South fork rocks
South fork rocks
This time of year you have to use really light leaders on the south smokie. Right now we are using #3 blades on our spinners, avoiding nickle like the plague. You might try going to micro jigs (1/16th) with 6# leader. I've fished up at the dead line and they are still hitting fish up there. I would stick with the darker colors now, black, and black with a white head. Most of those fish up there move through within 100 ft of the bank on the hatchery side. We run our jigs about 3 1/2 to 4 feet deep. It's a broad flat but the fish in the river are really lazy, fish the slower sides of the seams in there.
If you are drifting 7 to 9ft 6# leaders are a must, also hooks no larger than #2, #4's are better. The smallest corkies you can find in orange, orange and white, pink, purple, and blue. Try right at dusk with orange corkie and chartuse yarn. Works wonders in wiley creek. Drifting at the deadline is a chore even on a good day, I like wiley creek better just below where the creek comes in and above where the tree fell in on the far bank. Use as little weight as you can and still tap the bottom every 6-8 feet. Also in there you need to wait to get your slack out of your line until you hit the bottom. It is deeper in there than most people think. If you don't you'll be drifting too far over the top to hook up.
Good luck
I love using a slip bobber and Jigs for Trout and Steelhead....Thanks for the post and again welcome.
