S8, Ep 74: Pennsylvania Smallmouth Wrap-Up: Captain Brian Shoemaker on Low Water and Stingy Fish

Hey, folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of The Articulate Fly.We're back with the last Pennsylvania Smallmouth Report of the season with the man himself, Captain Brian Shumaker.Brian, how are you doing?

I'm doing well, Marvin.How about yourself?

As always, just trying to stay out of trouble.And you know what a difference two weeks makes, right?You were like, we got plenty of water.Everything's great.The fish are crazy.And I talked to you before we start recording tonight, and you're like, it's low and the fish are stingy.

Yes, they are.Yeah, we had.Two weeks ago, we had a real nice shot of rain, and we were hoping.We had a nor'easter, not this past weekend.The weekend before.Came up the east coast here, and we were hoping to get a little bit more precipitation than what we did, and it didn't pan out.So our river, both our rivers are dropping.They're crystal clear.And the fish have been a little bit stingy.We're catching fish, but they're.They're being a little tough.

And are they tough because they're moody, or is it just tough to get close to them with the water being that clear?

I think it's a little bit of both because, you know, we're.We're having some front starting to roll through.So you get, you know, you'll get a stable a couple days, and then we get a front comes through.So, you know, drops the barometric pressure, they get a little bit moody because it's my experience that smallmouth like stability, and when they get changes, they can get a little.Little fussy.So I think that has a lot to do with it.Plus, with the water dropping, too, it's, you know, it keeps on drop and drop and drop it.

Yeah.So what do you have to do to kind of put fish in the boat when it gets tough like that?

I'm throwing a lot of different patterns.Anywhere from, you know, downsizing the Clousers different colors, you know, trying.Just trying different patterns.You know, you'll catch a fish, one or two fish on something that you think, I got this figured out.And then you might go, you know, a mile or two down the river and nobody wants to eat and change up again.And, you know, it's just like, what's the old saying?Wash, rinse, and repeat.So, yeah, it's just.Just like a chess.Chess match.

Yeah.And I would say, too, you know, are you.Are you having to also, like, say, make a intentionally present the fly more above the fish, you know, to Kind of deal with the splash, you know, all that kind of stuff.

Oh, absolutely, absolutely.And that's what I've been trying to explain this past week that we had.I said to the guys, I said, look, we said, we got the low clear water.You've got to make longer cast and you want to try to present, you know, make your cast a little upstream.So you try to get ahead of the drop off or ledge and we're trying to come down across.I said, because these fish, they see us, you know, and they'll, they'll get spooky.

Yeah.That also gets you to like, you know, don't rock the boat when you cast either, right?

Oh, my.Yeah, that's why I take Dramamine.

See those big waves getting pushed out with the boat rocking back and forth.

That and the other kind of funny thing.I always, I still haven't figured this out.So in drift boats, you know, you have the lean bars, right?But people like, don't like standing in them.They like to stand towards the edge of the boat, the side they're casting on.So then I got, you know, then the boat starts listing one way and I gotta say, hey, hey, can you come back to center, please?And you know, so the boat is even.You know, it could be the guy in the front, could be the guy in the back.I gotta say, hey, you mind going back to center for me?

Yeah, it's an interesting thing too, but also too, with like two guys in the boat.Like, it's one thing if you've got just a guy in the bow and you're saying like, hey, I want you to put the fly here.But then you got to have the guy that, you know, you don't have eyes in the back of your head.You know, he's kind of got to kind of understand the game.So.Because you can't coach him as easily as you can the guy in the front either.

Right, right.And basically what I try to tell him first thing where we started off, I say, look, I said the guy in the front of the boat, I said, you don't want to cast downstream.I said, the boat is coming down or, you know, it's moving downstream.So I said, if you cast directly in front of that boat, you cover no water because the boat's coming towards where your fly landed.You're stripping line in, but you're not covering anything because the boat's moving towards your fly.And then I, I basically say, from the oar lock to the front of the boat, that's your Window, that's where I want you to put the fly.And I tell the person in the back too, it's the same way.Do not cast upstream, because now you're dragging that fly and that's all you're doing.It's coming unnatural and you're dragging that fly.So I said your position is the oar lock to the back edge of the boat.Do not cast it upstream from the back and don't cast downstream from the front.There's your window.Keep the fly in that window, I said, because if you make the cast out there a little bit on the 45, I said, you'll have a perfect drift to work that fly across the water because the boat's moving the same speed.So now you don't get a belly in your line.You don't have to throw a mend in it.It's just a perfect drift.And that lasts all about five minutes.Then you gotta explain it again.

Any, any kind of like, tips on kind of how you like to work your fly progression when it's stingy like this?

It's just, I.It depends on the day.If you got an overcast day, cloudy day, I tend to go with a little bit darker, you know, colored flies.And if you got a bright day, then you can go with a little bit of bright, brighter colored flies with a little bit more flash.So that's sort of the game plan.I'll.I'll play depending on the conditions that we have.

Yeah, and you're probably, you're fishing.I think the last time we spoke, you were fishing all floating lines.You still doing that?

Yeah, because like I said, the water's just, you know, we're down.It's getting pretty skinny.I started two weeks ago, I could float pretty much anywhere I wanted to.And by the end of this week, I'm bouncing off of rocks.So, yeah, it's dropping pretty good.

Yeah.That probably means Clousers with like, you know, bead chain and so really, really small lead eyes, right?

Yep.You could either do the bead chain or.I really don't do bead chain, but I'll go to 1/50 ounce eyes, which are the, the extra, extra small and you know, and this type of water, as long as they keep the fly moving, you won't have any problem.You, the fly will get down to where it needs to be and, you know, with a good presentation, you won't be hanging up very much.

Got it.And so, you know, probably, you know, unless the rain dance works, you're probably this is the last week you're probably on the water.And so, you know, obviously you can't fish with Brian for smallmouth this year, but if folks want to get in touch with you next year, what should they do?

Just reach out to me.You can reach out to me, cell phone, text me or you can shoot me an email.

Got it.And I would imagine you're happy to take deposit money whenever, right?

Yep.Yeah.When you book today, I do ask for the deposit.So, you know, and it's good to get on the books.Early spring is going to start.I've already booking for spring, April and May.Already got dates for some dates going in the summer.I will say if, if you got an idea, especially the springtime.Cause that's going to go first.Is before I hit the show circuit in January.You might want to get in touch with me between now and the end of December if you like.A day in the spring.

Yeah.And speaking of show season, you want to let folks, let all of your adoring fans know where they can find you on the road in early 2027.

Yeah, I'll start out at the Virginia Fly and Wine Festival down in.Right outside of Richmond.And from there I'll be in Edison, New Jersey in January.February, don't have too much going on for show wise.And then March, I'll be at the Lancaster Fly Fishing show.And then I'll be at the Maryland Fly Fishing show in March.

Well, there you go.Well, listen, Brian, I really appreciate you doing these with me this season.

Oh, it's been a lot of fun, Marvin.And I hope everybody finds it interesting and, and maybe learn something from it.

Yeah.And you know, it's always funny, folks.So like when I'm recording, either depending on where the Yankees are playing, we're either, you know, Brian's been missing the first couple of innings talking to me.Or like tonight he's waiting.We've got an 8 o' clock first pitch with the Tampa Bay Devil.Is this still the Devil Rays, right?

Yeah, whatever you call them, the Rays, they took out the Devil, but it's still in the devil race.Yeah.

So, you know, he's.He's been missing baseball for you guys.I hope you've enjoyed it.As I always say, you owe it yourself to get out there and catch a few.Tight lines, everybody.Tight lines, Brian.

Tight lines, Marvin.