nothing for us. The rain slightly let up, but the wind and thunder did not. Once we noticed the lightning was a safe distance away, the fishing started back up. I cast for a while with no results, and then the fish came out to play again.
I cast deep into a perfect cutaway lined with boulders and overhanging trees. As I retrieved, my fly got stuck on a rock. I could see it right near the surface with the hook holding it in place. No big deal, a roll cast should unhook it. Before I got that opportunity, a smallmouth once again pulled an appearing act and hit my fly off the rock. I set the hook but missed, and immediately recast to the same spot, eventually catching that fish.
My next cast was over one of the fallen trees. I immediately hooked up and the fish took me under the tree, then jumped over it before going back under, wrapping me around the tree twice before freeing itself. The afternoon continued on this way, landing fish after angry fish, most 14-17 inches in length with enough aggression to fill an elephant.
We got to the take-out and exchanged exclamations about the fishing that day. It was exciting, stormy, stressful, and fun. If you haven’t visited the Ozarks to fish to smallies, I’m not sure what you’re waiting on. Bring a pair of polarized glasses and watch some of the highest quality entertainment available.
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